A question, (rhetorical)

[lexvil]

In 50 years of diving I’m pretty sure I’ve always used black masks, I found a deal on a clear skirted D mask and dove it last Saturday, 101 minute dive with the most horrible mask experience I think I’ve ever had, we aren’t talking bright clear water, it was darkish with 10 to 15 foot viz for most of the dive. The reflections coming from the sides gave me the worst tunnel vision I’ve ever had! I had a spare black skirt for it and changed it ASAP when I got home, the question; why do they even make clear skirted masks

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’ve found clear skirted masks in and around the rocks fairly close to shore sometimes with snorkels still attached. Most of the time I figured it was amateur ab diver stuff, they lose a lot of gear including masks, fins, weightbelts, etc. sometimes jettisoned out of panic or they just lose stuff, who knows??
But I’ve cleaned up and tried those clear skirted masks and yes indeed they do suck.

 

[OTF]

I've always used clear skirted masks without giving it much thought, never noticed a problem or difference.

 

[kelemvor]

My first mask was clear skirt. It was a great fit and was cheap. I didn't know what I was missing until I got a black skirt mask several years later. Now that I know, I'd never buy a clear skirt again, but as the saying goes "you don't know what you don't know."

 

[Marie13]

My first mask was clear skirted. I didn’t like the glare either.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yup. Awful. As a newbie I bought a clear skirted mask for training because I didn’t know any better and wasn’t provided expert guidance from the shop. It didn’t take me long to move to a black skirted mask. I still have my original clear skirted mask. It’s a backup to my backup to my backup. So far I’ve not had to use it again in over 15 years.

 

[lexvil]

I've always used clear skirted masks without giving it much thought, never noticed a problem or difference.

Time to step across to a new black mask

 

[lexvil]

I’ve found clear skirted masks in and around the rocks fairly close to shore sometimes with snorkels still attached. Most of the time I figured it was amateur ab diver stuff, they lose a lot of gear including masks, fins, weightbelts, etc. sometimes jettisoned out of panic or they just lose stuff, who knows??
But I’ve cleaned up and tried those clear skirted masks and yes indeed they do suck.

I usually just give them to the grand kids to use in the pool.

 

[JMBL]

Dived with clear skirted masks for years, until last summer when I lost my last one... It seems they're out of fashion around here, could get only coloured skirted ones as replacement. No big difference, but I do prefer clear skirted ones. Why ? Just because !

 

[stiebs]

Clear skirted masks look nice and sparkly on the shop display wall.
Black skirted masks are so much better to dive with.