Dom Perignon
Registered
Hello,
I've been using the same mask (Mares Demon, clear skirt) since I started scuba diving but decided on my last diving trip that it was time for me to get prescription lenses.
My vision is good enough on land without my prescription glasses (mild astigmatism: details are fuzzy when I read, also makes GF looks even better without wrinkles!
) that I have been happily using my Mares Demon with plain lenses. But during a recent amazing diving trip to Roatan (RHR), where I celebrated both my 100th dive and 100th hour of life UW, I realized that I often missed small critters that my buddies spotted. And that's a shame since I'm the designated photographer.
So its time for me to shop for a new mask and I am looking for your advice/wisdom, since my list of criteria/issues is exhaustive and having logged only 124 dives, I realize my experience is limited.
Here they are:
1-Removable lenses: I currently have minor astigmatism in both eyes, minor myopia in one eye, but being 43 yo I expect that it could change as both my parents eventually had to wear glasses for reading.
2-Frame shaped for nose with high ridge: that's why I had picked the Mares Demon. For several other models I tried the frame uncomfortably sat on my nose.
3-Snorkeling squirting issue:
(Now if someone solves this one out I will pray the sea gods to send your way all the whale sharks, manta rays and Nautiluses/Nautili (?) that you wish to see).
I snorkle a lot and when I go back to the surface the air expels too fast, which sometimes breaks the seal right around my nose, causing sea water to shoot into my eyes. For most people it's not a big deal, but in my case any sea water in my eyes will ruin the next 10 min (painful + blinking non stop = I miss the show).
Holding the mask as I go up helps, but it's not practical since my right hand is busy holding my camera, and the left one is, on occasion, holding my diving lamp. (Yes, I do enjoy night snorkeling, and always carry my camera. I'm hooked!).
I've been wondering if a low volume mask would reduce this problem. The thinking would be that lens air in the mask would end up reducing the air that gets expelled on rapid ascent. But that might interfere with issue #4
4-Fogging issue:
(If someone solves this one... Well, I'll pray to the sea goddesses to send sirens your way, or whatever else you wish to see)!
Some would say I'm a hot head, I'll just stick with I'm hot! Anyways, the fogging occurs during the first 10-15 min. of almost every dive, and will come back during ascent on occasion. I assume this as to do with my skin temp going down at depth and back up near the surface (I dive in trunks + rashguard, whether in the warmer seas or cooler rivers up here. I'm hot, didn't I tell you?)
I tried many things, but so far the best recipe has been to 1) wash the lens with toothpaste, 2) cool my face down with a wet cloth before going in and 3) leaving some fresh water in the mask when I put it on, allowing me to rinse the fog away while UW, without having to deal with the sting of sea water i I did the usual mask cleaning.
5-Black skirt: I can no longer stand the reflection of the clear skirt on my current mask.
6-If there other factors you can think of, please let me know.
Thanks for your suggestions.
I've been using the same mask (Mares Demon, clear skirt) since I started scuba diving but decided on my last diving trip that it was time for me to get prescription lenses.
My vision is good enough on land without my prescription glasses (mild astigmatism: details are fuzzy when I read, also makes GF looks even better without wrinkles!
) that I have been happily using my Mares Demon with plain lenses. But during a recent amazing diving trip to Roatan (RHR), where I celebrated both my 100th dive and 100th hour of life UW, I realized that I often missed small critters that my buddies spotted. And that's a shame since I'm the designated photographer.So its time for me to shop for a new mask and I am looking for your advice/wisdom, since my list of criteria/issues is exhaustive and having logged only 124 dives, I realize my experience is limited.
Here they are:
1-Removable lenses: I currently have minor astigmatism in both eyes, minor myopia in one eye, but being 43 yo I expect that it could change as both my parents eventually had to wear glasses for reading.
2-Frame shaped for nose with high ridge: that's why I had picked the Mares Demon. For several other models I tried the frame uncomfortably sat on my nose.
3-Snorkeling squirting issue:
(Now if someone solves this one out I will pray the sea gods to send your way all the whale sharks, manta rays and Nautiluses/Nautili (?) that you wish to see).
I snorkle a lot and when I go back to the surface the air expels too fast, which sometimes breaks the seal right around my nose, causing sea water to shoot into my eyes. For most people it's not a big deal, but in my case any sea water in my eyes will ruin the next 10 min (painful + blinking non stop = I miss the show).
Holding the mask as I go up helps, but it's not practical since my right hand is busy holding my camera, and the left one is, on occasion, holding my diving lamp. (Yes, I do enjoy night snorkeling, and always carry my camera. I'm hooked!).
I've been wondering if a low volume mask would reduce this problem. The thinking would be that lens air in the mask would end up reducing the air that gets expelled on rapid ascent. But that might interfere with issue #4
4-Fogging issue:
(If someone solves this one... Well, I'll pray to the sea goddesses to send sirens your way, or whatever else you wish to see)!
Some would say I'm a hot head, I'll just stick with I'm hot! Anyways, the fogging occurs during the first 10-15 min. of almost every dive, and will come back during ascent on occasion. I assume this as to do with my skin temp going down at depth and back up near the surface (I dive in trunks + rashguard, whether in the warmer seas or cooler rivers up here. I'm hot, didn't I tell you?)
I tried many things, but so far the best recipe has been to 1) wash the lens with toothpaste, 2) cool my face down with a wet cloth before going in and 3) leaving some fresh water in the mask when I put it on, allowing me to rinse the fog away while UW, without having to deal with the sting of sea water i I did the usual mask cleaning.
5-Black skirt: I can no longer stand the reflection of the clear skirt on my current mask.
6-If there other factors you can think of, please let me know.
Thanks for your suggestions.
