Why is my mask doing this?!

[radinator]

I've had it happen to both a frameless mask (after ~20 dives) and a framed one (after 200 dives). The lens didn't pull loose, the skirt pulled loose - and on one of the masks I still dove it about 5 times not knowing what the problem was and just clearing it more often. I finally discovered the problem in the pool, thinking it was leaking a bit.

The gap was 4" long. I'm amazed it wasn't instantly flooding.

 

[ScubaMilo]

Try placing the mask on your face and inhaling through the nose.
Hold your breath to see if a good seal is made.
If not see if you can locate the area where the mask is leaking.
This should help narrow the search down.
Hope this helps,
Milo

 

[ItsBruce]

My beloved old Tusa, recently retired, served me well for some 20 years. But, reading this thread makes me want to take it out of retirement.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

You know, I had problems with my mask leaking alot. On a recent dive I decided to be funny and took off my mask and put on a pair of sunglasses I found in the river. After deciding I coulnd't see diddly squat, I put back on my mask and cleared it. In the process of putting it back on with one hand occupied by a mesh bag for trash cleanup, I pulled the strap quite loose. I was sure that would make my dive miserable, figuring that I'd have problems with it leaking. What amazed me though was my mask did not leak at all! It didn't feel too tight or anything, and it didn't leak! Before, I originally had it quite tight but loosened it what I thought was alot. This last dive though, it got accidentally loosesned a good bit more than it was before and whaddya know, no more leaks (not even when upside down or anything!!) and it was even more comfortable!

 

[Jorbar1551]

tell the dive shop what happened and that a x dollar mask should last more than 30 dives. i would recommend just buying a new mask, and possibly get a discount on it.

 

[pakman]

This question appears relatively simple to resolve, your mask skirt is too wide. For some reason which I can't fathom, many of the new, wide view masks are designed for faces which are wide and flat and even some men cannot get a fit-- let alone a woman. It may be because the models used are Asian.

Funny I have the same problem with masks made for caucasians... Wasted $100 on an atomic mask that leaks on my Asian face, but fits my caucasian friend fine...

Anyways, back to the topic... why do you assume the mask is too wide for her face? She said its leaking from the top:huh: Also she said it fit her fine for 20 odd dives before.

 

[Spongebobscubasteve]

My mask sometimes plays up, I have a Cressi. Sometimes it is perfect, sometimes an annoying leak that drives me mad! I am assuming that I have hair caught in it or something. Although I make sure I don't. I don't know, sometimes it never leaks, sometimes it does.

 

[TheFoggyMask]

I have an Aqualung Quartz mask and it has worked fine until my last two dives. I have only 28 dives logged, and all with this mask BTW. The dive before last it started leaking in sheets of water down from the top; I assumed that I had hair under the skirt, or my hood and tried fixing it underwater.It also seemed to leak from the bottom too. I had to clear it numerous times just to keep my nose above the waterline.

My last dive, before I even went out I had hubby check to make sure that my hair and hood was out of the way, I had a good seal, that I wasn't too tight or too loose on the straps. I got to depth and again it was like I was drowning. Argggh!:light: I did not want to call the dive and ruin it for my buddy so I just cleared it, and cleared it, and... well, you get the idea.

WHAT IS UP WITH MY MASK??!

It doesn't fit, get a new one.

 

[Turk9]

Does your mask strap buckles pivot so that you can change the angle the strap comes off the frame? My mask was fine until I accidently changed that angle. Had to experiment a little to get it back to where it was not leaking.

 

[pescador775]

why do you assume the mask is too wide for her face? She said its leaking from the top Also she said it fit her fine for 20 odd dives before.

Read the article by following the included link in my first post. While you are at it, read the serious stuff in the post, too. For example, a too wide mask will typically leak near laugh lines or at the brow. This is due to the fact that raising the eyebrow in an attempt to "see" the leak makes it worse. This is due to the fact that squinting in response to salt makes the leak worse. The woman needs a different type of mask, not just a replacement.