Purge valves

[bvbellomo]

I have been certified a long time, but do not have many dives. When I first started diving, bulky expensive masks with 'purge valves' were becoming popular, although they were an expensive luxury most people people didn't need.

Now I see plenty of masks with tiny purge valves that are the same price as other masks, but seem less popular now than they were then. Any reason they aren't popular or I should avoid them?

This is not something I absolutely need, but as a man with a mustache and long hair who doesn't like a mask full of water, it seems like a nice convenience.

 

[JackD342]

Some years down the road, the purge valve might need replacement long before anything else on the mask causes problems. Also, you need some added effort to keep it clean and rinsed. Black mold anyone?
More importantly, if you are trying one on, see how easy (more likely difficult) it is to pinch your nose with one hand to clear the mask with a regulator in your mouth. After the first couple of bloody noses, I starting using both index fingers to pinch my nose. (that mask is long gone, plus I no longer have such a hard time equalizing)
Also, if you are constantly using the purge valve, you are also constantly adding warm moist to the inside of your mask to fog it up.
And a purge will NOT solve a leaky mask. There is a mustache wax sealing product available for diving.

 

[BRT]

I disagree about the purge being a problem point. I really like my Tusa purge valve masks. so simple to get rid of water that I don't even think about it. Never had the purge give a problem for a couple of decades now.

 

[Hatul]

I also had a purge valve mask without problems for many years-- Ocean Master Z2, but the model was discontinued when I wanted to replace it.

 

[Richard Meserr]

Hello....can any of you guys tell me where can I buy a purge valve assembly for my mask ?

 

[Bob DBF]

I really like my Tusa purge valve masks. so simple to get rid of water that I don't even think about it.

Hello....can any of you guys tell me where can I buy a purge valve assembly for my mask ?

I use a mask without a purge valve, however I wear my mask strap slightly lower than the centerline of the mask. This puts slightly less pressure on the lower half of the mask, but it still seals fine. When I breathe out my nose it forces any water in the mask out past the lower seal. A DIY purge valve.



Bob

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I've been using one for the past twenty years. I never get water in my mask the way I did with regular masks. I rinse it thoroughly after each dive day so I don't get black mold.

 

[rddvet]

Don’t get one. I dove with a Scubapro purge mask for 19 years. All it did was teach me to nose breathe. When I moved to a non purge mask I had leak issues because I did a lot of nose exhaling

 

[dmaziuk]

FWIW I do a lot of nose exhaling and my non-purge-valve masks neither leak nor fog up. Though it did take a few dives to find the optimal strap position and defogger for my current one.