[singlepic id=274 w=320 h=240 float=right]One piece of diving equipment than can be the difference between the greatest dive of your life and the worst diving experience ever, is also one of the cheapest; the divers mask! Imagine yourself scuba diving in crystal clear water surrounded by beautiful coral and tropical fish species, including one the biggest, the majestic Whale shark! So far so good I would say, but now let’s imagine that your mask (rented or supplied by your dive school), doesn’t quite fit your face properly and is constantly letting water in. The chances of you enjoying the dive to the limit are now quit a bit reduced and you find yourself clearing your mask every 30 seconds or so, forcing you to miss the stunning surroundings, and instead, keeping your busy with your diving equipment! That’s not how your dive should turn out but it is all too common that the mask doesn’t quite fit the face and ruins an otherwise great dive.

Here are a few helpful tips to find the perfect diving mask for you:

  1. Make sure the mask lenses are manufactured with tempered glass; this will insure long lasting quality.
  2. Decide if you prefer a single or a two lens masks. For gentlemen, a single lens, can prevent excess rubbing around the brow.
  3. Consider if you would like a high profile or a low profile mask. A high profile sits far off the face potentially creating a wider field of vision, whereas a low profile mask will sit close to the face, offering a very snug fit. A higher profile mask will be harder to clear of water as there is potential for more to be contained inside whereas the lower profile masks will let very little water in should you ever break the seal by laughing at your fellow divers underwater. (Let’s face it some people look very funny underwater!)
  4. The skirt of the mask (Silicon surrounding the frame) comes in black or clear and there are benefits to both. A black or opaque skirt limits peripheral vision and stops you from being distracted by lights entering the side of the mask, some argue that this effect allows you to see further. The clear skirt offers a wider field of vision by allowing light into the mask from the sides, potentially allowing you to spot interesting aquatic life from the corner of your eye that you would otherwise may have missed, using a mask with a black skirt.
  5. Last but by no means least is the comfort, this is the most important feature of your new mask. If it doesn’t feel right it’s not right. Make sure the seal around your face is constant, ensure that it doesn’t rub up against your nose and be sure that the mask doesn’t stretch or squeeze the eyes.
[singlepic id=275 w=320 h=240 float=left]Here at Sairee Cottage Diving we offer a professional mask fitting service to ensure that we find the right mask for you. The service is free of charge to anybody and with no obligation to purchase. If you find yourself on Koh Tao in need of a mask or some friendly advice please don’t hesitate to drop by, where I and the rest of the team will be more than happy to part with any advice you may require.

 

 

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On 21/01/2013   /   Scuba Diving Tips & Tricks   /   Leave a comment

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