Mask leaking??

[Brian Robinson]

I have purchased 2 different masks and i still have an issue with them both leaking. I am starting to think it is something I am doing wrong. (exhaling though nose to often). About halfway though the dive my defog stops working (probably just rinsed out) and I then have to frequently do a Mask flood/mask clear to be able to see anything. This is just brutal on my eyes. I am going to try to focus on monitoring my breathing (exhaling though my nose unconsciously) more to see if i can fix this issue. Even though one of those full face masks ($660-$1000) are looking good at this time. I would appreciate all advise . Thank You.

 

[Chip Elliott]

Hi! Do you have a mustache or beard? Is your hair maybe getting between the seal and your forehead? Do you wear a hood and maybe the seal is getting placed partially on that?

I love my mask with the purge valve. I do have a mustache and a little water always seeps in, but just a gentle exhale through the nose gets rid of it all. Some folks use silicone "grease" around the edge of their masks to improve the seal. I personally have never tried that.

For the fogging: when you rinse your mask after a dive, dry it, then take straight baby shampoo and put a drop on each side of the mask (or two drops or so.) Then just put it away until the next dive. When you are ready to go into the water, just a quick rinse and your mask will not fog for the whole dive!

 

[chrisch]

Rather than a full mask flood and clear to defog you can get into a horizontal position and just let in a little water. Enough to rinse the condensation off but not touch your eyes. You can shake your head slowly to cover all the glass. Then tip your head back to clear the mask or clear it through the side.

Facial hair will give a leak pretty much 100% of the time, so we learn to live with it. Low volume masks are also a good bet.

 

[iamrushman]

if your mask is new perhaps the toothpaste rub of the lens will help you with fogging..(paste toothpaste not the gel type)...there are other things and products on the market to relive the manufactures film used in making the lens....good luck and happy diving...

 

[fmerkel]

You can purchase 20 different masks but it none fit, they will all leak. Buy FIT, not features.
How to Fit a Snorkel or Scuba Mask

And what has been said about facial hair. I trim under my nose for occasional diving. For vacations I sometimes just shave it off.This is especially true if you have coarse hair.
Some masks are VERY hard to get the crap that makes them fog up off. Toothpaste is the first order level. Burning is next. Aquaseal Gold is one of the best defogs. If your mask leaks a lot, you wash it all off and then there is no good way to keep it from fogging up, especially if the mask is prone to fogging.

You most likely would not like a full face mask.

 

[stuartv]

It sounds like you have already figured out what your problem is. If you're unconsciously exhaling through your nose, that could definitely do it. I'd work on that before spending any more money.

Also, I thought everyone knew this but I read a post recently that suggests maybe not. So, in case you don't know it, if you exhale at all through your nose, you can lightly press the mask against your face to burp a little air out of it. That will create a bit of suction behind it to help keep it sealed against your face. You don't want to do that too aggressively, though. Unless you like the pain of mask squeeze and want to get out with totally red and puffy eyes.

Also, if what you're doing now is causing your eyes to burn, that could possibly also be partly from whatever you are using for defog. No More Tears baby shampoo, diluted 50/50 with water works great as defog (and inside your wetsuit to help it slide on) and it won't sting your eyes if you get water in your mask.

Additional tip: If you put sunscreen on your face, that can also wash off, get into your eyes, and sting like crazy, if your mask leaks. And maybe even if it doesn't.

 

[GreggS]

I used to have a problem with my mask leaking. And, yes, sometimes I do exhale thru my nose. However, I finally got my mask to stop leaking when I realized I had my strap running above my ears which was pulling upward on the seals. When I readjusted my strap to a lower position to where it was across the top of my ears and no moer leak, even when I exhale thru my nose.

This is what worked for me. YMMV.

 

[stuartv]

I used to have a problem with my mask leaking. And, yes, sometimes I do exhale thru my nose. However, I finally got my mask to stop leaking when I realized I had my strap running above my ears which was pulling upward on the seals. When I readjusted my strap to a lower position to where it was across the top of my ears and no moer leak, even when I exhale thru my nose.

This is what worked for me. YMMV.

That sounds like your strap was/is too tight. The strap doesn't need to be pulling the mask against your face at all. It's just there to keep your mask from falling off if you do something like, for example, exhale through your nose.

I watched some YouTube videos and notice some more experienced tech divers removing their mask and putting it back on, and they put it back on by placing the mask on their face, clearing it, and THEN flipping the strap over to the back of their head (instead of putting the strap in place first). That was a good clue for me that you don't need the strap to be putting any pressure to hold the mask against your face. Once you clear it and burp a little air from it to create a little suction, it will stay on by itself.

 

[GreggS]

That sounds like your strap was/is too tight.

Nope. Zero chance that was the cause. I tried my strap at all adjustment levels, from damn near falling off to tight. Still leaked. Not until I lowered the strap from above my ears to across them did the mask stop leaking. Besides, if it was too tight above my ears, placing it across my ears would make the strap tighter, not looser.

As a matter of fact, just this past weekend on my first dive, I was getting a little water in my mask. First thing I did was reach for the strap at the back of my head and realized I had not pulled it down as far as I normally wear it. Pulled it down a little lower, and Viola!...mask stopped leaking.

 

[AustinV]

No matter how much anti-fog I put on my mask prior to getting in the water it would fog. It took probably 45 minutes of constantly rubbing toothpaste on the lens, rinsing, repeating, before I got to the point where it wouldn't fog. From what I understand the silicone leaves a very thin haze on the glass as it offgasses, not enough that you can see it, but enough that moisture is drawn to it and makes it more prone to fog.

Also, as it was mentioned before, make sure your mask isn't too tight. I had mine too tight at first as well and it leaked.