Mares Xvision and Liquidskin masks leaking

[nemesiss]

Hi everyone

I know this is my first post (and already opening a new thread), but I did not find anything similar lately. I did not manage to find contact information on Mares website, and also have seen that many people post their issues here on this forum.
Anyway, let's get to the point - I just came from my vacation, dissapointed because my Mares mask (bought in February) is leaking. I tried it on Monday, and could not be underwater with it for 10 seconds. The mask is Xvision. When I bought it, I tested it at home and it seemed fine, but underwater, it leaks.

Last year I had LiquidSkin mask, which was leaking as well. Two of them, to be precise, the first one was leaking when I tested it at home, I changed it for other one, but this one leaked unterwater as well. I'm not the only one who tested them, so it's not me.

I know these masks are not so expensive (to someone, for me they are), and I am not a professional, I dive on vacations only, but I am very dissapointed and probably will choose some other manufacturer next time. Did anyone else had these problems? Is it of any use to send the mask back to factory in Italy (it is not worth fixing probably, but just to prove my point)

Tnx

 

[Felipe Telles]

A mask leaking can be caused by a lot of different issues, being the problem in the mask itself the least probable of them all. The main point is: your face does not fit well the x-vision model, and there's not much you can do about it. You can try tighten or lose the mask strap, shave some facial hair, but that's about it. Sending your mask to mares won't help at all, since the problem isn't in the mask itself. You have to try other masks and until you find one that fits you better.

 

[nemesiss]

Tnx for the reply.I think what you are saying is probably true for the LiquidSkin mask,although one o them really was broken when I bought it, but the Xvision really leaks for other people as well so it was not just my face that did not fit.I used it for the first time few days ago,so it was not broken in the meantime,and it has a defect. I don't know how I did not see it at home,maybe it needs to go deepef underwater than in an ordinary house test in order to see if anything is wrong.
Nevertheless it seems I'll have to try other manufacturer,Mares does not seem to be working for me...
Tnx again

 

[staggsSevin]

I have one of those weird faces that the x-vision liquidskin just seems to not fit. If I wear mine it leaks, but If my buddy wears my mask it don't leak! I have just about everything Mares too (carbon, icon, dragon at) but I ended up going with an atomic mask and it seems pretty good been diving with it a couple years. I did however pick up a Mares Liquidskin spearfishing mask this summer and it doesn't link on my weird face!

 

[bhalah]

If you tried it at home and it seemed to seal well, and then you had problems with it while on vacation, perhaps the problem was caused by something like sunscreen on your face.

Sunscreen on the mask sealing surface would prevent an effective seal, and result in leaks. If you use sunscreen, washing the mask skirt with soapy water should help.

 

[sea_ledford]

That would be an awful lot of sunscreen! Like globs of it...

I had a Mares mask several years ago that I couldn't get to seal as well. Store and home tests were fine, and I have a magic face that fits just about any mask. It turned out that the skirt had a minor gap around the lens, under the frame. I removed the frame, re-seated the skirt, and reattached the frame. No more leaks. I never did get the stupid thing to stop fogging though (Yes I know just about every trick in the book, it wasn't happening). I think I finally either threw it away or gave it away.

If you are just going to get a new mask anyway, try taking it apart to see if you can fix it. If you break it, no harm since you were going to replace it anyway. Or better yet take it back to the shop you got it at and ask if they'll exchange it for something else. THEN take it apart if they say no. And find a different shop.

 

[nemesiss]

Tnx everyone for the advice

 

[Pullmyfinger]

It's possible that a snorkle, if you wear one might be causing the leaking masks. I have an older Cressi Big Eyes mask that used to leak everytime. I bought a Scuba Pro mask, which also leaked. I later bought a Mares X-Vision Liquid skin and it leaked as well.
It was suggested to me that the snorkle I was originally told that I "had" to wear might be causing the leaks due to pulling on the mask strap.
I stopped wearing a snorkle, and started wearing my Cressi mask again, and have had no further leaking issues. The Mares X-vision doesn't leak either.

If you want to sell a lot of masks....provide a snorkle.

-Mitch

 

[SeaSoulSelf]

I had a similar problem with a liquidskin -- it keep leaking under the nose. As long as I kept a stone face and didn't move my regulator around, it didn't leak. Loved how comfortable it was but the leaking was just annoying. Sold it to a friend of ours and she loves it.

Now using a Tusa Serene