Wearing mask backwards on forehead

Do you wear your mask backwards on your forehead while at the surface?

  • Yes

    Votes: 66 40.5%
  • No

    Votes: 97 59.5%

  • Total voters
    163

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They all lie! It's rule number 6! ALWAYS LOOK COOL! Get with the program or be ridiculed to death!

(Anyone who takes this post seriously should stay out of the water and see a mental health professional quickly as you have some serious issues to work through):shocked2::wink:
 
I've always worn it slap strap on fore head because it's more comfortable, more secure and the reasons TSandM stated....
 
I bet it's the same people who wear their Base ball caps backwards who started this trend !

Shouldn't this be in the "Advanced Discussion " area with all the other important stuff?
 
MOF when water is calm. Pulled down around neck when water is rough. I never turn it around backwards.
 
Bungied back up interferes with mask around neck, too many would be rescuers for mask on forehead, when in water mask on face, walking to water mask on backwards other things in hands.

Photo ops are an exception to mask on face in water:
See profile photo
 
This is exactly the reason. Slap strap and bungee backup is incompatible with mask around neck. And I want to avoid being "false" rescued. Where else I can put it?


I like, for example, to walk down to the water without holding my mask in my hands, because it makes getting my fins on easier. Putting the mask on my forehead has always seemed precarious, and around my neck doesn't work because I use a bungied backup regulator. Putting the slap strap on my forehead and snugging the mask against the base of the back of my head seems pretty secure and very handy.

Bungied back up interferes with mask around neck, too many would be rescuers for mask on forehead, when in water mask on face, walking to water mask on backwards other things in hands.

Photo ops are an exception to mask on face in water:
See profile photo
 
heck... some folks don't even understand how to wear their mask backwards correctly


Scuba-Demotivational-posters-11.jpg
 
I don't think it's just PADI that teaches that a mask on forehead is a sign of distress, I'm pretty sure at least some of the other agencies teach it too. If you watch a distressed diver hit the surface, two things are going to happen almost every time... regulator out of the mouth and mask off the face, it's practically a race to see which happens first. It's gonna happen.

The trick is it's a "sign of distress", it's not necessarily a sign that a diver is distressed. I'm pretty sure the whole backwards thing was started by people who realize a distressed diver most likely WILL put their mask on their foreheads and that placing a mask backwards shows purpose, not panic. I think when someone barks at a person for having a mask on their forehead they're probably overreacting a bit, mentioning afterwards that some people don't like seeing masks on foreheads because it's the first thing a panicked diver will do doesn't seem like that bad of a thing though.

Personally, I keep my mask on my face 'til I'm either on the boat or on shore if shore diving. The majority of brand new divers I get on board try to hand up their masks first, then take on the battle (for some of them anyway) to remove their fins. If they'd just keep their masks on, they could see what they're doing. I've seen a number of masks washed off the swimsteps on choppy days over the years on boats I've worked off of, on night dives they've lost their masks, simple solution would be to keep it on 'til inside the boat in my mind. In general, it's my opinion that the larger portion of divers I see coming up the ladder with their masks on tend to be the more experienced divers.
 
Last edited:
...i have to keep it on my face.....scripts
otherwise,i can't freakin' see!!!!!!
...wish I was cool...like the back-mask-boys!!!
but i'd trip and fall and the coolness would be gone!!!!

whatever ...
be comfortable and safe!
set a good example-others may not be so dive savey!
and
have fun!
yaeg
 
Agreeed....

Mask on forehead = uneasy diver. Also, mask on forehead = going to fog with sweat. Finally mask on forehead + waves or chop = student/diver losing mask and or delaying or aborting the dive.

Rock it backwards, around the neck or clip it to your chest strap. Seen all of the above way too many times.

G
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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