Who travels with a spare mask and why?

[Lorenzoid]

Keep in mind that the people most likely to respond to the title of this thread are those who carry a spare mask.

I put one in my bag on trips. Although we don't hear about it much, I still believe a mask is one of the items most likely to get broken or lost. I have borrowed masks before, and they may not fit, they may have scratches if they are rental gear, etc. The Dive Gear Express Ultraview mask that someone mentioned above is $29. Assuming it fits your face, that's cheap insurance.

 

[Schwob]

I always bring a spare on a trip, I always bring it on the dive when diving solo and often also for buddy dive, but not always. Why. Well, aside of solo where no buddy will guide you up in a failure, I bring a spare mask and other spares to minimize the risk of loosing a dive or several dives on an expensive trip because of a failure of a relatively minor but essential item.
Last (and first) full family of 4 dive trip I brought:
Spare mask for everyone (goes in fin pocket, everyone got 2...)
1 spare 1st stage, one spare second stage, spare inflator, bunch of little stuff (o-rings, tie-wraps, mouth pieces, cord, tape, snaps, split rings, bungee,...)
And silly me:
One extra pair of fins that either me or my son could use and one single extra fin that would work for either my wife or my daughter. Now who brings extra fins and not just fin straps?
Well, I brought my Oceanic Accell in my carry on, but this being the first time pushing a big camera housing with 2 flashes I stuck my more powerful fins in the checked bag when the scale said I could... So I could try ... and my son’s fins my old plastics scuba fins, but only used for snorkeling from the early 90s are visibly on their last leg.
And a single fin?
My wife and daughter both have the same size (XS?) Oceanic Accells. (Great, light, travel fin, if I ever find them for $60, I may get another set for my son). When my wife was doing her OW class in Key Largo,she might have been the clumsiest out of her Element person that ever was not stopped in the pool and still made it out on the boat. She did sort of OK diving wise... on the surface, holding on, trying to get her fins off is when her world came to a crushing halt (then, not anymore). She managed to loose a fin. It was noticed too late, It was gone. No other fin her size could be found. No dive two. Instructor not a ailable next two dives... End of class and trip for her then.
And all that after having made arrangements with a very handpicked instructor running his own show, but, due to sickness getting stuck with well meaning, but overbooked instructor working for the big company... Will never do that again... and will bring spares on a trip...
Now, would I have had a spare fin for my wife on that day boat? No. But you bet that the next trip after I did. Every dive she went... But she’s over loosing fins now...

 

[Joneill]

Keep in mind that the people most likely to respond to the title of this thread are those who carry a spare mask.

I put one in my bag on trips. Although we don't hear about it much, I still believe a mask is one of the items most likely to get broken or lost. I have borrowed masks before, and they may not fit, they may have scratches if they are rental gear, etc. The Dive Gear Express Ultraview mask that someone mentioned above is $29. Assuming it fits your face, that's cheap insurance.

Same here - have never lost or broken one, but you never know. Cheap insurance to carry one in your dive bag to avoid any extra "hassles" on a dive trip if there is a problem. I don't carry the spare while actually diving, but do use both masks on different dives while on trips.

 

[drbill]

I do travel with a spare mask, identical to the one I normally dive with (well, except the color). I've never lost a mask in 56 years of diving, but if I'm thousands of miles from home I like to feel I have an option. I don't carry it on me while diving (my harness has no pockets).

 

[PfcAJ]

At least a spare strap.

Cheap insurance.

 

[soonerwink]

I always travel with a spare mask. I have never had to use it myself, but have loaned it to several buddies who doesn't travel with a spare, because they had a problem with their mask, such a broken buckle, strap, or lost it.

 

[Akimbo]

Yes, because of prescription masks and a difficult to fit face. Most masks currently on the market hit my protruding gorilla-like brow and leak. I have a low volume mask primarily for freediving and a much higher and more comfortable mask for Scuba.

 

[BoltSnap]

In my over 40 years diving, I have never had any issues with masks. I carry one mask that I have had for almost 20 years now, Scubapro Frameless! You buy top quality once and you only buy once

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I always dive with a spare mask after I saw a freak current whip the mask off a lady at 80ft by roca partida Socorro. Luckily her dive buddy was carrying a spare...

 

[Joneill]

At least a spare strap.

Cheap insurance.

Yup - carry one of those too!