Mask leaking shallow not deep-normal?

[GreggS]

When my mask leaks, I know I either have an edge of the mask on top of my hood, or I have the strap to high on the back of my head, even if it's just above my ears. When I do start getting water in my mask, I'll pull the strap down so that it runs across the top or middle of my ears, and if that doesn't work, check the hood. Most of the time, it's the strap location.

 

[Landlocked123]

I am unable to find a mask that does not leak in the nose area. I am going to use chapstick on the skirt of the mask tomorrow. I hear it helps. WIll confirm if so.

 

[Bent Benny]

I am unable to find a mask that does not leak in the nose area. I am going to use chapstick on the skirt of the mask tomorrow. I hear it helps. WIll confirm if so.

I recently got a new mask that leaks near the nose because of my facial hair. I tried vaseline, as someone on SB suggested. It worked great. You don't need to use much of it.

 

[scrane]

Maybe tighten the straps a little. There's more pressure holding it in place when you're deeper, so maybe they're a little too loose.

I don' understand this depth/ pressure thing. Don't you equalize the pressure in your mask?

 

[GreggS]

I don' understand this depth/ pressure thing. Don't you equalize the pressure in your mask?

No, even if you breathe out thru your nose and vent, the water pressure pushing the mask against your face is always going to be greater than the air pressure inside your mask. And the deeper you go, the greater it will be.

 

[caruso]

I have discovered that if I'm on a dive vacation and I don't shave for a couple of days my mask tends to leak because the stubble prevents a good seal. I have also found that tightening the strap always solves a leaking mask issue.

 

[Geobound]

I recently got a new mask that leaks near the nose because of my facial hair. I tried vaseline, as someone on SB suggested. It worked great. You don't need to use much of it.

I wouldn't use Vaseline as it's a petroleum based jelly, and over time will breakdown the silicone skirt on your mask causing you buy another one sooner than planed.

Most dive shops will carry a silicone grease device like chapstick or a lip balm, and just use a small amount of that. If you put on too much it looks like your constantly blowing snot bubbles. Ewwwwwww, gross! LOL.....

 

[scrane]

No, even if you breathe out thru your nose and vent, the water pressure pushing the mask against your face is always going to be greater than the air pressure inside your mask. And the deeper you go, the greater it will be.

That doesn't sound right to me. When you clear your mask the pressure in your mask exceeds the surrounding water pressure and air and water exits the mask.

 

[GreggS]

That doesn't sound right to me. When you clear your mask the pressure in your mask exceeds the surrounding water pressure and air and water exits the mask.

Your mask can only hold so much air and will not compress much inside it. That's why it will vent when you exhale thru your nose. It temporarily exceeds the pressure exerted by the water.

Don't forget that you add 1 atmosphere of water pressure for evey 33 feet (10 meters) of depth. There is no way you could put that much air pressure into a dive mask and that's a good thing. If you could equalize the air pressure inside your mask to the water pressure, you'd never get a seal and it would leak like a seive. If your strap ever breaks while diving, as long as you don't exhale thru your nose, your mask will most likely stay in place because the water pressure will continue to push it against your face.

 

[scrane]

Hmmm.