Purge valve for mask – good or bad?

[maniago]

Like everything in scuba, its a personal comfort choice. What you need to do though, is understand its failure modes and be able to handle them under water. I use a purge snorkel, but I could easily use a non-purger. Same goes with a mask. Tech folks poo-poo them, but then they poo-poo anything that isn't their particular diving religion.

Eitherway, it doesn't hurt to have a backup mask with you if you're on vacation - maybe a purger is your main, and the BU is a nonpurger incase you have a failure. Or not.

 

[BRT]

Not if you have a mustache and don't want to either shave an area below the nose (looks stupid) or glob it up with vasoline for every dive. If I didn't have a purge I'd have my hands on my mask almost continualy. In 40+ years of using a mask with a purge I've never had a problem. A couple of times I got a grain of sand in it and had to take it apart and rinse it then put it back together. Every time I had dropped it onto a sandy bottom in waves - so user error.

This is my exact experience

 

[TSandM]

I look at it this way: The only things a purge valve in a mask does are relieve you of the necessity to push on the top of the mask while clearing, and remove the necessity of breaking the mask seal while clearing (which is only important if you're kevrumbo). The downside is that a broken or missing purge valve renders the mask unusable. When I add that up, I've created a major potential liability (rare though it might be) for an almost nonexistent improvement in normal function. Therefore, I don't use purge valves in my masks.

I apply the same test to everything: What does it add, and what problems could it create? Tends to keep one's dive gear simple.

 

[coralcruiser]

Have been using purge masks for over 10 years and love them... Never had a purge break, leak or get full of crud. Also I never got a sore from the purge

I found a regular mask that I absolutely love and had the purge installed in it. I've got about 250 dives on that mask, bought another one as a backup and had to purge put that as well.

The main thing is to get a mask that fits you well!

 

[Nemrod]

I have used both types of masks over the years and I never had a problem with a purge mask.

Dittos.

N

 

[eelnoraa]

From what I have seen, mask with purge usually are higher volumn, meaning the glass is further away from your face. I think this alone is a downside. I will chose mask closest to my face so that I can get as wide vision as possible.

 

[coralcruiser]

When looking at a mask the most important thing is fit urge or no purge.

Find a mask you like that fits then if you want to purge you can send it in and have one put in to it

 

[Dsix36]

Let me start by saying that my first mask was indeed a purge mask.

I think that a purge valve is adding a possible failure point to your equipment without adding any real benefit. It is also my opinion that a purge valve is nothing but a crutch to aid with proper dive skills and can be detrimental to the muscle memory of such skill set if ever really needed.

You know I am right, just admit it!!! :cool2:

 

[Akimbo]

Apparently no macro photographers have replied yet. A purge is very useful when you have settled-in waiting for that perfect shot. Invariably, enough movement to clear a mask without a purge will scare the critter away.

Purge valves are far more reliable now that mushroom valves are made of silicon. They seemed to attract a lot more particles when they were rubber or Vinyl. Definitely not something you want in a mask for freediving though.

 

[coralcruiser]

Apparently no macro photographers have replied yet. A purge is very useful when you have settled-n waiting for that perfect shot. Invariably, enough movement to clear a mask without a purge will scare the critter away.

Purge valves are far more reliable now that mushroom valves are made of silicon. They seemed to attract a lot more particles when they were rubber or Vinyl. Definitely not something you want in a mask for freediving though.

Guess I should have mentioned that I do mainly macro and super macro photography when diving.