Do you dive with a backup mask?

[TSandM]

X-shorts are sadly no longer in production, but you can find them here and there, sometimes on e-bay.

I've had a mask fail at the beginning of a dive, and I've lost one in the surf on entry. The first time, I didn't have a spare, and had to can the dive. The second time, I pulled the backup mask out of my pocket and went diving. No question which outcome I preferred.

 

[drbill]

In 46 years of diving I've only had one mask strap break. Since I wear my masks under my hood, it stayed on and I continued to dive and film by pressing my camera housing against the mask to seal it against my face. Years ago I did have a mask lens fall out, but the vis generally isn't good enough to notice the difference! I do keep a spare in my bag of course.

 

[Dive-aholic]

For recreational dives I don't carry a spare mask. For any dive with a ceiling, either rock or deco), someone on the team usually carries an extra mask. The mask goes in a suit pocket or DR pocket on the waist strap of the harness, tucked back near the left tank, if there's no pocket.

 

[Kbear]

I was doing a dive at the blue hole in NM. I hate to say it, but I kicked the mask off one of the people I was diving with when I turned to check on him. Oops...

But he had a spare mask in his thy pocket, and put it on and cleared it no problem. We were around the 65' shelf and it settled nicely there. I went and grabbed it for him and we continued the dive. After that, I bought a thy pocket for my own spare mask.

 

[Charlie99]

In 46 years of diving I've only had one mask strap break. Years ago I did have a mask lens fall out, but the vis generally isn't good enough to notice the difference! I do keep a spare in my bag of course.

Nowdays you can actually go to a store and buy a mask rather than building your own. The lenses are less likely to fall out.