Backup Mask?

Quest · Mar 3, 2003

When i first got into tech wreck diving i started carrying a spare mask especially when the dive requires deco.

But, i notice many of the experienced divers dont carry a backup mask unless they are cave diving.

Is what im doing overkill?

dsgobie · Mar 3, 2003

How many dive's do you have? And how many times have you need a back up? (while underwater) Ask every diver you know the same questions, add it all up. Find the percentage and then you decide from there...

WreckWriter · Mar 3, 2003

the way my mix instructor explained it was that he did thousands of dives without needing one. The one time he had to do an hour of deco without a mask convinced him it was worth the trouble to carry one.

WW

dsgobie · Mar 3, 2003

Good point. But it still very very small chance you would need one. And maybe your instructor's mask was old.. Like faceplate old. Some of the old timers I have talked to said those thing would fall apart often. And as todays equipment keeps getting better and better, I think the need for one get's more and more remote everyday.

WreckWriter · Mar 3, 2003

dsgobie once bubbled...
Good point. But it still very very small chance you would need one. And maybe your instructor's mask was old.. Like faceplate old. Some of the old timers I have talked to said those thing would fall apart often. And as todays equipment keeps getting better and better, I think the need for one get's more and more remote everyday.

Maybe. The only time I've seen masks "fail" was on entry but I can see it happening inside a wreck (turn your head the wrong way too fast). Its a judgement call.

WW

Quest · Mar 3, 2003

All Good points!

My logic is this: Imagine being deep inside a rec in which there are a myriad of sharp objects and entanglements throughout.

Sure you layed down line and are experienced enough to do the line drills swimming without a mask and reach day light.

But, can you avoid those fine levels of entanglements like monofilament, cables let alone your view is obscurd so it could be easy to swim face first into a sharp piece of metal sticking out from the wreck.

JeffAustin · Mar 3, 2003

If you've got room in your pocket for a mask(and you should) then you should be carrying one. Imagine this scenario: you are shooting bags at 40 feet, and someone has an errant fin kick that knocks your mask off, there it goes, floating out of reach, and definitely out of clear vision, down to the bottom at 100 feet; that's a time when a backup mask is good to have.

dsgobie · Mar 3, 2003

Imagine this scenario: you are shooting bags at 40 feet, and someone has an errant fin kick that knocks your mask off, there it goes, floating out of reach, and definitely out of clear vision, down to the bottom at 100 feet; that's a time when a backup mask is good to have.

We can "what if" forever. Point is, do you REALLY need it?

Quest · Mar 3, 2003

dsgobie once bubbled...

We can "what if" forever. Point is, do you REALLY need it?

Well, thinking about it and the kind of diving i do i would have to say there is more justification for a backup mask than not.

Now if i was doing a reef dive or open water recreational dive then i would say probably its overkill.

Amphibious · Mar 3, 2003

dsgobie once bubbled...

We can "what if" forever. Point is, do you REALLY need it?

in short..... YES.

you want to dick around with gas switching or reading gauges without a mask? I'd rather have a few extra grams on my thigh then worry that my next gas switch will be my last.

Willer

Backup Mask?

Please register or login

Quest

Guest

dsgobie

Guest

WreckWriter

Contributor

dsgobie

Guest

WreckWriter

Contributor

Quest

Guest

JeffAustin

Guest

dsgobie

Guest

Quest

Guest

Amphibious

Contributor

Similar threads