U.S. DIVERS CO. Masks of the 50's, 60's and 70's according to catalog

[DaleC]

I've compiled this list of USD masks from catalogs as a quick reference source when dating purchases and thought I'd share it with others. Any errors or omissions are accidental and probably the result of staring at catalogs for hours on end till everything becomes a blur. If any mistakes are noted I would appreciate the feedback so the master list can be corrected. Please include sources.

Part one of two:

U.S. Divers CO.
Mask models of the 50's, 60's and early 70's according to Catalog


* designates first year the model appearances in print


1953
*Squale Navy type
*Squale Goggles
*Champion Standard
*Champion Deluxe (double strength glass)


1954
Squale
Squale Goggles
*Aquar (Squale with Dr. Ivanoff optics)
Champion Standard, Deluxe.
*Mask-Hood (Mask / hood combo)
*Grand Champ (white rubber / amber lens)
*Marino (built in snorkel)


1955
Squale
Squale Goggles
Aquar
*Natascope (FFM for use with early model DA Aquamasters)
Champion Standard, Deluxe, Jr
Grand Champ
Mask-Hood
Marino
*Riviera (built in snorkel)
*Cyrano (protruding nose pocket)


1956
Squale
Squale Goggles
Champion Standard, Deluxe, Jr
Marino
Cyrano
Natascope
Aquar
*Scubascope (FFM for "Kleer E-Z" mouthpiece)
*Malibu Snorkel mask (FFM with built in snorkel)
*Diving Hood (hood / mask combo)
*Corsair (Squale style with lucite lens)
*Buccaneer (lucite lens)
*Aqua-Vu nose goggles (lucite lens)
*Frogman (amber lucite lens)


1957
Squale
Squale Goggles
Natascope
Champion Standard, Deluxe, Jr
*Deep-Vu (glass or styrene lens)
Malibu
Diving Hood (accessory kit)
*Cyclops Aqualens (convex oval lens to correct near sightedness)
Buccaneer
Cyrano
Corsair
Marino
Aquar


1958
Squale
Squale Goggles
*Squale Vista-Vision (corrective convex lens)
Champion Deluxe, Standard, Jr
*Champion Deluxe Vista-Vision
Deep-Vu (glass or lucite lens)
Corsair
Buccaneer
*Look Out (FFM with built in mouthpiece)
Malibu
Marino
Cyrano
Cyclops
Natascope


1959
Squale
Squale Goggles
Squale Vista-Vision
Champion Deluxe, Standard, Jr
Champion Deluxe Vista-Vision
Deep-Vu
Corsair
Look Out
Cyclops
Marino
*Champ Aqua Pressure (with nose pockets)
Diving Hood (accessory kit)
*Aquatic (plastic)
*Aquatic Jr


1960
Squale
Squale Goggles
Squale Vista-Vision
Champion Deluxe, Standard, Jr
Champion Deluxe Vista-Vision
*Champion Equi-Pressure (with nose pockets)
Cyclops
*Aqua-Lung Professional (wrap-around glass lens)
*Vista-Rama Standard, Deluxe
*Equi-Rama Deluxe (Vista-Rama with nose pockets)
Deep-Vu
Full Face Mask (Same as Look Out)
Aquatic
Aquatic Jr


1961
Squale
Squale Goggles
Squale Jr
Squale Vista-Vision
Champion Standard, Jr
Champion Deluxe Vista-Vision
Champion Equi-Pressure
Cyclops
Aquatic
Aquatic Jr
Deep-Vu
Look Out
Vista-Rama Deluxe, Standard
Equi-Rama Deluxe
Aqua-lung Professional


1962
Squale
Squale Goggles
Squale Jr
Squale Vista-Vision
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Champion Equi-Pressure
Aqua-lung Professional
Equi-Rama Deluxe
*Equi-Purge (Equi-Rama Deluxe with purge valve)
Aquatic
Aquatic Jr
Cyclops


1963
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Champion Equi-Pressure
Equi-Rama Deluxe
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr
Equi-Purge
*Pacifica (nose purge valve)
*Atlantis (Pacifica without the purge valve)


1964
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Champion Equi-Pressure
Equi-Rama Deluxe
Cyclops
Equi-Purge
Pacifica
Atlantis
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr


1965
Pacifica
Atlantis
*Naso (with or without purge)
Equi-Purge
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr


1966
Equi-Purge
Champion Equi-Pressure
*Equi-Rama
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr
Goggles
Pacifica
Atlantis
Naso
*Aqua-Naut
*Equi-Naso
*Aqua-Rama


1967
Pacifica
Atlantis
Naso
Aqua-Naut
Equi-Naso
Aqua-Rama
Equi-Purge
Champion Equi-Pressure
Equi-Rama
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr
Goggles
*Tahiti
*Wrap-Around (three paned lens)


1968
Pacifica
Atlantis
Naso
Aqua-Rama
Aqua-Naut
Equi-Naso
Wrap-Around Professional
Tahiti
*Tahiti Deluxe
Equi-Purge
Equi-Rama
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Goggles
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr


1969
Pacifica
Atlantis
Naso
Wrap-Around Professional
Aqua-Naut
Equi-Naso
Tahiti
Tahiti Deluxe
Aqua-Rama
Equi-Purge
Equi-Rama
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Goggles
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr
*Calypso


1970
Wrap-Around Professional
Pacifica
Atlantis
*Mini Pacifica
*Mini Atlantis
Aqua-Naut
Tahiti Deluxe
Naso
Equi-Purge
Equi-Rama
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Goggles
Aquatic Sr
Aquatic Jr
Calypso


1971
*Equi-Rama (first silicone mask)
*Falco
Wrap-Around
Pacifica
Atlantis
Mini Pacifica
Mini Atlantis
Aqua-Naut
Tahiti Deluxe
Naso
Equi-Purge
Equi-Rama
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Goggles


1972
Equi-Rama silicone
Equi-Rama
Wrap-Around Professional
Pacifica
Atlantis
Naso
Falco
Aqua-Naut
Tahiti Deluxe
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Mini Pacifica
Mini Atlantis
Goggles
Equi-Purge


1973
Pacifica
Atlantis
Naso
Falco
Goggles
Equi-Rama
Equi-Rama Silicone
Equi-Purge
Equi-Purge Silicone
Tahiti Deluxe
*Fisheye Mask
Mini Pacifica
Mini Atlantis
Champion Equi-Pressure
Champion Deluxe, Jr
Wrap-Around Professional
Aqua-Naut
*Equi-Rama, Americana (tri colored)
*Equi-Purge, Americana (tri colored)

 

[DaleC]

Part two of two:

View attachment 103335

 

[Mike Lev]

Nice job Dale.:cool2:

 

[DaleC]

Thanks Mike, and thanks for the 1971 info
By working through the catalogs and arranging things in chronological order I was able to see the progression of ideas surrounding mask design and how fads came and went ie. the Marino and Riviera built in snorkel masks of the mid 50's. I also realized that if I ever see a white mask with amber lens I'll grab it (Grand Champ 1954/55)!
One thing that did surprise me was the early introduction of the Aquatic line of masks and fins made of "Marvil" plastic (1959) and its longevity (1970). I would have pegged plastic to be a phenomenon of the late 60's or 70's and probably would have passed masks of this design up as collectable representations.

 

[Mike Lev]

The snorkel masks are cool.I think I have the snorkel to the Marino.The mask fell apart.I have to look up the Grand Champ.I don't recall that one.I have a LookOut mask in the box.It is huge much bigger than the wrap around or Professional one piece glass.:cool2:

 

[DaleC]

Mike, can you take a look at your USD 1971 catalog and see if there are any fin additions or deletions between 1970 and 1972. Below are the models listed for each. In particular were the Spoiler, Champion hydromatic, Junior, Calypso or Aquarius listed?


1970 FinsAqua-lung Professional
Aqua-Master
Otarie
Champion Hydromatic
Rocket
*Mini Rocket
Junior
Calypso

1971 Fins


1972 FinsAqua-lung Professional
Aqua-Master
Otarie
Rocket
Mini Rocket
*Spoiler (open heel design)
*Aquarius (full foot design)

 

[Mike Lev]

Hello Dale,I don't see the any Champions or Calypso fins lised in the 1971.The junior is a size not a fin.The only new ones listed I see are the Aqualung Professional.:cool2:

 

[David Wilson]

Hello Dale,I don't see the any Champions or Calypso fins lised in the 1971.The junior is a size not a fin.The only new ones listed I see are the Aqualung Professional.:cool2:

Be aware that US Divers manufactured "Otarie" fins but "carried", i.e. imported and resold, Champion Hydromatic fins, which were made in Italy for the Cavalero diving equipment company, based in the French Mediterranean port of Marseilles. Below is a book front cover with a picture of a female diver with a pair of yellow Champion Hydromatics and a male diver with a pair of blue US Divers Otaries:

I also have a pair of Champion Hydromatics, which arrived in a US Divers box. They are full-foot fins with closed toes.

 

[DaleC]

Thanks for the feedback Mike and David.
Mike, some fin models had Sr/Jr sizes but in the 1969 and 70 catalogs they list a seperate fin called the Junior? I don't know what they had stamped on the instep though.
David, did the Champion hydromatics say USD or Cavalero on them? They had quite a run 1964 - 1970.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the feedback Mike and David. David, did the Champion hydromatics say USD or Cavalero on them? They had quite a run 1964 - 1970.

The Champion Hydromatics have neither USD nor Cavalero embossed anywhere on them. The top of the foot pocket has the words:

HYDROMATIC
CHAMPION
GEANTE

The tip of the blade has:

FLOTTANTE

The sole on the bottom of the fin has:

44-46
11-13
MADE
IN
ITALY

The cardboard box the fins came in has "swim fins from u.s. divers" without naming the brand and model of the fins. On one end there is a stuck-on label reading "6132-00 HYDROMATIC 10-12 EXTRA LARGE".

It doesn't surprise me that the fins had such a long shelf life. They have wonderfully soft, comfortable heels and I've seen many pictures of women divers wearing them, perhaps because of their classic design, their attractive colours (a choice of solid blue or yellow as well as black), their wide range of sizes (European 30-48) and their concealment of toes.

According to an undated Cavalero Champion catalogue I own, there was an adjustable open-heel version called "Hydro réglable" in three sizes (33-45) and an open-toe version called "Super Hydro" in seven sizes (34-48). In this case the following advice was given: "If these flippers are to worn with smooth-soled diving boots, we advise you to choose a pair of SUPER HYDRO flippers two sizes too big." Too many modern divers refuse to believe that full-foot fins CAN be worn with boots. I snorkel regularly in the North Sea shod with full-foot fins, including my Hydromatic Champions, over my retro Hydroglove and original Skooba-"totes" drysuits.