Mustache causing a slow leak in mask...

[billsreef]

No bubbles, other than from my regulator

 

[SCUBASailor]

You all couldn't be more wrong! Ever held a cup upside down underwater? Hair on the head causes leaks, wrinkles, bad seal on you forehead cause leaks! But something on the bottom of the cup / mask won't cause a leak! I have been diving with some kind of facial hair for 37 years! So unless you swim upside down all the time don't blame your hair!

So how does this cause a leak? The only way to leak is to have Air escape from the top of the mask!

I respectfully disagree. As you push an inverted cup down into the water, the added pressure will cause the volume air in the cup to decrease. No surprise to anyone here.
Unless you are very good at maintaining constant pressure in your mask, or unless your mask deforms exactly at the same rate as the air volume in the mask changes, air will escape from, or water will enter into the mask from the weak point of the seal. At least that's my experience.

I thought It was my mustache causing a poor seal, too I trimmed it down a bit and still had problems. I realized that it was the laugh lines around my mouth causing the problem more than the moustache. I was fortunate to try on a JBL Seeker frameless mask. It was the best fit I have found. It has virtually eliminated the leaks for me.

 

[luckydays]

You all couldn't be more wrong! Ever held a cup upside down underwater? Hair on the head causes leaks, wrinkles, bad seal on you forehead cause leaks! But something on the bottom of the cup / mask won't cause a leak! I have been diving with some kind of facial hair for 37 years! So unless you swim upside down all the time don't blame your hair!

So how does this cause a leak? The only way to leak is to have Air escape from the top of the mask!

I dont have a horse in the race (no ability to grow facial hair thank god!) but it think it is funny that you are telling folks that mask leaks can't be from a mustache or other facial hair and your mask has a bit of water in it. Seems as though you have a leak there Papa Bear.

 

[101recon]

In through the mouth, out through the nose. I seem to switch every 6 months between facial hair and clean shaven. I don't (won't) do the vaseline/ gel thing.
Water ingress in the mask where it sits on the mustache is a fact of life. If you get in the habit of exhaling through your nose, you will be in a constant state of mask clearing.
Works for me.
Cheers,
Scott

Being a new diver unwilling to lose my facial hair unless absolutely neccisary,I did a fair amount of research on this subject even before my first class.The owner of a LDS,who dives with a mustache,pretty much narrowed it down to 3 choices for me.Shave,apply some sort of sealant,or just clear a bit more and hope you get used to it.
I tried a lot of masks and found one that sealed the "best".I found that masks with a smaller skirt worked better for me.I was then lucky enough to stumble across the above quoted technique on my first pool dive.I didn't like the bit of water that kept pooling under my nose so I simply exhaled through my nose.This got rid of the water.
Even after only a few dives it it nearly habit and hardly thought about.I think it also helps me equalize better.

 

[MDJ1016]

I had the same problem; it just was my excuse to go to a full face mask! Which I have to admit, in Michigan it was one of the better choices I made as I would be lost without it and my Drysuit!

 

[perdidochas]

I have been diving for a few months now and have about 30 dives under my belt and I was wondering if there is a trick out there to keep my mask from leaking where it rests on my mustache. Shaving off the mustache is out of the question, since I look like a dork without it. Not that I don't look like one with it but you get the point. Any advise out there?

Clear your mask every so often. The water helps to keep your mask fog free. I've been diving with a mustache for a while. You just get used to it.

 

[Distraction]

I shave a bit right under the nose, then apply some silicon greaze. This has been discussed couple of times already, so you can use search option.

You gotta worry about tarponCHIK shaving her? mustache.

But seriously, that's what I do. Trim the stache down below the nose a bit. It's called a Diver's Mustache.

 

[Walter]

Learn to clear your mask and it's not a problem.

 

[sunnyboy]

Thread's still going. OK.

When I started diving, I had a full beard including mustache. Mask leaked all the time. I got very good at clearing the mask frequently during a dive, and figured it must be normal for divers with a mustache.

Then I switched masks (from clear skirt to black skirt), and the new mask DID NOT LEAK. NOT ONCE.

Turns out the new mask was just that little bit different (softer skirt, different width) such that it did not leak - without changing anything with respect to the mustache. I could don the old mask, submerge my head in a pool - and it leaked. Change to the new mask, same dunking - no leak.

The first mask "did fit" - that is, according to all the "fitting rules", it fit properly. It was only when I changed style of mask that I discovered that "fit" and "no leak" were not the same thing.

FFI - the second mask was the "Big Eyes". This mask generates discussion - some divers hate the fit, others love it. ME- the mask fits and does not leak. I got my backup one (same mask) really cheap because a buddy had one and hated it - for him it leaked.

SO - try out some masks and find one that fits and DOES NOT LEAK with your mustache. No grease, shaving, etc. should be required.

Cheers,

-S

 

[Papa_Bear]

A couple of things have been said that and need an answer! First a mask is not a closed system otherwise it is called a set of goggles!

Next I have water in my mask and it proves my point, don't see any leaking in from the bottom unless my old wrinkled forehead leaks air out!

So again I am disappointed in our educational system Seems no one teach physics anymore or mask clearing! If a little water in you mask is going to freak you out you need to stick to a sub!