Proear2000 mask

[HMan]

Large Diver,
You question is taken sincerely.

My daughter grew up diving as I owned a diving center and live-aboard in the Red Sea. She has modeled for me underwater for as long as I can remember.

We were in Palau at the time the picture was taken just testing the latest prototype of the mask when I casually took this picture and we decided to use it to promote the product when we got the feedback from many colleagues and people we respect.

The image of her wearing the ProEar has been extremely effective to promote the. I cannot recommend using a model in such a fashion for every product but for us, introducing a new concept this image has worked. It has been featured in many diving publications worldwide and given us a lot of free promotion.

 

[large_diver]

Thanks for the reply Howard -- stay safe over there. I have to believe tensions are rather high at the moment with the events of the past few days.

 

[The Chairman]

that you took the comment about your daughter as anything but complimentary. When I re-read your posts, I realized that you entirely misread my first one.

Regardless of who might be wearing the mask, it looks entirely too busy and like a gimmick to me. This has nothing to do with the model that I did not know was your daughter. Still knowing that, I have to say that she looks nice. You should be proud of her, and get to work on making your mask look less like something I would find in the kid's section of your local sporting goods store. I say this quite seriously and candidly. The one model that is low volume and all black is getting there, but you still have some cleaning up to do for it to become more than a novelty to me. I do not debate the issue that it might have some medical benefit, but I know that I would probably try one only IF it were medically necessary for me to dive.

I do have to agree with Large Diver's point... If you need a sexy model to drive sales, you need to revise your product! I think that the Seal’s mask (no nose pocket) uses a gorgeous gal to model their product as well. It is obviously NOT suited to diving. Give me something that would look good on Iguana Don, Large Diver or even me and you just might make us look a little closer. Looks aren’t everything, but hey I don’t wear a gold lamae wet suit like Iggy either. I just couldn’t pull it off!

As for a test dive, that might be possible in the future, but I am leaning toward a full-face mask first.

 

[Iguana Don]

"Gold lamae" & "pull it off"?

Wouldn't I get arrested?

ID

 

[JustJules]

Hman,

I'm curious about how your policy with dive shops works... A LDS who says they sell the mask will not stock it. They're willing to order it for you if you want one, but you must order blindly (not knowing whether the mask will fit your face). I know a diver who was interested in the mask but opted not to buy it because she couldn't first try it on to see if it fit her (small) face. Is this the LDS being too cheap to carry a model in stock, or is there a restrictive return policy or something?

Just curious,
Julie

 

[HMan]

It is our interest to have the ProEar available in as many dive shops as possible.

In order to become an authorized dealer you just have to go to our website and find the dealer section and apply. We will review the application and if it is bona fide then we advise and you can order inventory.

Currently we ship from Israel UPS but soon will warehouse inventory in the USA.

I do not want to become too commercial here so for future inquiries send me an email direct to fantasea@attglobal.net

In order to test mask fit, the ProEar is the exact same mask skirt as the following masks, if they fit then the ProEar will fit:

Oceanic XSite, Cressi Focus, TUSA Splendive 2, Seac Extreme

 

[Starfish]

I have not used the ProEar myself, but after learning about the product I sent the information on to a friend of mine who will give it a try when he starts his OW class.

I have seen a ProEar in a Minneapolis SCUBA shop.

And as for the "model-like" ads, who cares!
I am a female and have been bombarded by images of women selling products all my life. And if it was a "buff" man, it wouldn't have mattered to me either.

 

[scubabunny]

I think (correct me if I'm wrong Herman) that the same mold is used for the ProEar mask as the X-cite mask from Oceanic...which is VERY similar to the Splendive from TUSA

Julie, probably the reason your LDS doesn't stock it is because it is expensive for the shop to buy, and it is a specialized mask. We try to stock at least one or two for people to try on, but the price is $120.00, which just covers our cost plus shipping. Most people that get them are more than willing to wait a week or so, if that means they can get in the water again.

As for the model being used...name one company that doesn't use a model? I think most divers are smart enough to separate the models from the gear, but if it makes someone stop on that page...then the ad did its job.

The only complaint I have with the Pro Ear is it should have different masks as an option.

 

[HMan]

Scuba Bunny,

You are correct in that the original ProEar 2000 mask was based on the exact same mask skirt as the following masks:
Oceanic Xsite, Seac Extreme, Tusa Splendive 2 and Cressi Focus.
This mask design has proven to be one of the very best skirts for the general market and that is why we chose it. It also allows for stock prescription lenses which can be installed in 5 minutes. All we did was modify the mask frame to protect the tube system which connects the mask skirt to the ear cups.

To update you, since Sept. we now can offer the ProEar system with 3 new mask skirt designs including a single lens version and a low volume 4 lens version. There is also a purpose designed ProEar hood now available for cold water divers.

For those interested all new models can be viewed on the ProEar website:
https://www.proear2000.com/shop/shop.asp

As for using models to promote our product, we obviously did not invent this system and certainly will not be the last to use it. For our product it has proven to be extremely effective even to the point of having this particular image featured on the cover of Dive Trade Internation magazine. The unique thing here is that the model is my own daughter a very experienced and dedicated diver since age 8 !!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Scubaboard members
from HMan in the Holy Land and a peaceful and safe diving year to us all.

 

[Rick Murchison]

We now have two divers using the ProEar who wouldn't be able to dive at all otherwise for medical reasons, and a third who uses the ProEar to combat chronic ear infections.
The mask works.
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As for whines about ads (models, words, scenery, whatever), those come no matter what you do, so you may as well do what works - I for one think your promo photo is eye-catching, attractive and tasteful.
Rick