Drying inside of slap strap?

[stuartv]

I have a slap strap on my mask. My mask came with a nice plastic case to store it in.

I have been out of the water now for 4 days, with my mask rinsed and set on a drying rack in my (indoors) laundry room.

I stuck a finger inside the end of my slap strap and it is still wet on the inside.

It doesn't seem like a good idea to put the mask with the slap strap on it inside the sealed plastic case. I imagine the interior of the slap strap would grow some interesting stuff or mildew at least.

So, how do you fine folks get the inside of your slap strap to dry?

 

[nimoh]

if you have an electric air pump for one of those air beds, they work well for drying such things. Stick the nozzle in one end of the slap strap and run it for an hour or so.

 

[Damselfish]

It sounds like maybe you have a wrap thing that slips over an existing mask strap, rather than a slap strap which is generally one layer of neoprene directly attached to velcro which completely replaces your strap, and has no "inside"? The latter still does not dry superfast, but it does dry. Maybe you could roll up a paper towel or something and slip it in yours to prop it open and maybe help wick out water.

Or get something else that won't always be a nuisance to dry. The velcro on slap straps tends to be too wide for the buckles on many masks, so the wraps are one way to get around that. What I do is trim the velcro to the proper width and use no fray liquid on the edge. My husband has a strap cover which is a thin foam float covered in nylon and dries very quickly, but I haven't seen those in ages.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Throw away the silly plastic case, leave mask out to store/dry. Stick mask inside fin when transporting. Problem solved.

 

[stuartv]

Yes, it's one of these:

Innovative Picture Slap-Wrapper - Dunleavy - Deco Jaws

2 pieces of neoprene sewn together at the top and bottom. You undo one end of the strap mask, thread it through the middle and reattach the strap to the mask.

If it wasn't such a huge PITA to undo one end of my mask strap (an Atomic mask, with the keeper at the end being s SUPER tight fit to double the strap end back through), it wouldn't be AS big a deal. But, as it is, it would be a PITA to remove the slap strap thing from the mask strap. And even if I did, it still would be hard to get dry in the middle.

But, it sure is great in the water! With the slap strap thing on there, my mask is super easy to put on without getting the straps twisted or for my g/f to not get her hair tangled up in the mask strap.

I'm not completely averse to replacing what I'm using. I mean, it was only like 7 bucks. But, if there is a way to make it work, that would be nice.

I'm thinking if I could find an extra fat drinking straw, I could punch some holes in it and then just stick it through the slap strap thing to hold it open and vent air into the inside.

Or rig some kind of sleeve/adapter to attach the slap strap to the end of a wetsuit sleeve, so the air coming from my HangAir and out the end of the wetsuit sleeve would be ducted through the slap strap. That would be ideal. Hmmmmm... I may have to spend some quality time out in the garage tonight....

 

[RJP]

Throw away the silly plastic case, leave mask out to store/dry. Stick mask inside fin when transporting. Problem solved.

---------- Post added November 6th, 2014 at 03:26 PM ----------

Yes, it's one of these:

Innovative Picture Slap-Wrapper - Dunleavy - Deco Jaws

2 pieces of neoprene sewn together at the top and bottom. You undo one end of the strap mask, thread it through the middle and reattach the strap to the mask.

If it wasn't such a huge PITA to undo one end of my mask strap (an Atomic mask, with the keeper at the end being s SUPER tight fit to double the strap end back through), it wouldn't be AS big a deal. But, as it is, it would be a PITA to remove the slap strap thing from the mask strap. And even if I did, it still would be hard to get dry in the middle.

But, it sure is great in the water! With the slap strap thing on there, my mask is super easy to put on without getting the straps twisted or for my g/f to not get her hair tangled up in the mask strap.

I'm not completely averse to replacing what I'm using. I mean, it was only like 7 bucks. But, if there is a way to make it work, that would be nice.

I'm thinking if I could find an extra fat drinking straw, I could punch some holes in it and then just stick it through the slap strap thing to hold it open and vent air into the inside.

Or rig some kind of sleeve/adapter to attach the slap strap to the end of a wetsuit sleeve, so the air coming from my HangAir and out the end of the wetsuit sleeve would be ducted through the slap strap. That would be ideal. Hmmmmm... I may have to spend some quality time out in the garage tonight....

Or... it sounds like you may be better off keeping the plastic box and throwing away the strap.

PS - HangAir?

 

[Damselfish]

Note that if it's a clear skirt mask, and there's rubber in your fins, stuffing your mask in your fin pocket is a good way to turn the mask yellow. Keeping it in it's box away from rubber and neoprene helps keep a clear mask clear.

 

[stuartv]

Or... it sounds like you may be better off keeping the plastic box and throwing away the strap.

PS - HangAir?

I'm not sure if you're suggesting one or asking what it is. Since I mentioned using one in my last post, I'll assume you are asking what it is. I bought mine years ago to use with my motorcycle leathers when at the racetrack.



HangAir® Drying System - Electronic Hanger » Underwater Kinetics

Note that if it's a clear skirt mask, and there's rubber in your fins, stuffing your mask in your fin pocket is a good way to turn the mask yellow. Keeping it in it's box away from rubber and neoprene helps keep a clear mask clear.

My mask's skirt is black. Not having it go yellow was one of the reasons I went for black. So, the fin pocket may be a good way for me to go.

 

[1bubbleoff]

Stuart-


May I suggest.... Trident RPH 56...
http://www.tridentdive.com/maskaccessories.pdf

 

[kelemvor]

It sounds like maybe you have a wrap thing that slips over an existing mask strap, rather than a slap strap which is generally one layer of neoprene directly attached to velcro which completely replaces your strap, and has no "inside"? The latter still does not dry superfast, but it does dry. Maybe you could roll up a paper towel or something and slip it in yours to prop it open and maybe help wick out water.

Or get something else that won't always be a nuisance to dry. The velcro on slap straps tends to be too wide for the buckles on many masks, so the wraps are one way to get around that. What I do is trim the velcro to the proper width and use no fray liquid on the edge. My husband has a strap cover which is a thin foam float covered in nylon and dries very quickly, but I haven't seen those in ages.

There are also straps like this that completely replace the el garbagio rubber straps and also don't use velcro. Mine dries overnight sitting in an open mask box. Also you don't get your hair caught in the rubber on the side of the strap.

I don't know what brand they are, just one of those "impulse" items that some dive shops have polluting their sales floor. However, I like this one.

I Believe the one I'm talking about is "RP22" in the pdf that 1bubbleoff listed.