Spinoff: During a dive, does your mask leak at all?

[AlabamaSusana]

All of my masks (and I have many) leak to some extent. I keep trying. My current favorite is the ScubaPro ClearVue, it appears to be well-designed for a small face.

 

[gypsyjim]

I have to still be conscious at times of exhaling slightly through my nose. When I don't do it, my mask rarely leaks.

Sometimes forget and nose breath, of course it leaks then a bit.

If I have freshly shaved then my mask leaks, but if I have stubble it doesn't leak. Go figure.

Mine leaks around my moustache if I've forgotten to shave it off under the nose. Otherwise, it's fine.

I tend to exhale through my nose a lot, so I'm always breaking the seal.

With full beard have learned that shaving top half of lip before the dive is vital to prevent leak!

I have had a sunscreen stick of some sort I found years ago and keep in my save a dive for days I just can't keep it sealed right. Very effective, unless I nose breath. Then any mask leaks.

 

[under water]

Older pictures of me usually show about an inch of water in the mask when posing vertically. I now use an Oceanic shadow that fits me much better and less water now gets in, but still some.
I find that at the beginning of dives I need to let some in and swish it around to unfog the mask, even when I use de-fog (natural or purchased).

 

[TSandM]

My first three masks leaked slowly but steadily. The one I have now doesn't leak AT ALL on 90% of my dives. Occasionally, I'll get it cockeyed or get some hair under the skirt, and get a few small drops. It's delightful to have a truly dry mask.

 

[FritzCat66]

I have a beard and moustache, so a little leaking is just normal around the nose. However, I notice less leaking when the moustache is grown out and more leaking if it's short and stubbly - go figure; I guess if if the hairs are long enough to "lay down" they compress and don't leak as much.

Anyway, I compensate and keep the mask clear by constantly exhaling just a little from my nose. It gets to be habit. However, that means I need really good industrial-strength defog, and I've tried many, including plain old baby shampoo, etc. My current favorite is the Sea Gold gel - as good as I've found but it's still not perfect.

Another trick I learned is to sort of scrunch up my face right before putting the mask on, then un-scrunch when the mask is on but before I really press it down to seal. Easier to show than to describe in words, but it does help keep down the little leaks I used to get from changing facial expression underwater.

I have also recently started to use the silicone Mask Sealant sold by Dive Right In Scuba, that I found out about right here on SB. I have to say, I was initially skeptical, but turns out it works very well, even around the moustache, and one application lasts several dives. Good stuff, although it can't compensate for a poorly-fitting mask to begin with.

Oh, one other thing learned from experience... if you wear a thin spandex hood like I do, make sure you run your finger all around the face opening to ensure none of it is caught under your mask seal! :doh:

 

[gypsyjim]

After many years of martial arts, where breathing threw the nose is so important to stamina, it can be real hard to remember to mouth breath only when diving!

At least a little leak makes it easy to de fog: look down, roll head a bit, look up. Viola, no fog. Small blessings, huh?

 

[SouthSideScubaSteve]

I have a mustache and had problems with my first 2 masks (one purge style & one not) leaking consistently. I tried Vaseline and chap-stick, but it didn't seem to help. I then started shaving a small gap just under my nose and that helped, but I still had issues ... Basically, they were both cheap & really didn't fit quite right!

Since getting my Aqualung MicroMask I've got no leaks at all!! However, I've found that I need to break the seal after entering the water to defog it, then it's ok until the water temp changes (by even a little as 3-5 degrees) & then it fogs right up again...

 

[farsidefan1]

4 of my 5 masks leak a bit. The 5th is a scubapro prescription mask which NEVER leaks. Amazing as I sport a full beard (shaved very close). If not for that 5th mask I would not believe anyone who said they had a mask that doesn't leak at least a bit.

 

[Walter]

Who cares? Clearing a mask is ridiculously easy.

 

[Blackwood]

Mine usually leak, and if they're really clean (i.e. nothing for fog to cling to) and cold the condensation will pool up at the bottom.

As Walter said, no biggy.

After many years of martial arts, where breathing threw the nose is so important to stamina

... or SCUBA diving where exhaling through the nose is important for equalizing.