I know the IST masks on certain models have a built in antifog. Not sure how long they last or work.
Anti fogging mask
- Thread starter dman
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
stakanak
Guest
A quick question: is the fogging in the mask caused by purging air through the nose or is it the ambient temp change? I have noticed that when I am at depth, if I flush the lens with water, it does not seem to fog up.
Thanks
Thanks
JohnB47
Contributor
I have a Scubapro Frameless mask, with a tempered glass faceplate, that fogs up badly, despite using anti-fog drops. Also, the mask is uncomfortable on my larger-than-normal nose.
I have a SeaVision Ultra Maxvision Gauge Reader mask, with plastic CR39 lenses. It does not fog at all in 50 degree F water, although I do use anti-fog drops. And it is comfortable on my nose.
In the past, I used to just leave some water in my mask to swish around whenever the fog got too bad. The old masks were high-volume, so there was plenty of room between my nose and the faceplate, where a little water could remain without bothering me. But with the new low-volume masks, any water in the mask collects in the nosepiece, leaving my nose soaking in cold water. That is not pleasant. So, until I found the SeaVision mask, I was about ready to go back to an old-school, high-volume mask. But I have decided that the SeaVision Ultra is good for me.
I have a SeaVision Ultra Maxvision Gauge Reader mask, with plastic CR39 lenses. It does not fog at all in 50 degree F water, although I do use anti-fog drops. And it is comfortable on my nose.
In the past, I used to just leave some water in my mask to swish around whenever the fog got too bad. The old masks were high-volume, so there was plenty of room between my nose and the faceplate, where a little water could remain without bothering me. But with the new low-volume masks, any water in the mask collects in the nosepiece, leaving my nose soaking in cold water. That is not pleasant. So, until I found the SeaVision mask, I was about ready to go back to an old-school, high-volume mask. But I have decided that the SeaVision Ultra is good for me.
Condensation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anti-fog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Exhaled air is warm and humid (approximately 35°C and 95% humid according to random Google searches). If you keep exhaling through your nose, you're providing your mask with its own little fog machine.
Your breath into the mask does contribute to the fogging as your body is constantly exchanging moisture when it exhales, but even if you never breathed a drop into your mask it would probably fog. It is near impossible to get completely dry air by the ocean sans what is in your tank so when you put on your mask it is full of water suspended in the air. Those water molecules bead on a surface when there is a temperature differential and something to adhere to. It is warm in your mask and colder on the other side so the water will bead to the particles and microscopic imperfections on the glass. These beads causes light to refract in all sorts of weird ways thus making it difficult to see through. Antifog treatments essentially create a surface that allows water to adhere but not bead. With antifog the inside of the mask ends up with a sheet of water rather than beads.
Here's the problem: I think like you too.
I have a buddy that does not. He constantly questions everything always looking for problems that I think do not exist. He drives me nuts. I never know what to expect when he dives with me. Always testing something stupid underwater. Occasionally he gets lucky. He finds those weird solutions that you and I sneer at. Today he is worth over $100m and I am not.
Personally I would buy a mask that does not fog. You may not think that this is a significant problem to solve but it sure would sell!
After searching for the longest time I found my absolutely free solution to this problem. I use anti-fog spit thing that comes in a bottle and that usually lasts me for almost 45 minutes. Last 15 minutes of the dive I cheat. I slightly raise my mask and let a few drops of water get in it. As I am hovering over the reef water sloshes around and gets rid of all that fog. If I hover vertically then water obviously collects at bottom of my mask a centimeter or so below my eye line so my eyes never get any water in them. There has been times when I would forget my anti-fog and used this trick for entire dive weekend and you know what... for being absolutely free I am happy it works.
Also my mask has a valve so I could breathe out through my nose so if I accidentally add too much water I can always breathe it out without having to remove my mask and yada yada. 1 3 dollar bottle of anti-fog lasts me for around 100 dives. I think its a fair price to pay considering a new mask costs an arm and a leg.
Also my mask has a valve so I could breathe out through my nose so if I accidentally add too much water I can always breathe it out without having to remove my mask and yada yada. 1 3 dollar bottle of anti-fog lasts me for around 100 dives. I think its a fair price to pay considering a new mask costs an arm and a leg.
sorry the mask wasn't ist, it is a problue mask which has the antifog technology
R
redacted
Guest
Scubapro marketed anti-fog lenses for their Focus mask quite a few years ago. They had an obvious pink tint. I'm not sure whether they were discontinued because they didn't work or because they didn't hold up. One problem was if you used some of the standard anti-fog treatments on them, it damaged the lenses.
I switched over to a SeaDive ( Anti-Fog Dive Masks by SeaDive - Dive Gear Express )mask a few years ago (because they make a Guage reader) but have found them to be very easy to prevent from fogging.
Similar threads
