Mako Minimus mask is awesome!

[MichaelMc]

The Mako Minimus is great. It had been my main mask.

For even more peripheral, I switched to the two lens Tilos Frameless Flex Ultra Low Volume Foldable, $28 from House of Scuba, though I need to crank down the straps a bit to stop a nose area leak. Someone here had recommended it.

Mako and Tilos with lens about at the same distance from camera. Tilos does not seem as low volume. Tilos lens can be in different planes depending on your face shape or how much you tighten the straps. I have not found that to be disorienting or even still noticeable.

I tried the single lens Piranha Explorer II Frameless, $23, but my face curved more than its skirt allowed.

 

[JohnnyC]

Does it have the chest speargun loading pad? That seems like it would be annoying if you're not a speargunner.

It does, and that was an initial concern before I bought it, but it turns out I don't even notice it. The inside has 1mm neoprene panels on the front and the back, so you don't even feel it. I like it because it's a little more substantial than just a piece of lycra.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Stuart: Thanks for the detailed and honest review and report. I'm glad you liked the mask - it fits a huge majority of people who try it, so much so that I can confidently offer a 100% guarantee that a customer will love it - or they can send it back on my dime.

Sorry to hear that you had fogging issues. Sometimes it takes two sessions of burning the glass and cleaning before the mask stays clear.

The ability to fold the mask skirt flat, the (near) impossibility of breaking a buckle, the comfort and fit all make this mask hugely popular with our scuba and freedive customers. As you indicated, the super low volume also makes this mask really quick and easy to clear - so it is great for new divers as well.

Being so small and close to the face it also makes the mask less likely to get bumped or kicked or even affected by strong currents.

And Stuart, if you are ever in my neck of the woods (Fredericksburg) give me a call and we can have lunch and I can give you a tour of our warehouse, production facility and (only) showroom.

Thanks
Dano

 

[scubadada]

I also have a very small mask, the Cressi Nano. @stuartv review sounds very similar to what I would say about the Nano, except for the problem with fogging

 

[scubadada]

Cressi Nano

 

[stuartv]

I also have a very small mask, the Cressi Nano. @stuartv review sounds very similar to what I would say about the Nano, except for the problem with fogging

Maybe I have something to learn here, but I wasn't too worried about the fogging. I figure any mask CAN be cleaned well enough to not fog. I just didn't get this one clean enough on the first try. Dano recommended to use a lighter to burn the film off, so that's what I did. But, I've never done it that way before, so maybe I wasn't, ahem, aggressive enough. I'll fix that!

 

[stuartv]

View attachment 475897
Cressi Nano

That looks very similar to the Mako Mini. And it's $95 at LP. Versus $37 for the Mako...

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

You know that guy with the big Schnoz? I guess that's me. Throw in a Cro-magnon man forehead and deepset eyes and I'm the guy that gives mask makers nightmares. 99% of the masks I've tried didn't fit. One lady actually accused me of blowing out through my nose to intentionally make the mask pop off my forehead.

I ordered 3 masks from Mako. The box arrived and it was like Christmas morning. I tore the masks open and stuck the first one to my head....strike one. The next one...strike two. The final one looked like a bat man mask and it had to fit...no go...strike three. I wish I could say I was surprised but the only mask the fits me well is the 1972 "rescue" type mask. The XS Scuba Cortez is a close second. Everything else is a no-go.

So, three masks don't fit. No different than the 100 or so I've tried. I sent an email that evening and the next morning I had a shipping label waiting on my email. When they say 100% guarantee, they mean it. No BS, no questions, no hesitation...just a shipping return label. I even think they refunded my money as soon as it shipped...if not it was on arrival.

Great company, great masks, great service. Just not for my melon...

If you need a mask, there's no reason not to try a Mako.

Jay

 

[stuartv]

I have around 20 or so dives on the Minimus now and I have some additional thoughts to share.

In spite of the fact that the field of view is a little smaller than the DGX Frameless mask, the Minimus has become my #1 mask.

One big reason for that is that the much smaller footprint fits inside the "window" of my hood, instead of overlapping it and making me have to pull the hood out from under the mask skirt every time I put it on. I've been doing a fair bit of diving in the local quarry recently, so I've been using a hood a lot.

The fogging seems to have finally gone away.

The nose pocket is only a little bit bigger than my nose. Which means I'd call it pretty much a perfect fit. The nose pocket in the DGX mask is way bigger than my hose. That means a bit more air in the mask than necessary and it just feels a little funny when I pinch to clear my ears. Obviously, it's not a big deal. I just like the feeling of a compact, close fit.

The DGX mask fits me well, but sometimes it just seems like it wants to constantly leak a little bit. Other times not. OTOH, the Mini mask seems to be leak-free a much higher percentage of the time.

 

[Altamira]

I used a lighter to remove the residue from the mask per Dano's instructions, and never had fogging. No leaking either on mine or wife's. Bought it as a spare, but it is now my primary mask.