New frameless mask - Apeks VX1 UV vs Tusa Zensee Pro vs Xdeep

[captnkuk]

Hi all, our family has been diving "for eternity" on Aqualung framed masks - never fit perfectly, but were OK with some leakage and some fogging but never bothered to upgrade. Now even the skirts are so stiff that it is finally time to find something else.

Based on several rental masks I've tested in dive shops, I would certainly go with a frameless single-glass design.

I've narrowed the selection down to:
(a) Tusa Zensee Pro (UV, AR coating, clear crystal)
(b) Apeks VX1 UV cut (UV coating, clear crystal)
(c) Xdeep Radical (clear crystal only)

I was able to try to Apeks VX1 (regular, not UV coated) and it felt good; not blown away but good. Minimal fogging and minimal leakage. But have no ability to test the others and would need to just buy.

Any recommendation on the above?

Also, a side question: do all these "coated" masks still require all the breaking in as we used to do with toothpaste, sea buff and the like? As far as I am aware AR coating (and possibly other coatings) can be very sensitive to abrasion, so really wonder if even in this day and age we still need to do these kind of preps or do masks come a bit more "ready to go"?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[scubayinzer412]

iam with the xdeeo one, love it!
also the priece is realy nice! fits perfect

 

[TJ95]

Haven't tested the other ones so can't really compare but I'm using the xdeep and I love it! Fit's perfect and no fogging up at all. Always had foggig issues with other masks but not with the xdeep. Didn't use any toothpaste or anything. Just a good amount of antifog for the first dive and after that just the usual spitting in your mask.

 

[Fastmarc]

Another Xdeep user. Great fit. No leaks even with a mouth stash and beard, though I do trim the bead area that the seal comes into contact with by my cheeks. No fogging with my regular pre-dive baby shampoo treatment.
Definitely one of my best buys. Would recommend.

 

[captnkuk]

I wonder how the "UV" and "AR" coatings add to the visibility and colour spectrum... any experience with that?

 

[Fastmarc]

Another Xdeep user. Great fit. No leaks even with a mouth stash and beard, though I do trim the bead area that the seal comes into contact with by my cheeks. No fogging with my regular pre-dive baby shampoo treatment.
Definitely one of my best buys. Would recommend.

Oh, also best comfort, field of view and clarity I have experienced with a mask so far, but this is my 1st frameless low volume, so that may be a general thing with those masks.

 

[Landau]

No experience with any of these - but aside from fit, I'd also check which has the widest field of view when wearing it. When I was choosing a mask I found the field of view varied greatly and from the contenders that fit well I chose the widest field of view.

Now I'm more likely to see the seal swimming by over by my side.

 

[captnkuk]

BTW - I saw in some old reviews that it was mentioned XDeep was also thinking about UV coated glass for the Radical, but that was some time ago and silence since. Anyone knows anything on this topic?
...particularly I'm curious if anyone has any experience with UV vs non-UV glass? e.g. comparing Apeks VX1 standard vs VX1 UV cut?

 

[rvojr]

I liked the xDeep mask so much I got a second to replace my AA venom. It is soft, fits well and works well with a beard. I looked at the Apeks VX1 and didn't seem too different. Whichever fits the best is the one you should pick.

 

[DiveProKoko]

I've narrowed the selection down to:
(a) Tusa Zensee Pro (UV, AR coating, clear crystal)
(b) Apeks VX1 UV cut (UV coating, clear crystal)
(c) Xdeep Radical (clear crystal only)

Any recommendation on the above?

Also, a side question: do all these "coated" masks still require all the breaking in as we used to do with toothpaste, sea buff and the like?

At that price point, I HIGHLY recommend the Tusa Paragon S. Technically it's not "frameless", and everyone's face is different, but I bought one last year and it's the best mask I've ever owned (diving since 1998)....

As far as treating coated masks. NEVER treat the outside of these masks... EVER. Do the inside like you have in the past to get the manuf. coating off and call it good. Also keep in mind that once you start using a coated mask, you are now accepting that you have to be diligent about keeping it in a case or around your neck when it's not on your face. Never drop it in a dunk tank, don't hang it on a first stage or clip to a chest strap on the way to dive sites, etc. Once it's scratched, it's scratched. Having said all that, I LOVE mine and the extra care is okay to me.