Wearing mask on the back of your head
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Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
I never heard of fogging up issues when MOF or any other methods. I figured once a mask is clean it’s clean, and defogging is just a matter of a partial flood, swish it around, and clear it out. I spit in my mask, been doing it that way for years, best defog on earth next to abalone slime.
The secret I found is to prep your brand new mask with Bon Ami and maybe a few times periodically after that if needed.
The secret I found is to prep your brand new mask with Bon Ami and maybe a few times periodically after that if needed.
Mustard Dave
Contributor
Whenever I have seen anybody do this, somebody usually suggests it makes them look like an American; wheter or not this is a compliment, Ill leave to you; I'm merely the messenger! 
I do not see the point in it, to be honest. In the water, and when getting in and out, the best place is over your eyes (and with a reg in your mouth).
My mask is usually the last thing I put on, and before that it's my fins; I usually put my mask in one of the foot pockets.
I do not see the point in it, to be honest. In the water, and when getting in and out, the best place is over your eyes (and with a reg in your mouth).
My mask is usually the last thing I put on, and before that it's my fins; I usually put my mask in one of the foot pockets.
Whenever I have seen anybody do this, somebody usually suggests it makes them look like an American; wheter or not this is a compliment, Ill leave to you; I'm merely the messenger!
I do not see the point in it, to be honest. In the water, and when getting in and out, the best place is over your eyes (and with a reg in your mouth).
My mask is usually the last thing I put on, and before that it's my fins; I usually put my mask in one of the foot pockets.
I dive in cold water. So I like to "wake up" with my face in the water when I test my regs. Last item fully on is my mask. Anyone who things that it is just American divers who do this are not aware of how many technical divers all over the world dive.
AJ
Contributor
Yep, me too. I jump in the water and get out without mask and reg in place. The only place to put it safe is on the back of my head. Can't put it under my chin because my backup is already there.
Mustard Dave
Contributor
I dive in cold water too, and I cannot think of a single reason benefit from jumping in without a mask, but I can think of a few reasons not to do it. When I jump in, I want to know that every bit of kit that is there to enable me to execute the dive is in place and functioning as it should. When I jump off the boat, I want to be able to a) be able to swim for the shot before the wind or tide carries me away from it, b) be in a position to deal with any incident that affects me or any other diver. I do not want to be faffing with my mask while I try to stay in contact with the shot and my buddy/team, and possibly while in a swell.
I cannot think of a single reason why a technical diver would want to do this any more than a 'recreational' diver. They are more likely to be in more challenging conditions so there is even more reason to hit the water fully prepared for the dive.
Mustard Dave
Contributor
Getting out is probably the worst time not to have a reg in your mouth and a mask on your face. I have seen umpteen divers fall on their arse walking up the slipway at our local training site. When their head hits the water when they are not expecting it, and they are pinned down by heavy kit, something about their body language usually tells me that they really wish they could see and breathe.
I have never personally witnessed this, but I know a few who have, and I see how it can easily happen. A diver surfaces from a gentle dive in flat-calm water. Both divers immediately pop their masks off and remove their regs, and begin talking about how awesome that moray eel / shark / mermaid that they saw was. They swim for the boat and approach the ladder, still minus a reg and mask. As one of them climbs the ladder, he slips on the slippery stainless steel rung and his foot goes forward. As he falls back, his foot is still caught in the ladder. He is panicking as his head is now underwater, he is stuck, and to make matters worse he cannot see how to un-trap his foot and is terrified he is going to drown.
The rule I work to is until I am certain I cannot accidentally enter water too deep to drink my way out of, my mask and reg stay put. I do not think this is a bad habit to be in.
Simple. I dive sidemount. I put my cylinders in the water, then kit up, do my equipment checks (top to bottom, right to left) and off I go. Even if I dive a single cylinder, same thing. Now if I dive from a boat, different story of course. But from shore? I want my peripheral vision and I want to dunk my face in the water.
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