For divers with beards/mustaches

[vann evans]

I have a full beard and have found a great solution for leaking masks. I use a product called "Unpetroleum". It is just like Vaseline Petroleum Jelly except it has no petroleum products. so, it doesn't mess up any of the silicone mask skirts and it's not greasy. It is available at health food stores and some grocery stores. I found it at Whole Foods. It comes in an orange tube and cost about $6. I have used it with great success. I just squeeze out a ribbon of the jelly about 3/4" long and apply it to my mustache. At the end of the dive, I wipe it off and it doesn't feel greasy or sticky.

Hope it works for you.

Vann Evans

 

[idocsteve]

I had a heavy moustache for years and even the best fitting masks would leak to some degree.

The best solution I found?

Shave it off.

You won't look that bad, really.

 

[Deep Water Dan]

I was using petroleum jelly and while it sealed the mask, the disgusting greasy mess all over everything after the dive was too much for me. I reluctantly shaved off my nice biker 'stache after having had one for over 30 years. Everybody said I looked 10 years younger afterwards.

 

[Garrobo]

Keeping up with fashion and the biker image, in the 60's and up to '85 I had a full beard/mustache and hair down to my ***. I decided to change this image by shaving everything off since I was going bald and didn't like the looks of some of my aquaintances who were in the same boat and resisted aging and the image change. Lately I've been getting lazy about shaving and have been thinking about a full beard again, white of course, but don't want to get into the leaky mask problem with all the mess of Vasoline and other stuff. Maybe this Unpretroleum will do the trick.

 

[Walter]

The problem isn't the leaking mask, it's being uncomfortable with a leaking mask. If you practice no mask breathing until it becomes second nature, you will never consider it a problem again. You can do it, it's easy, but does require time to achieve.

 

[dburg30]

I disagree, I have to deal with water getting in all the time since my stache seems to be the culprit. While I dont have any issues diving with water 'always' leaking it, it's sure is more fun and comfortable when you get a good seal and dont have to deal with it.

So I wouldnt say I'm uncomfortable with a leaking mask, but a leaking mask makes diving less fun.

 

[oldnotdead]

I shave a 1/4" "sealing surface" under my nose to allow a seal. It seems to work. very imperceptible and since I dive infrequently, It grows right back.OND

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I tried a few different approaches and settled on the "diver's trim" ... which is to shave about the top third of your moustache ... give you just enough room under the schnozz to get a good seal ... without the need for greasy chemicals ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DMDavid]

I have found that by trimming down a 1/4 inch from my nose to my mustache seems to leave a big enough patch of smooth skin to create a good seal.
Then again if I shave it all off it grows back in a weeks time.

Or I have just exhaled through my nose to easily and repetitively clear the mask which after a while I don't even realize I'm doing it until I see a video of my self then I can see a stream of bubbles coming from the mask.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The problem isn't the leaking mask, it's being uncomfortable with a leaking mask. If you practice no mask breathing until it becomes second nature, you will never consider it a problem again. You can do it, it's easy, but does require time to achieve.

I'll disagree to a point ... although I don't consider a leaky mask a big problem ... I do consider it an unnecessary distraction ... one that any diver will have a much more fun dive not having to deal with ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)