HydroOptix Mask: thoughts after 61 dives in 2 weeks

[Doc]

When I was a kid, I had a white rubber full face mask with two (2!) built in snorkels and an interesting curved front plastic face plate. That's what I really enjoyed. Seeing the vast, entire horizontal expanse of Uncle Jim's pool in Boca, not just the narrow 3x5 foot square afforded by my dad's "Pinochio" mask.

It was extremely high volume, unusable for real diving, and the curved plate gave a wide but hideously distorted image. But, then again, that was before Sputnik, the first satellite in space.

I also own a current production AquaLung Technisub mask, which is a face hugging low volume mask that has spectacularly wide view, yet tremendous distortion due to the curved plastic lenses. It looks like an 'eyes only' watersports mask, yet this model has a nose pocket. It was never successfuly sold in the USA and was pulled quickly from our market.

The HydroOptix mask is an unusual item, even for the technology oriented recreational SCUBA industry. It has perfected the distortion free world of wide angle underwater viewing for SCUBA. The absolute freedom of feeling is amazing.

For new and inexperienced divers with feelings of claustraphobia, it would be the end of that problem.

This is accomplished by a brilliantly simple solution to the previosly mentioned distortion problem. The HydroOptix doesn't try to use ONE curved lens to cover both eyes. The distortion would occur because the lens surface is located at varying distances in its arc from the eye peering through it.

Think bug eyes. Two domed ports if you will, each with a curved surface equidistant from your eyeballs. A round bubble over each of your round eyes. No distortion.

Unfortunately, that same class of newbie diver would be ill prepared to deal with some of the design parameters of the mask that are required to acheive this wide angle world. I will certainly not call them faults, as any competent diver can easily adapt to these features, since many current production flate plate masks have high volume or purge valves, and in the past- most masks had both design issues inherent. This is not a mask for beginners.

This mask by design requires the high volume. Learn to deal with it. That means learning how too equalize mask pressure squeeze by gently exhaling through the nose into the mask when appropriate. This is task loading for many. Nothing that can't be learned when you're comfortable with all of your other SCUBA skills. Next?

Understand that the two purge valves are an inherent part of the design. First- they allow you to master the above isssue of a high volume mask. Second- they make the mask much easier to clear of leaks than bothering to "lift and blow". (This method is indeed possible, but a high skill to do 100% effectively- better done with purge valves!)

Some people have complained about fogging. With accurate and consistent care, I NEVER had an issue. Clean the mask well with a mild gel toothpaste, rubbing carefully all internal plastic surfaces of the new generation masks with your fingertip only. Rinse it absolutely clean. Then apply a SMALL amount of the included Gold gel Sea Drops and leave the mask alone. Rinse with cool fresh water, maybe twice or more... but JUST before you dive. Not one problem.

Although they're working on a mask for divers with perfect eyesight, meaning that if you already have contacts, you'll be good to go- the current model is called a -4.5 Here's why...

If your eyesight is a -4.5 diopter correction or close, these will be quite the ticket underwater. Perfect correction. They have a chart to show you how you may may fit into this parameter and it's located on http://www.hydrooptix.com

My example? I'm a 53 year old with -3.0 diopter and fairly nearsighted. This also means that I can't see things real well up close, that's why us old f@rts wear "reader glasses" from the drug store. I fall slightly outside of the nearsighted ability required for the -4.5 model.

My 6 feet to infinity vision was simply astounding. Fabulous vistas at the breathtaking Mary's Place and Calvin's Crack on Roatan. When the viz went to 180 feet over the Prince Albert Wreck at CoCo View... for the first time I saw this magnificent lady in her full repose.

Some users have complained about "pooling" of any leaked water in the dead center of the mask. I suppose that would be an issue if you looked straight down 100% of the time. I have a full fuzzy-faced beard, and most masks leak like mad, but the HydroOptix wasn't all that bad. I may have developed some advanced techniques for observation over the years, and on wall dives I generaly cruise the wall, horizontal in the water column, yet on my side. My shoulders are oriented up/down, my head faces the wall. In cruising over a flat reef, it was bennefisial to look ahead instead of straight down. When something caught my attention directly below, I would quickly and gently purge the thimble full of ocean that had leaked in around my permanent Santa disguise- and the "pools" were a non-issue.

Unfortunately, one goes to Roatan for the little critters. I had a hard time spotting the tiniest, but I could with some difficulty. Once again- this is siimply because I fell outside the design parameters of this mask.

When I used a small 10x magnifying glass, I could see brilliant close ups- even 6' away. Once again- this is task loading for many. I do sincerely believe that all of the pains that HydroOptix goes through to stress close-uop vision testing is due to their desire to make sure your guages are absoilutely readable. For me, while diving at CCV and Roatan, this need is highly over rated. I rarely look at my guages, but that's not the point. If I did want to use them, I had to use the 10x magnifier. Once again- task loading- okay for me, but not for all- and simply because my eyes didn't absolutely fit their printed design charts. If I had -3.0 and was 30 years old... I would have been okay. Seems that I recall having excellent near sight vision back then, but now I have to hold the SCUBA tables at arm's length!

If I wasn't in to spotting things in the 2 m.m. range, even my elderyly, out-of-range eyes would have been happy. As it was, I loved it and continued diving with it even though I had my Mares ESA mask available. I always dive with a magnifier, anyway. You may indeed have no problem.

They suggest that you try wearing prescribed contacts that will make your eyes a -4.5 :blink: This is a hard sell. To assist that newly vouluntarily fuzzy-eyed diver, they then have a clip-on correction lens that snaps on to the front of the mask and brings your (now) -4.5 eyes (on the surface, anyway), back to 0.0 So underwater you were dead on, but as you surfaced, you were as blind as the -4.5 correction contacts made you. The clip on re-corrector stows brilliantly on a custom engineered holder on your BC shoulder strap.

I think they should have better directed the R&D for that corrector lens (for surface use) towards expediting the 20/20 version of the mask. It's a much easier sell for this otherwise brilliant product.

In summation: if your eyes fit the parameters of the charts they post for user adaptability (or if you're willing to de-correct your vision to -4.5 with prescribed contact lenses) this is what you've been waiting for.

It is not for new divers whose attention is needed in basic SCUBA skills. Task loading issues- as with ANY device of this advanced nature, would be too much for any newbie. Learn to deal with a high volume, learn what the real (forgotten) benefits of purge valves might be- and this is the coolest thing ever, no doubt in my mind.

They say the will also be releasing a -3.5 version soon, as well as the 20/20 "0" version. These things sell amazingly well in the Asian markets- and are seen at Asian specific destinations quitre often- where many many individuals are born with this vision quite normally.

Well worth checking out. I will continue using it!

[SeaYoda]

I agree whole heartedly. I use -3.25 contacts and was seeing well with my naked eye with the -4.5 mask. I also am experiencing short arm syndrome and for me to see the LCD on my camera I recently got my eye doctor to give me +1.25 lenses to make me more near sighted and allow me to focus closer to my eyes. This new set up works great. I do not usually wear any corrective lenses while heading to my usual shore dive. I hardly noticed the new more blurry vision with the extra +1.25. It all depends on what you are used to - I get up in the morning and function well without glasses or contacts until I get ready to go to work.

I can' wait to see what the new models for less nearsighted people look like. I might be interested in the -3.5 myself.

I can say without reservation that this mask has been worth any extra "trouble" it may have caused.

[alaity47]

I just got back from a HydroOptix presentation at my LDS (the inventor/president came to talk about them) - very cool! We asked about the upcoming "0-D" (0-diopter) model. Apparently it works by going back to the one-big-dome design, but slightly flattened in the center to keep the volume from getting out of control. In other words, although it will have a nice wide field-of-view to it, it will bring back some of the flat-mask distortion. The -4.5 version will always be the best mask (that's why it was the first one they brought out).

There's a -3.5 version in the works, but slightly lower priority, I gather. It was emphasized to me (I have -3.25 and -3.5 eyes) that at my age, -4.5 would be no trouble to adjust to. Indeed, I tried taking out my contacts and looking through their -4.5 monocle, and it wasn't at all difficult to focus on stuff.

There was no demo tank set up (they incorrecly assumed our LDS had their own pool) - but I know the LDS owner pretty well and he has loaned me his demo mask for a couple of days. (Yay!) There's a pool where I work - I can't wait to get in the water with this thing and try it out! Not full-on SCUBA, unfortunately (don't have time to get a tank and schlep all my gear to work), but hopefully I'll be able to see the underwater effect of the mask, and maybe practice purging a little bit.

Will post back later. I'm 90% sure I'm going to own this puppy by Saturday...

[alaity47]

Took the HydroOptix mask to the pool today along with my regular mask and snorkel. I'm totally sold! My -3.25/-3.5 prescription worked PERFECTLY with this mask underwater; no trouble focusing at any distance. I was blown away by how much deeper the pool looked with the HydroOptix mask. And by how easy it was to clear! I was skeptical of the purge valves, but they worked great (though I did sometimes have to also press down on the top of the mask, which the company claims should be unnecessary - maybe I have a strangely shaped face)!

My only complaints are those that have been mentioned before: it seemed to fog a lot, and water pooled sometimes at the bottom if I looked straight down.

As for the first, my regular mask was fogging a lot too, so it might have had more to do with poor preparation and a lot of taking it on and off than any inherent flaw - I'll keep trying different defog methods, and I'm sure something will work. Plus, it really is incredibly easier to clear (much more so than my normal, small-volume flat mask), so I don't think I'd even mind so much having to flood and clear it every now and then.

The water pooling I could usually get rid of by tilting my head back (to make sure all the water was down by the purge valves) and then purging very slowly and gently. Not always - but as was said above, I don't usually spend most of my dives looking straight down anyway. And a tiny little blurry spot in one part of the mask is a small price to pay for the amazing depth of field and peripheral vision!

Big kudos to HydroOptix: this thing is COOL. I'm not going to miss wearing contacts on dives! Calling my dive shop right now to pay; there's no way I'm giving the mask back!

[SeaYoda]

Congratulations on your new toy. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I do mine.

... maybe I have a strangely shaped face...

You are not the only one, I wear the strap accross the top of my ear to help with the leaking and I pull the bottom of the mask out from my lip to clear through the purge valves - works great!

...it seemed to fog a lot...

The best defog I've come accross is baby shampoo - great price too.

[alaity47]

The best defog I've come accross is baby shampoo - great price too.

I think I have some Johnson's baby shampoo; I'll give it a try.

I recently became a HUGE fan of Sea Quick, a defog spray (not a gel). I wonder if it will work as well on the HO as it did on my old mask.

I'm just going to bring all my defog possibilities with me on my next dive trip and try each one out in turn. Will let you know if anything beats baby shampoo!

It's going to be weird diving with this thing, and seeing everything at actual size. I really can't wait to get in the ocean with it!

[SeaYoda]

I recently became a HUGE fan of Sea Quick, a defog spray (not a gel). I wonder if it will work as well on the HO as it did on my old mask.I'm just going to bring all my defog possibilities with me on my next dive trip and try each one out in turn. Will let you know if anything beats baby shampoo!

I found the gels to work best - SeaGold works the best of all the high priced antifogs I tried.

Be sure to clean the mask well before using it - no abrasive toothpaste. I wash mine out well with the shampoo and warm water on each dive.

Some people like to let the shampoo or gel dry on the mask and give it a QUICK rinse before the dive. I don't see much difference wet or dry with the shampoo. Good Luck.

[azonin]

-2.5 diopters on both eyes here, with 1.25 astigmatism - this mask rocks my world !!! The best antifog trick is to spit into the mask, work it around with your finger gently and give it a gentle rinse in sea-water, just enough to remove the visible saliva. Don't try to rinse it off completely, otherwise it won't work. This trick is a courtesy of my old diving buddy who used to serve in SAS special forces - it works all the time and much better than j&j baby shampoo, toothpaste prewash or SeaGold. I also heard that the basic compounds in SeaGold are similar to saliva, but had no means to verify.

[msandler]

Are the lens Plastic ?

[Henryville]

Are the lens Plastic ?

Yes, I think polycarbonate, with a "proprietary anti-scratch coating."