Purchasing a mask - input please

[syntaxerrorsix]

You may want to consider actually PURCHASING from your local fitting room as opposed to putting them out of buisness at the cost of a few bucks.

Just sayin'

 

[peterbj7]

A good instructor should be able to tell if a mask you try on in the shop will work in the water. There are certain things to look for. But I'm afraid that by trying to save a few $ by not going to a shop you'll end up paying an awful lot over the odds.

And please don't believe twaddle about an individual mask like "it will fit". Until an experienced person sees the mask on your face he can have no idea whether or not it will work for you.

In general I would go for a mask that DOESN'T have lots of lenses - there's no benefit in use and they end up bigger and more heavy - less likely to fit properly. And avoid "self purging" masks - a gimmick that doesn't work. A simple low volume mask (so that the lens(es) sit close to your face) is both the cheapest and the best.

If you don't have perfect vision, and most of us don't, then if you have near sight you need a two-lens mask for which you can get prescription lenses. You cannot believe how much clearer they make everything. If you have long sight this option doesn't work.

 

[Goslingbiz]

You may want to consider actually PURCHASING from your local fitting room as opposed to putting them out of buisness at the cost of a few bucks.

Just sayin'

Considering the number of people who walked in to have tanks filled, purchase tanks, purchase other equipment, etc., I hardly think an attempt by me to save some $$ would put this particular place "out of business."

Friend, I'm out of work as is my husband, with loss of unemployment income looming fast, and precious few jobs coming up to apply for. I wouldn't spend ANYTHING on something like this except for the fact that we've found a way to majorly augment our budget by finding and selling stones we find in the lakes to jewelry makers online. When I got out there with a snorkel and mask for the first time (borrowing my husband's), the number of sellable stones I found more than quintupled. If you rely on finding visible stones already beached, you won't get anywhere due to competition from others doing the same thing. If you can get into the water itself, you find the rocks BEFORE they hit the shore and are accessible to those who only wade and don't snorkel.

Up until your comment, I didn't get any feared, snarky newbie responses. You really don't know who you're talking to or my circumstances. Fact is, we could have left Michigan altogether (no matter where you're at, you must know how dismal our economy is, among the worst if not THE worst in the nation) with the promise of a big money job for my husband and a nearly guaranteed future in another state. But we love Michigan, and chose to do our best and stay here.

We buy locally grown vegetables and fruits over imported ones at the store. We put money into the Michigan economy every chance we get. Just because I have to save a few dollars on a diving mask today doesn't mean I won't go back there in better circumstances next year and pick up the whole gamut of diving equipment should I decide to, pardon the expression, take the dive and go all-out. Truth is, I probably would, as they're the ONLY scuba store in the area.

They're not hurting. I am. I hate having to explain myself to people who say things like this to me.

 

[Goslingbiz]

A good instructor should be able to tell if a mask you try on in the shop will work in the water. There are certain things to look for. But I'm afraid that by trying to save a few $ by not going to a shop you'll end up paying an awful lot over the odds.

And please don't believe twaddle about an individual mask like "it will fit". Until an experienced person sees the mask on your face he can have no idea whether or not it will work for you.

In general I would go for a mask that DOESN'T have lots of lenses - there's no benefit in use and they end up bigger and more heavy - less likely to fit properly. And avoid "self purging" masks - a gimmick that doesn't work. A simple low volume mask (so that the lens(es) sit close to your face) is both the cheapest and the best.

If you don't have perfect vision, and most of us don't, then if you have near sight you need a two-lens mask for which you can get prescription lenses. You cannot believe how much clearer they make everything. If you have long sight this option doesn't work.

Thanks for the awesome advice.

I did go to the scuba store today. They had a decent selection. Only one or two masks in the $35 range, a handful around $50, and the majority around $85 and up.

I tried all of them on. I did what I thought I was supposed to - kept the strap off my head and put the mask against my face and breathed in. What I DIDN'T understand was that the mask would ONLY stay on my face while I breathed in - and would loosen when I stopped inhaling from my nose. I was wrongly thinking that a "well fitting mask" would suction to my face - and stay there.

The guy at the store set me right about that. To his credit, he didn't roll his eyes or laugh at me.

However, he really was of no help trying to find one that actually would work. All he kept doing was handing me masks off the rack saying "try this." He wasn't able (or willing, whatever) to work with me and explain what makes a "fitting" mask "fitting."

I had brought my Genesis Tri-View with me. Thing is, I could put THAT one up against my face without the strap, breathe in, and it stuck to my face well. But I already know that one does not really fit me at all once I'm in the water (knowing what I've been told here about not tightening the strap too much and making sure the strap is positioned right, I'm going to give the Genesis one more try before totally giving up on it and trying to resell it on ebay). So just putting all the masks at the store against my face and sucking in wasn't telling me anything about them actually working for me.

Until I tried the Aqua Sphere Sphera.

OMG - its like this mask was made on a bust of my actual face. I have high cheekbones. The skirt on this one has a lovely rounded shape that conforms to my cheekbones perfectly. It's super low-volume, with that buttery black silicone that fits like poured-on latex. NOW I totally get why black is so preferred here on SB, and I'm all done with clear skirts.

The major problem I had with shelling out the $50 for this mask is that the lens is NOT tempered glass. It's a polycarbonate plastic. I've read some reviews (google aqua sphere sphera review and you'll see what I've read about it) and people DO say this is the biggest problem with it - it WILL scratch if not properly cared for. However, it's very highly prized by freedivers for its low volume, and for divers/snorkelers in general for its fit and vision.

I'm still nervous about having a mask with basically a plastic lens. However, I DO tend to take very good care of specialized equipment like this. The box will travel to the beach with me and they'll be placed back in it ALWAYS when not in use. So hopefully this won't be a detriment.

Finances are still an issue. It was like pulling teeth for me to shell out $50 when my original $30 budget was already being stretched for spending ANOTHER $30. But in the end, if these pass an actual use test, I think it will be money well spent.

By the way, looked them up online. There is no way to purchase these cheaper. $48.95+ is the going price. So if these work out, this will be the pair I keep. Hopefully I can recoup some money spent by selling the other, non-fitting ones on ebay.

I do have a complete satisfaction guaranteed agreement from the scuba shop. I can take them out to the lake and get in the water with them. If they leak, I can bring them back. Can't beat that.

Thanks again for all the advice. Just my little foray into a little near-shore lake snorkeling is maybe lighting a little fire in me to go deeper. I may be back to annoy the ScubaBoard general public with questions about deeper snorkeling and/or diving someday.

My dad was a Frogman in WWII. He still has his old rubber round-lens mask. I think he'll be pretty amazed at what basic equipment looks like today. Can't wait to show him my mask and snorkel next time he makes it up here.

 

[Damselfish]

are you trying masks in the store with a snorkel in your mouth? Having a snorkel or reg in your mouth changes the shape of your face a bit. Could explain why the Genesis seems to stick to your face but leaks in actual use.

(BTW, the color of the silicone has nothing to do with it's softness, and that's not why some people prefer them.)

 

[Goslingbiz]

are you trying masks in the store with a snorkel in your mouth? Having a snorkel or reg in your mouth changes the shape of your face a bit. Could explain why the Genesis seems to stick to your face but leaks in actual use.

(BTW, the color of the silicone has nothing to do with it's softness, and that's not why some people prefer them.)

I was not trying them with a snorkel. And when I get back in the water tomorrow with the new mask, it will be with a snorkel attached. So we'll see if that makes a difference. Thanks for the advice.

The salesguy at the scuba shop told me the black is more supple and conforms to the face better. Besides being pretty unable/reluctant to offer mask fitting advice, was he also making things up then?

Speaking of snorkel, what is the best place on the strap to put it? It might be that where I'm placing the keeper is affecting the seal.

 

[peterbj7]

Thanks for the awesome advice

You're very welcome. I've fitted quite a few masks to people over the past 14+ years! Obviously without seeing your face I can't suggest any mask in particular, but I've homed in on a few models for rental as I've found they fit a large proportion of people. There's a very basic DiveRite model, and an OMS one pretty similar, that I particularly liked - two lens, very light, very low volume. After monstrous import duties here in Belize I was still able to sell each of these for US$50. I also found a basic Genesis model fitted many people. I always kept a selection from several different manufacturers, as masks which look pretty similar can be quite different in fit.

But at the end of the day the right mask for you is one that fits you, and generally I've found that to be one of the simpler, cheaper models. I had one diver here a while ago who had just bought what was to me a phenomenally expensive mask (over $150 IIRC) which flooded as soon as she went in the sea. She was a new diver doing a course and didn't need that. I gave her one of my DiveRites and it fitted perfectly. She liked it so much she bought it - $50. Goodness knows what she did with the other one, because shops who rip customers off like that aren't usually willing to refund money, especially if the mask has been used.

On the snorkel, if you don't already have one I recommend a simple bent tube one without a purge valve. Not only is that the cheapest, you'll find once you get used to it that it's very easy to use. Avoid "dry snorkels" like the plague.

Addition following your last post above - I don't think black masks last any longer, but once you're used to them they can be better in use. At first you may find it a bit claustrophobic though. A tip - bugs like cockroaches love to eat masks - after use, rinse it in fresh water and store it in its box.

And I should have said - try to fit the snorkel just in front of your ear so that the least amount of added material is inside the mask strap. Just the keeper. Don't push the whole snorkel inside the strap, as that's pretty certain to make even a well-fitting mask leak. And having a mouthpiece in your mouth when you try on a mask is a very good idea. Conventionally a snorkel is worn on the left side of the face and many are shaped to force that, because a diving regulator is generally worn on the right.

Good luck with your snorkelling and your job hunt!

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

Considering the number of people who walked in to have tanks filled, purchase tanks, purchase other equipment, etc., I hardly think an attempt by me to save some $$ would put this particular place "out of business."

Friend, I'm out of work as is my husband, with loss of unemployment income looming fast, and precious few jobs coming up to apply for. I wouldn't spend ANYTHING on something like this except for the fact that we've found a way to majorly augment our budget by finding and selling stones we find in the lakes to jewelry makers online. When I got out there with a snorkel and mask for the first time (borrowing my husband's), the number of sellable stones I found more than quintupled. If you rely on finding visible stones already beached, you won't get anywhere due to competition from others doing the same thing. If you can get into the water itself, you find the rocks BEFORE they hit the shore and are accessible to those who only wade and don't snorkel.

Up until your comment, I didn't get any feared, snarky newbie responses. You really don't know who you're talking to or my circumstances. Fact is, we could have left Michigan altogether (no matter where you're at, you must know how dismal our economy is, among the worst if not THE worst in the nation) with the promise of a big money job for my husband and a nearly guaranteed future in another state. But we love Michigan, and chose to do our best and stay here.

We buy locally grown vegetables and fruits over imported ones at the store. We put money into the Michigan economy every chance we get. Just because I have to save a few dollars on a diving mask today doesn't mean I won't go back there in better circumstances next year and pick up the whole gamut of diving equipment should I decide to, pardon the expression, take the dive and go all-out. Truth is, I probably would, as they're the ONLY scuba store in the area.

They're not hurting. I am. I hate having to explain myself to people who say things like this to me.

I know exactly what you mean We closed our doors two weeks ago because of sentiments like those you just demonstrated. Of course you are the only with a story right? Good luck with your stones.

 

[Goslingbiz]

I know exactly what you mean We closed our doors two weeks ago because of sentiments like those you just demonstrated. Of course you are the only with a story right? Good luck with your stones.

Sorry you had to close shop. But my husband did guess right, that you're a former shop owner.

Similar stories, just different job descriptions. People can't buy cars/GM can't sell enough cars. GM can't sell enough cars/my husband's former business can't sell door repair to them. So now he sells stones. We don't sell enough stones/we can't afford full-priced diving equipment.

This sort of thing hits everyone from the top down. It's all a downhill roll when the economy takes a big dive (again, pardon the expression). We all have to do what we can to get by.

Best of luck.

 

[Goslingbiz]

Peterbj7 - thanks so much for the further advice. I do have a dry snorkel - I used my husband's and loved it, so I got the same one, a Genesis Sahara.

I'm not diving, and I did read lots of advice here on ScubaBoard before deciding to stick with a dry snorkel. I don't have the problem of diving and having it hold air, because I'm pretty much snorkeling in less than 4 feet of water. For what I'm doing, a dry snorkel actually works great.

I don't think this shop will rip me off. I think the salesguy was pretty non-knowledgeable, based on what others here have told me. But this is a small-town sort of area, and most places like to ensure repeat business. I'd definitely go back there for more equipment should the need arise. But I'd do my research beforehand instead of depending on his help.

The cockroach tip is an excellent one. Maybe now I'll be able to convince my husband to quit throwing HIS mask all over the place and start putting it back in the box.

Snorkel - front of the ear - I hadn't thought of that. I'm pretty sure I've been pushing it behind the ear, further back on the strap. I wasn't tucking it inside the strap, so I did have that much right.

Good luck with your snorkelling and your job hunt!

Thank you!