My husband and I just finished our confined water, we leave in a week to do our open water in St Thomas. I had a awful time with mask clearing per my instructor I was the most difficult he had worked with on this, everyone in the dive shop seem to think it was water in my face that bothered me, which I'm not sure why I would even want to dive if that were the case. In my defense I did say several times I had to tighten my mask so tight to keep it from leaking, finally in our last pool session I just loosened it to make it through the mask removal and replace and finally he saw it was pooring in at my temples (I was using a atomic frameless low profile size medium). He said I needed a junior mask because of my narrow face and dips in my temples. I just used the Tilos Junior mask about a 1/2 hour and during I said it was squeezing really tight and it was as loose as the straps would go, once again no one seemed to acknowledge what I was saying, I woke this morning with a horrible head and eye ache, a massive red bruised indention on my forehead between my eyes. Everything I have researched says the Atomic Low Profile Frameless is a good fit for narrow faces but it was too big and the Junior is too small, does anyone know of a mask that can fit my face type? I'm so frustrated at this point I'm ready to just forget the whole scuba thing, a mask shouldn't leave you with a headache eye strain and bruises right?
Mask Fit Issues
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Hi,
I recently completed my open water course also and like you I had issues with the mask flooding, during our course the shop provided the equipment, which meant a range of gear to try out. Unfortunately for me, I could never quite find the right fit and always had leakage problems, I ended up purchasing my own mask for the open water sessions, and unfortunately for the staff member at the shop, this meant roughly an hour trying on every mask they sold until I found the one I liked and the one that fit me..
I recently completed my open water course also and like you I had issues with the mask flooding, during our course the shop provided the equipment, which meant a range of gear to try out. Unfortunately for me, I could never quite find the right fit and always had leakage problems, I ended up purchasing my own mask for the open water sessions, and unfortunately for the staff member at the shop, this meant roughly an hour trying on every mask they sold until I found the one I liked and the one that fit me..
Masks are one of the few things you can't buy on the internet, you really need to try them individually.
When buying a mask. Place it on your face, without the strap, inhale lightly and lean forward. If the mask is good fit you should be able to keep it on your face, without it falling, using only a light inhale. If you are sucking hard the mask is not for you.
When buying a mask. Place it on your face, without the strap, inhale lightly and lean forward. If the mask is good fit you should be able to keep it on your face, without it falling, using only a light inhale. If you are sucking hard the mask is not for you.
I have a feeling you're not equalizing your mask air space and are instead sucking in through your nose. So even though the straps are loose or I bet even if they were off, your mask would still be very tight. Breath a little air out your nose so the mask is not sucking onto your face.
Your mask should have an air space that's equal pressure to the surrounding environment. The strap should be set just 1-2 notches tighter than the loosest setting you can manage. Not being there, I can't tell you how much you're sucking the mask onto your face. So next time your underwater, just exhale and inhale through your nose a bit to see the mask bulging and sucking onto your face, then try to set it so it's comfortable (using only your nose) and then concentrate on breathing solely through your mouth from then on. Only use your nose when you feel your mask becoming too tight; and even then just a little puff of air into you mask space should do it. Best to do this in a shallow pool where you don't have to worry about anything else.
Your mask should have an air space that's equal pressure to the surrounding environment. The strap should be set just 1-2 notches tighter than the loosest setting you can manage. Not being there, I can't tell you how much you're sucking the mask onto your face. So next time your underwater, just exhale and inhale through your nose a bit to see the mask bulging and sucking onto your face, then try to set it so it's comfortable (using only your nose) and then concentrate on breathing solely through your mouth from then on. Only use your nose when you feel your mask becoming too tight; and even then just a little puff of air into you mask space should do it. Best to do this in a shallow pool where you don't have to worry about anything else.
Masks HAVE to fit, and mask fit is more idiosyncratic than just about anything else in diving. I went through four at the beginning, before I found one that didn't leak at all. The method described, of putting the mask on your face and gently inhaling to see if it will stay on, is a good one -- but it's easy to inhale too hard and put too much suction on the mask, and think it fits when it doesn't. I have found a better approach is to put the mask on your face, gently push in on it, and hold your breath -- if it fits, the small amount of suction that you create that way will mask the mask stay on your face without a strap.
As has already been said, the horrible tight feeling combined with the bruising is diagnostic of failing to equalize the mask. This is something we don't really talk about, and we probably ought to. Just as you have to equalize your ears, you have to equalize your mask, because the air in the mask is also compressed as you go deeper. Most people do it without thinking about it, letting just enough air out of their nose to keep the mask at ambient pressure. But occasionally, a student is SO good at isolate their nose from their throat that they don't, and I have seen bruising around the eyes and even subconjunctival hemorrhages (which make the eyes bright, bright red, like a horror movie!).
I know your trip is coming up very quickly, but I highly recommend spending some time practicing your mask skills before you go. It isn't hard to do in the kitchen sink or bathtub. You should truly be comfortable with clearing a mask, or having water in your mask, because of all the things you had to learn to manage in your class, THIS one is the most likely to happen.
As has already been said, the horrible tight feeling combined with the bruising is diagnostic of failing to equalize the mask. This is something we don't really talk about, and we probably ought to. Just as you have to equalize your ears, you have to equalize your mask, because the air in the mask is also compressed as you go deeper. Most people do it without thinking about it, letting just enough air out of their nose to keep the mask at ambient pressure. But occasionally, a student is SO good at isolate their nose from their throat that they don't, and I have seen bruising around the eyes and even subconjunctival hemorrhages (which make the eyes bright, bright red, like a horror movie!).
I know your trip is coming up very quickly, but I highly recommend spending some time practicing your mask skills before you go. It isn't hard to do in the kitchen sink or bathtub. You should truly be comfortable with clearing a mask, or having water in your mask, because of all the things you had to learn to manage in your class, THIS one is the most likely to happen.
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I'm inclined to agree with g1138 and would definitely look into that possibility.
tightening a mask very rarely stops a leak but almost always exacerbates the problem. It might seem counter intuitive but I'd be inclined to loosen it. As above when you eel the squeeze gently exhale through your nose a tiny amount until squeeze clears. Good luck, I know you're probably frustrated but with a little experimentation you can get over this, stick with it.
tightening a mask very rarely stops a leak but almost always exacerbates the problem. It might seem counter intuitive but I'd be inclined to loosen it. As above when you eel the squeeze gently exhale through your nose a tiny amount until squeeze clears. Good luck, I know you're probably frustrated but with a little experimentation you can get over this, stick with it.
This was me too. It is just one of those things. The mask does not need to be really tight to not leak, that means it doesn't fit. I am surprised the LDS didn't suggest this exact thing when you were having trouble. You need to go to a LDS with lots of choices and try a ton on. If they are good, they will be supportive of this. That is why they exist! I always try to buy things at the LDS that you need to try on, wetsuits, masks, etc.
For clearing, I am a new diver, but mask clearing is like an every dive occurrence. Sometimes I flood on purpose if I have some fogging and then clear. I would also suggest practicing mask removal and replacement in the pool or a calm OW situation until you feel really comfortable with it. This is something I still feel the need to practice as much as possible, so that if something happens and I lose it it will be no big deal to auto pilot it back on.
Good Luck and have a great time on your upcoming trip!
You should not need t "cinch down" a mask tightly to avoid leaking. Ever. The mask strap should hold it in place, but if it is so tight that you get a ring around your face at the surface you will have trouble equalizing the mask at depth, where it will be pressed even harder on your face. Go to a dive center with a good inventory of mask styles and sizes, and get properly fitted. There is a style and size that will work for you. Be sure to push all hair our of the mask, especially at the temples. Finally, for a better seal, consider a small quantity of silicon grease around the entire mask skirt. Ask about it at you local dive shop. A proper fitting mask will eliminate the issues.
DivemasterDennis
DivemasterDennis
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