Rubber Masks (not silicone)

[Tinytechie]

Hello everyone who cares,

My boyfriend recently lost his mask on one of our boat trips the other week. He's desperate to get another similar one but the problem is, he wants a mask with a RUBBER skirt.. not silicone.. i dunno he's griping that silicone hurts or something and is convinced that his mask was made of rubber. Anyone have any idea who might make a Rubber mask? Thanks for the help!

 

[David Wilson]

Until the mid-1970s, the rubber-skirted mask was the standard eyewear for divers. Back then, the silicone-skirted mask was designed for people who suffered from allergies. I've always snorkelled with rubber-skirted masks, I've never had allergies and I've never seen the point of changing to a more expensive material just for the sake of it.

There are plenty of rubber-skirted masks still in production and you can even get them with blue skirts if you look hard enough:

http://www.escualo.com.mx/ixtapa.html

The rubber-skirted mask longest in production is the Cressi Pinocchio. It's been made since the early 1950s and has become something of a cult mask:

If you're in North America, you'd probably have to order it online from Spain:
CRESSI PINOCCHIO MASK

You can get a classic oval rubber-skirted mask such as

at US online stores such as
Classic Oval Rubber Mask: Scuba Gear and Diving Equipment

Here's another rubber-skirted mask design:

Freediving Masks and Snorkeling Masks

And another:

Online Scuba Gear - IST Aquila Rubber One Window Nose Purge Mask

There are many others still around which I could have listed, but I hope the above examples give you a little food for thought.

 

[Nemrod]

Of course none of those are really available in North America.

Your bf's mask was most likely silicone. There are virtually no neoprene rubber masks available through the regular channels.

Good luck.

N

 

[UncleJoes]

If you can, have him try out a Mares liquid skin. They are 40% softer than standard silicone. This might help with his comfort issue. I find that the Star LiquidSkin fits 99% of all the faces who try it on, but there are also the X-Vision (available w/ Rx Lenses) and Essence (Frameless) masks as well. These are by far our #1 seller at my shop.

 

[David Wilson]

Of course none of those are really available in North America.

Your bf's mask was most likely silicone. There are virtually no neoprene rubber masks available through the regular channels.

Good luck.

N

Strange.

123Scuba.com sells the "classic rubber oval mask" I posted. Its geographical address is according to its home page: Island Scuba Corporation, All Rights Reserved - Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Phone: 1-954-747-7140 or Toll Free 1-800-766-6090. 10092 NW 50th Street, Sunrise, FL 33351-8019

Blue Water Hunter (Rubber freediving and snorkelling masks) is based in Kona, Hawaii. Address: Blue Water Hunter
73-5577 Kauhola St #1 Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Onlinescuba (IST Aquila Rubber Mask) is at
4888 E. Tropicana Suite B
Las Vegas, Nevada 89121
USA

The last time I looked, Florida, Nevada and Hawaii were constituent states of the United States of America, two of them on the North American mainland.

Some of us prefer rubber-skirted masks to silicone-skirted masks. I live in Europe where certain manufacturers (e.g. Beuchat and Sommap of France) continue to make rubber-skirted masks, simply because there is a continuing demand for them here.

Postscript: Vintage Scuba Supply have a good range of old-fashioned rubber-skirted masks for sale at
http://www.vintagescubasupply.com/maskfin.html
They're based at 287 McMullen Creek Rd., Selma, OR 97538 USA. I believe Oregon is in North America.

 

[Tinytechie]

thanks for the tips guys. we're deffinately not after an oval mask, those things are horrible! The one he lost was a pretty basic standard looking mask, i dont even know what brand it was. I imagine it was pretty cheap but he swears by it. I dont know why he's so anti silicone. oh well, i'll keep hunting. thanks again!

oh and we're in Oz, not north america.. and he got the original from a surf shop he worked at in the cook islands.. heh if that helps at all

 

[David Wilson]

oh and we're in Oz, not north america.. and he got the original from a surf shop he worked at in the cook islands.. heh if that helps at all

Your "location" on Scubaboard says "Canada", which is why we assumed you were based in North America.

thanks for the tips guys. we're deffinately not after an oval mask, those things are horrible!

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Oval Masks were standard wear for a quarter of a century, adorning the faces (and foreheads) of non-fictional (Cousteau) and fictional (Mike Nelson) heroes alike during the era when some of us took up snorkelling and scuba. I have to admit I'm no fan of modern-style masks, those large double panes and protruding noses recall, for me, too much of the image of the head of a fly magnified many times.

I dont know why he's so anti silicone.

I once had to snorkel with a silicone mask and I hated it for many reasons. First, I associate it with people with allergies (I don't have any), because they were the principal users of the few such masks in the 1960s. Second, silicone tends to be more expensive than natural or neoprene rubber. Thirdly, silicone may be more durable than natural rubber, but it is also, from my viewpoint, a dead, sterile, man-made material, while natural rubber is a live material which derives from a green, renewable source (why are we always supporting the petrochemical industry instead?). Fifthly, in my opinion, rubber skirts mould better to the contours of the face and provides a better seal (how many drysuits, even nowadays, have silicone seals?). Sixthly, we live, or should be living, in a world that tolerates and even celebrates difference. Why should we all make the same choice of mask material? Some of us like synthetics, others prefer natural materials in street clothing, so why shouldn't we opt for a variety of divewear materials too?

The one he lost was a pretty basic standard looking mask, i dont even know what brand it was. I imagine it was pretty cheap but he swears by it.

Now we've established that you live in Australia and are looking for a modern-style rubber-skirted mask. The rubber-skirted mask that appears to be easiest to obtain in Oz is the Mirage Rubber Pro Dive Mask:

World of Sport Wholesalers P/L - Online Shopping
but I expect it doesn't fulfil your shape criterion. There are a few rubber-skirted modern-style masks around, e.g. the Beaver Orion:

BEAVER ORION MASK - Only £16.95 - Sunderland Scuba Centre - www.sunderlandscubacentre.com

 

[Tinytechie]

hmm, well thanks for all the detailed personal opinion bashes on my minor comments. Whats with people on SB always trying to start an argument about every little thing? ANYWAY I think i found the mask he had before on the SOMMAP website, just not sure if we're going to be able to get one ordered.. we'll see. Might be easier to just go look for the original next time we're back there.. heh heh

Anyhoo thanks for the help and the suggestions!