Tricks to combat fogging

[stuartv]

3) Most divers apply some form of anti-fog coating before each dive. Spit works for some people, I don't find it to work especially well, maybe my saliva is different. Some people use diluted baby shampoo which works ok but is a hassle to carry around.

Totally agree on spit. Works okay for me, but not great. Works great for some people. Doesn't work at all for others.

I don't know why it would be any more hassle to carry some baby shampoo than a thing of commercial anti-fog. And I DO know that I have used commercial stuff before and failed to rinse my mask well enough and gone through a dive with that stuff stinging the crap out of my eyes.

I use this exact squeeze bottle for my diluted baby shampoo:

Amazon.com: Under Armour Undeniable Squeeze Bottle with Quick Shot Lid, Clear, 32 Ounce: Kitchen & Dining

I like it because it holds enough that I only have to refill it every few dive weekends. And the lid twists to lock closed so it doesn't accidentally squirt baby shampoo into my bag. It's kind of soft, so it's easy to squeeze. And it's tough, handling being thrown across a parking lot, for example, hitting the ground, and still being fine.

But, if you don't want something that big, you could definitely get a travel-sized shampoo bottle to put it in and it wouldn't be any bigger or more trouble than a small bottle of commercial anti-fog.

The only reason I carry around such a big bottle of it is that I also use it (liberally) as suit lube, so I go through it a lot faster than if I only used it as anti-fog.

 

[2airishuman]

I don't know why it would be any more hassle to carry some baby shampoo than a thing of commercial anti-fog.

Because it has to be bigger because you dilute it and use more, unless you're going to refill it all the time. The Sea Gold gel comes in a 1 oz squeeze bottle, and as I noted upthread, it lasts a very long time, probably about 100 dives if you don't lose it. I find it convenient. ::shrug:: Everyone has their system.

 

[Caveeagle]

Gosh, what am I doing wrong? I just rub a little toothpaste around and rise it out. Spit a little,and slight rinse before the dive, and I don't have any issues.

I have somehow collected 3 bottles of Defog in my dive box, that I never use. I need to try harder to give it away.

 

[stuartv]

Because it has to be bigger because you dilute it and use more, unless you're going to refill it all the time. The Sea Gold gel comes in a 1 oz squeeze bottle, and as I noted upthread, it lasts a very long time, probably about 100 dives if you don't lose it. I find it convenient. ::shrug:: Everyone has their system.

I see what you mean.

You don't actually have to dilute it. You can even buy it already in a travel size bottle and just put a little dab in each side and rub it around with your finger and maybe a little water. But, indeed it still might not last as long as the Sea Gold stuff.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

There are other things that can cause a mask to fog up. Suntan lotion, some lubricants used to make wetsuit/drysuit entry easier, etc. Keep your fingers out of the mask if you use any of those.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

There are other things that can cause a mask to fog up. Suntan lotion, some lubricants used to make wetsuit/drysuit entry easier, etc. Keep your fingers out of the mask if you use any of those.

Oops... Sorry for the double reply. An itchy finger.

 

[lowflyer]

Since using the burn method on my masks, spit sufficiently prevents fogging. Before I burned the glass, even after scrubbing with toothpaste, I needed special defog products. I was surprised that after all that scrubbing there was still film on the glass that burned away.
I would use caution on any special mask lenses

 

[buddhasummer]

I take a lighter to mine, I don't use toothpaste, I don't use de fogger, I use spit.

I almost never have a fogging issue. Occasionally it might fog a little if it's been on my head for too long in the baking sun waiting for my buddies to get organized, but it's very rare.

I've never gotten an eye infection either.

 

[ibj40]

This will start an entirely tangential discussion, but ever since my wife and I both got Seavision masks, we have used their prescribed defogger, and neither one of us has ever had a problem.

I have been diving since 1985, and up until the Seavision's; if I ever had a mid-dive fog up, the slow leak of water into the mask method suggested above has been the go-to solution.

 

[INQuarryDiver]

I use straight baby shampoo in travel size bottle. Rinse once works ok. I had to finally take a lighter to my mask to combat it's fogging.