US Divers circa question

[DaleC]

Just got this mask. Does anyone know what era it comes from?
Also, the rubber has some slight cracking. Will vasoline or silicone grease help it?

u.s. divers co.
"aqua-lung wrap-around"

 

[bajashack]

1970's silicon will work to perserve the mask but wont bring back the rubber. I have one of these same masks, as a relic.

 

[jamiep3]

They have been making that model for as long as I can remember. I've got a neoprene one that I use for work. Current version has silicone skirt.

 

[David Wilson]

The original (1961?) version of this mask came with a specially shaped glass visor:

The design changed to the version you have because the glass "had a tendency to crack when subjected to quick changes in temperature."
Vintage Scuba Diving Accessories Collection
The wraparound US Divers mask design appears to be still in production with some new features:

Aqualung Wraparound Dive Mask - Black
One reviewer claims to have been using the three-window version for 30 years.

As for the cracking in the rubber, I fear that probably makes the mask only suitable for display purposes. I still prefer rubber-skirted masks to silicone-skirted ones, but there's a plentiful supply of the former if you know where to look. There are even a dozen blue-skirted models still in production worldwide to mitigate the current stark choice of black versus clear.

 

[captain]

It is intersting that many items that most rec divers think is no longer made or used still are in production and use by the military and commercial divers. Some are the horse collar BC, the single outlet twin tank manifold, the military type twin tank bands and strap harness.

 

[Slonda828]

Captain,

I was just thinking that. If you go to:

NavySEALs.com Dive Gear - Dive Gear Kits, Dive Boots, Fins, Mask, Snorkels, Dive Knives, Swimming Vests, Gloves

you can see a lot of vintage styled dive gear that is brand new. The military knows to use the good stuff! They still make that wraparound mask as well.

Dale, if you want to restore that vintage mask, you can buy a new one and remove the skirt. I did this with the atlantis mask that I have on in my avatar. I just took the old glass and frame out, and used the new skirt. Many of USD's products have been faithfully produced from the same mold for a loooong time. That way, you will have a nice mask that will not rip (like my vintage one did on day three of our Bahamas trip), but it will still look classic, without the modern logos and crap stuck to it.

 

[divinginn]

I had a mask that looked just like that one but was a Scuba pro.

 

[jamiep3]

It is intersting that many items that most rec divers think is no longer made or used still are in production and use by the military and commercial divers. Some are the horse collar BC, the single outlet twin tank manifold, the military type twin tank bands and strap harness.

Mar-Vel still sells most of those items, SeaTec and Aqualung Horsecolars, Twin Bands with straps, etc. You will just pay an arm and leg for them.

For most of that kind of gear, Ebay is your friend.

 

[ScubaEngineer]

Still in production here at Aqua Lung, current mask is molded in Silicone as others have mentioned. Customers are primarily military divers particularly Rescue swimmers.
Its popular w/ USCG for helicopter rescue swimmers.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Mr. Szostak,

Thank you for that information. My favorite mask is no longer being made--the Farrallon tri-view mask. I got one off E-Bay, but the skirt is neoprene, and it has become fixed in a larger size than my face. I had used the USD Wraparound before, but found the neoprene skirt too rigid and somewhat uncomfortable. Apparently, Aqua-Lung got word of that, and has changed the mask skirt material to silicone. That will make the mask a much, much more comfortable mask.

As an ex-USAF Pararescueman, I also liked the tri-view masks. I wore three Scubapro masks until the nubber literally disintegrated. The Aqua-Lung Wraparound fits that nitch well.

One thing that newer divers do not realize is that the black silicone is very good at eliminating internal reflections that occur from the clear silicone. Clear silicone is preferred by professional photographers, as it allows the diver's face to be well-lighted. But those internal reflections off the inside of the mask from light coming through the skirt (for clear silicone) causes a loss of visual perception looking down from the surface. For rescue divers, this is critical to be able to see well down from the surface. Here is the link to the current version of this mask.

SeaRat