Purge valve for mask – good or bad?

[Glenn08]

Masks with purge valves used to be considered toys. Snorkels with the ping pong ball water stop were also considered toys. I don't use a purge mask. I also prefer my non-purge snorkel. Unfortunately non-purge snorkels are now rare. Get a mask that fits well. From the other posts, purge valves in masks seem to be acceptable now.

 

[Akimbo]

... From the other posts, purge valves in masks seem to be acceptable now.

“Acceptable” is an interesting choice of words, I never knew there was consensus. A purge is just a tool. Like most tools, they have strengths and weaknesses. Discussing and understanding them helps people find the best tool for the job.

 

[Glenn08]

Purge masks used to be considered toys. When a macro photographer uses a purge mask, I have to defer to his opinion that they are useful and reliable.

 

[Akimbo]

My first mask in the 1960s had a purge. It did make it harder to learn how to clear the mask conventionally, but was still doable. There were a few purge masks in the pile of gear we had to choose from when I was in the Navy... but our group wasn't as constrained by Washington as most. The guys that liked them in those days had big noses that pushed against the glass on the oval masks.