Full Face Mask

[Desa]

Local volunteer dive team is getting a little funding for full face & underwater commo.

I am looking for info and points of contact for the equipment.

I have the training available.

I don't want to debate anything. I am simply looking for the different setups available and any input/opinions on the various brands as well as where I can get intial price quotes & maintenance information.

Just FYI, we are looking at supporting 3 divers and 1 surface unit. Any help is appreciated in advance.

[teknitroxdiver]

I would recommend the AGA mask. It seems to be the most popular FFM out there. What is 'a little funding'? If it's enough, I would recommend getting Kirby-Morgan helmets, specifically, the 27 or 37 (pretty sure that's the numbers....). They'll give you head-bang protection, good for that blackwater work, and work wonders with com systems.

[BigJetDriver]

Local volunteer dive team is getting a little funding for full face & underwater commo.

I am looking for info and points of contact for the equipment.

I have the training available.

I don't want to debate anything. I am simply looking for the different setups available and any input/opinions on the various brands as well as where I can get intial price quotes & maintenance information.

Just FYI, we are looking at supporting 3 divers and 1 surface unit. Any help is appreciated in advance.

The AGA (or Divator Mark II) is a very good mask. I have used it a lot in blackwater diving. I would recommend the model with the silicone skirt and positive pressure feature. Many teams use them.

The Exo-26 is a tough and reliable mask for PSD work, and has been proven in the field. Many teams use these.

Helmets, with a collar-ring that will lock into the dry-suit are required for true haz-mat diving, but this is a level above most team's needs or capabilities, given the work that is generally required.

OTS makes really good comm systems in both hard-wire and wire-less, and various levels of capability.

Hope that helps. PM me for more info if you need it. I have points of contact for all of the above.

BJD (aka Rob)

[Curt Bowen]

Local volunteer dive team is getting a little funding for full face & underwater commo.

I am looking for info and points of contact for the equipment.

I have the training available.

I don't want to debate anything. I am simply looking for the different setups available and any input/opinions on the various brands as well as where I can get intial price quotes & maintenance information.

Just FYI, we are looking at supporting 3 divers and 1 surface unit. Any help is appreciated in advance.

I own an Aga and a Kirby Morgan half mask, both with OTS comm units in them. I prefer the Kirby Morgan for one reason, its much easier to clear. If you get water in the AGA, its like looking out a rain drop covered window for the rest of the dive which irritates me.

The AGA has a much better field of view compared to the Kirby.

[BigJetDriver]

I own an Aga and a Kirby Morgan half mask, both with OTS comm units in them. I prefer the Kirby Morgan for one reason, its much easier to clear. If you get water in the AGA, its like looking out a rain drop covered window for the rest of the dive which irritates me.

The AGA has a much better field of view compared to the Kirby.

Curt,

Good point, but doesn't really come into play in blackwater diving!

[Bob3]

Don't forget to check out the Poseidon Atmosphere, it's fitted with a slightly tweaked Jetstream & the recommended 1st stage is the Xstream multi-port.
Pricing is pretty close to the AGA, plus if a person has a narrow face, the Atmosphere comes in 2 sizes, obviates the need to glue tubing to the skirt of an AGA.
Consider getting hardwire comms, they're more reliable & you're tethered anyway, or at least should be under most conditions.

[Desa]

Thanks guys for all the info. "A little funding" is whatever part of a $35,000.00 grant I can justify. Realisticly, I am probobly looking at less than $8,500.


Lots of good sugestions, but does anybody have any phone numbers, persons to contact or websites?

Oh, and on the "blackwater diving" , I have to tell a little story. Long story made short, get called to the river (Ohio River), get in boat, gear up, they drop us in up stream and we "drift" into the search area. One hand on bouy line tied to sunken concrete block, other hand gripping other diver. He is tethered to shore via his harness. Game plan is, when we hit the bottom, I hang on to bouy line and control the search pattern, while he uses both hands to search. As we drop about 3 or 4 feet below the surface it is "lights out" I mean totally black. I can feel water coming in my mask because I had turned away from the current just a little and its now dislodged slightly. I shut my eyes and let it flood since both of my hands are busy. After about 4 or 5 minutes on the bottom, I recieve this pat on my hand that tells me its time to start back to the surface. After I surfaced and was pulled close enough to shore to stand, I removed my mask. It had so much mud on the inside, I had to have it cleaned before the next dive. So yea, on that type of dive, a few drops of water on the inside would not really be noticed.......

[rmediver2002]

Give John Hott at OTS a call and he can set you up with what ever mask you choose, communications, and training on maintenance of the kits.

OTS also has some nice tending lines with hard wire communication wire inside the sheath, you might want to check that out as well...

As far as mask go, I agree with all the above suggestions, if possible bring someone in to train your team on the equipment set up and use. It will make the team more confident, save wear and tear on your gear, and make the units much more enjoyable to dive.

Here is some information / evaluation results on different types of masks I have tested:

http://www.adp.fsu.edu/HistoryOfDiving/index.html


Here is the contact information for OTS:

http://www.oceantechnologysystems.com/

Ocean Technology Systems
3133 West Harvard Street, Santa Ana, CA. 92704
Telephone: (714) 754-7848 Fax (714) 966-1639
Toll Free: (800) 550-1984


And here is John's e-mail if you have any questions.

jhott@oceantechnologysystems.com

[AmyinWV]

I'm not going to make an equiptment recommendation, more or a FEATURE recommendation. You can see if the units your looking at have it.

Be sure the masks have the ability to depress or pinch the nose. It takes A LOT of practice to learn to equalize without pinching the nose (if that is how you are used to doing it). Several units now offer this.

If you get something without that option, some of your divers may not be able to use them if they can't equalize. Since equalizing by jaw-wiggle and swallowing takes much practice and you need to actually build up those muscles in your cranium to do it consistantly.

Funny thing, I asked around to my other divers and those that do not have tonsils (since when we were kids they yanked them out at the slightest sore throat) usually need to equalize by nose-pinch/blow method, and those with tonsils have an easier time with the jaw-wiggle/swallow. Digest that useless bit of info

Southern IN...you must work state, if you worked USP Terre Haute the Ohio river would be a bit of a haul. Kudos...people don't usually appreciate what you do, I can sympathize (with your wife anyway).

Good luck finding a set-up,

Amy

[rmediver2002]

Hi Amy,

Most of the quality FFM units on the market incoorperate a rigid frame and a oral nasal assembly (this prevents CO2 build-up within the mask)

Similar to diving helmets, they also include a nose clearing device. On sevral a v shaped rubber block you can seal your nose with to clear.

The "Jack Browne" or "Desco pool cleaning mask" is the only unit I can recall off-hand that does not allow for clearing without having to utilize jaw shift or swallowing...