Toothpaste Vs Flame Trick for mask?

[wolflegresley]

I know this question has been asked 1000 times, but I was wondering what you thought was the best way to pre-treat your mask.

Would you recommend the flame trick? (PROS/Cons)

Or would you recommend the toothpaste trick (PROS/CONS)

Ive done toothpaste probably 5-6 times with some very gritty stuff and it seems if I dont put some defogger in before every dive I fog up like a hot air balloon!

Tips please?

P.S. I use an Atomic Aquatics Sub Frame Mask
Atomic Aquatics Sub-Frame Mask, Black Skirt at LeisurePro

 

[djtimmy77]

On my most recent mask purchase I used the flame, followed by a few rounds of soft scrub......so that would be a "Both" from me.

Pros: very easy to do

Cons: you get a little soot on your fingers....but the soft scrub cleans it off.

 

[scubadiver888]

Last time I bought a mask the shop sales person just took a lighter to it as someone else rang up the sale. You just have to be careful not to apply the flame to the skirt or you'll ruin the mask.

Since you've put a bunch of stuff in the mask now I'd say wash it throughly with baby shampoo then rinse it a few times to get the baby shampoo out. Once you are sure you got all the shampoo, defog, toothpaste, etc. out of it ask someone at your dive shop to show you the flame trick.

 

[scuberd]

No matter what you do to your mask you will still have to defog it before every dive. Unless you can overcome the physics of temperature and condensation; can you? because that would be really cool.
Seriously though, fog is formed when the moisture rich air inside the mask is warmed by your face then touches the cool glass. Think of your cool bottle of beer. Some kind of barrier such as baby shampoo or commercial defog or just plain spit will prevent the water droplets from "sticking" to the glass and then prevent fog. Burning or toothpasting removes an inner film, no amount of defog will work without removing that film first.

Sounds to me that you have done just fine and your mask is working perfectly. For the record, I'm a toothpaster, I don't trust myself with fire on my brand new mask.

 

[Nemrod]

I would not waste my time with toothpaste. I have been using the flame trick for an awful long time. The dangers to the mask skirt are much exaggerated, the silicone rubber can take quite a bit of heat. I wash mine with Dawn soap in scalding water, dry it, burn the Hades out of it then let it air cool and wash it with Dawn and scalding water again. I can often dive without any mask defog agent contrary to some posts. I wash my mask post dive with Dawn but I cannot recall having to repeat the flame treatment, just keep silicone away from the lens.

N

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Burn the piss out of it, let it cool a bit, then toothpaste the Hell out of it and remove the soot in the process. Rinse with 151 if desired.

 

[scubadiver888]

The important thing to understand is that moist sticks to dirt. If the glass is clean then there is nothing for the moist to stick to and therefore no fogging. You burn the mask to get rid of the silicone left behind during the manufacturing process. You wash it with Dawn (or baby shampoo) to clean the soot from the glass. As water dries on the glass (after a dive) it will leave behind mineral crystals. Wash the mask with Dawn again cleans the glass so fog cannot form.

 

[buddhasummer]

I too take a lighter to my masks periodically. I use spit as defog. Very rarely have fogging issues regardless of air/water temps.

---------- Post added August 16th, 2014 at 06:25 AM ----------

Very rarely read almost never.

 

[Knackas]

I use the toothpaste method but have found you need to also wash the skirt thoroughly as well. I usually wash then allow to dry and repeat this process twice. I will also spit in my mask and rinse before every dive and have no problems.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Oh, and a good ultrasonic toothbrush is a big help, too.