A mask fogging question ...

[SeaHound]

Guys -

I always throw my mask into the bucket full of baby-shampoo that they have on dive boats. I let it float in there thinking it would minimize fogging once taken out. Just before the dive I take the wet mask out and spit in it and dive.

Today I was talking to another diver at work. He tells me a mask wet from inside will always fog sooner or later. The best way to prevent fogging according to him was to make sure that the mask was squeaky clean and DRY. If it remains air tight during the dive and water does not go inside it, it would have less chance of fogging.

Is there anyone who has tried this and would endorse / dispute this theory?

Cheers,

S-H

 

[Diver0001]

I think it's a safe bet that you can keep your mask dry on the inside once in 100 dives.

Seeing as how spit or defogger works 100 times out of 100 I know what I would advise....

R..

 

[The Kraken]

Well, I'm NOT going to say that the bucket is not full of baby shampoo . . . but in all my years of boat diving I've never seen it. I have seen numerous buckets with soapy water or some other concoction (generally called a rinse bucket) in which masks can be placed.

And I'm not going to dispute your friend's theory.

But whenever moisture is present in air, and there are two significantly different temperatures on each side of the lens, then moisture, in the form of "fog", will manifest itself on the warmest, driest side of the lens.

As you exhale through your nose to relieve mask squeeze from the effects of increasing depth, you replace whatever cool dry air there may have been inside the mask with warm, moist air coming from your lungs.

The cooler water on the outside of the mask lens will naturally make the moisture inside your mask condense on the lens.

Take along some Kraken Spit (also known as "baby shampoo") with you on your next dive. On your way out, put a couple of drops on the lens/lenses and smear about. Before you dive, or after you enter the water, depending upon your preference, just gently swish some water about in the mask.

You don't want to remove the Kraken Spit, you only want to even it out across the lens/lenses.

Hope this works for ya . . .

the K

 

[Garrobo]

I gave up on the "baby" shampoos and rely on spit only. Works every time.

 

[christo651]

I vote for the "lighter trick". I have had mask fogging for so long I did not know any other way, until I read about the lighter trick. Unbelievably easy and quick. I just dove yesterday for the first time since doing my mask, fog free all day with just a little spit in the beginning. Amazing how much better a dive is without the fogging problem. Just take a lighter and flame the inside of the lense until you see the effect happen. It truly looks just like when you put the defroster on your windsheild, immediately burns of the crud. Just make sure you do not have some specialty coating you may not want to flame, but my mask was just clear glass. Be careful not to singe the skirt, but pretty hard to do unless you are careless. Then just wipe of the carbon and you are done. I also did the front of the lense and it came off there as well.

 

[8dust]

ahhh.... I've never heard of "the lighter trick"
but it sounds like a really really bad idea to me.
I wouldn't trust myself not to ruin a perfectly good mask.
Never used anything but spit in the many years I've dove.
Always got some with me, and it almost never spills in my dive bag.
Works 100 times out of 100, why over complicate things.

 

[redacted]

Squeaky clean is the key, not dry. I have never been disappointed with spit; and I've never run out.

 

[reeldreams]

I ended up with pink eye spitting in my mask ,baby shampoo and sea water works great never had a problem as long as the mask had been properly cleened with tooth paste or mask cleener after you buy it.

 

[halocline]

The lighter trick is just a different way to remove the coating that mask lenses have when they are new. A trip through the dishwasher works great as well.

There's no way to keep a mask completely dry during a dive, that's nutty. Unless, of course, you can figure out some way of equalizing it with 0% water content air, and maintain a 100% perfect fit, and completely avoid any exhalation through your nose during the entire dive, AND keep all droplets of water and/or moisture out of the mask while on a boat and while entering the water.

Probably your co-worker meant that once a mask floods a few times, it washes off the anti-fog stuff (aka spit) which definitely can happen.

 

[White Knight]

I find that if you drink whiskey heavily on a regular basis, the alcohol content of your spit does a better job keeping your mask clean and defogged! I am guessing Tequila, Vodka and Rum will work well to.....Actually, I have never heard of the lighter trick. Can anyone lend me your mask so that I can try it out?