Rick Inman:
What's different (better/worse) than the SP frameless? I think I paid $79 for mine.
The silicone is just better. Its molded better, its higher quality, it simply feels better on my grill than any other mask - and I've tried them all (except that wack hydro optix robo mask.)
The glass is better. Its simply a higher quality, distortion free pane of perfectly clear glass. Its thicker, its smoother, its of a higher quality.
The buckles on the sides are molded better. I like the Cressi - but I like these better.
If any manufacturer put some serious R&D horsepower into a mask, they would come up with this. Its nothing revolutionary. There isn't any terminal gear that will be any time soon. Honestly - there will be no earth shaking snorkle released in my lifetime. There will be no serious redesign in fin that will be worth a hoot. We're done. Get real everyone - snorkles are tubes with mouthpieces, fins are duck feet things that let you kick more efficiently. There is no revolution waiting in the wings.
Same with this mask. It has better silicone. Its a better mold / face seal. It has better glass, more thoughtful buckles and strap. Its not Mask v2. Its just a better execution of the classic.
It has a very narrow market (likely) - the tweaks that can afford and appreciate the quality. I appreciate the quality to be sure - so now it gets down to price. It will be expensive. Will it be worth the money is the question. I dunno. Haven't seen the price.
All that said - when you pick one up, you'll see it. When you put one on, you'll feel it. I'd like to dive one to see if it fits as good in the water as it did at DEMA. That's the final test. The rest is just marketing.
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Ken
