Atomics Subframe Mask fogging issue??

[kuma1720]

I currently purchased the Atomics Subframe mask and wondered if anyone has had any issue with fogging like the frameless??
Unsure if I need to scrub more than once to clean the lens.
Thanks for the feedback as always.

 

[realdiver7]

I have the clear Atomics Aquatics Frameless mask, and don't have any problems at all with fogging. I used white paste-type toothpaste (no gel) and a soft toothbrush on the mask lens, inside and out, three (3) times before I used the mask. I let the toothpaste dry a little so it would have more friction on the glass.

After the toothpaste treatment, I soaked the mask in warm water with Dawn dish detergent for a couple of hours, rinsed, and then repeated the detergent process. This procedure is what I follow for all masks that I buy. When everything else fails, I have in the past used SoftScrub cleaner, toothpaste, and then detergent, but you have to make sure to rinse the SoftScrub chemicals out of the mask thoroughly, and the chlorine in the SoftScrub can't be good for silicone, so that is not my first choice and I'm not recommending it because it's probably overkill.

As a side note, I recently learned NOT to use the mask rinse bucket on cattle boats because the last time I did in the Caymans, my well-used and reliable mask that never fogs fogged up and remained that way until I could re-clean it. Apparently there are many different types of chemicals that collect in these buckets over time, and dirty water, sunscreen, and other chemicals can coat mask lenses. I also pay attention not to breathe out of my nose.

Hope this helps, and enjoy that new expensive mask that is probably well worth the price in my opinion. I know my frameless is worth it!

 

[fdog]

I've cleaned my Atomic Frameless a couple times over it's lifespan. A triple wash with SoftScrub seems to do it, and wala, no more fogging.

Excellent advice by realdiver - we take a tiny bottle of softscrub just for those mid-trip mystery bucket exposures that suddenly make the mask become fogging-prone.

All the best, James

 

[Captain Larry]

We sell many Atomics, both the SubFrame and the Frameless. They are excellent masks but they must be properly cleaned before use to prevent fogging. At the shop we keep a tube of Crest with baking soda and peroxide and it seems to work very well.
Just a quick rub and rinse doesn't work. You need to rub the paste around and be sure to get along the edges and corners. Be sure to rinse well. Repeat a few times. I leave mine overnight in the sink or tub full of water to get the last traces of toothpaste out.
A little trick I use on the dive boat is to use a defogger and then rinse the mask under the shower instead of the rinse bucket. It doesn't take much water, one maskful to swirl around good and get the majority out, then another half maskful to finish it up.
We try to keep the mask buckets clean but on the boat ride home many divers think the mask bucket is their personal freshwater rinse for evrythign from wetsuits and regs to smelly feet. Over time a lot of things like suntan lotion can get into the buckets and it doesn't take much to leave a film coating on the lens of your mask. It's a good idea to repeat the toothpaste treatment on a regular basis.

 

[kuma1720]

Excellent advice and thank you once more.