SNUBA/Hookah with a full face mask?

[Waterwulf]

I'm new to SNUBA/Hookah and am thinking about a full face mask. I have two reasons for that. First, I have a large mustache that always causes my masks to leak. It would all be inside of a full face mask. And second, I have been a solo diver since about the mid seventies and plan to keep it that way. However, since I will be attached to the surface via an air hose, I have thought about a communications line. A full face mask will make that easier. Anybody ever dive with one? Pros cons?

 

[ofg-1]

If you are primarily diving solo, who would you be communicating with?

 

[rongoodman]

Are these working dives or what?

 

[CG43]

As long as you dive for pleasure, the question is which is more fun to dive : mask or full face mask?

You have to try it out for yourself because besides the small differences in diving technique it can make a big difference for you if parts of your face are in the water or dry. The water on your face stimulates the diving reflex that turns you from a land creature into the direction of an aquatic creature.
This may be the reason many of us love diving so mutch .
My experience is that a full face mask reduces the fun of diving somewhat, no matter how practical it may be. It's the feeling that i'm not realy under water .

 

[Bigbella]

I'm new to SNUBA/Hookah and am thinking about a full face mask. I have two reasons for that. First, I have a large mustache that always causes my masks to leak. It would all be inside of a full face mask. And second, I have been a solo diver since about the mid seventies and plan to keep it that way. However, since I will be attached to the surface via an air hose, I have thought about a communications line. A full face mask will make that easier. Anybody ever dive with one? Pros cons?

I dove with a Poseidon Atmosphere full face mask, with and without a hookah system -- and was quite fond of it, primarily for work, sampling in harbors and even replacing zincs years ago. I abandoned the aftermarket communications kit early on, due to serial electronic issues; the expense of it all, when a rude gesture would do just as well -- and the increased air consumption while in use, on a tank; though with a hookah, that would never pose an issue.

The primary downside is the high cost of a decent FFM and they vary in quality and construction, like nobody's business, especially the regulators, if included, which seem almost an afterthought with some FFM brands. Getting accustomed to one -- the equalization, buoyancy, and sometimes limited visibility, for example -- is a definite challenge for some (and there are plenty of SB threads on that subject).

The upside is a far warmer dive in the cold, and some added safety in suspect water -- especially if the mask is "positive-pressure" -- making it all but impossible to flood -- as was the case with the Atmosphere . . .