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

[bhalah]

I have found that sunscreen residue will cause a mask to leak.

 

[gypsyjim]

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

Moderation. Easy way to break the seal.

 

[Sas]

My first mask (Tusa Serene) didn't leak at all (unless I hadn't put it on properly) for about 150 dives but slowly it has started to get worse and worse over the last few dozen dives, not sure why. A few dives ago someone landed on my head and broke the buckles on it so until I fix that I have been using a brand new mask (OMS generic kind of mask). Works perfect and there are no leaks at all, forgotten what it was like to do a dive with no mask leakage If I laugh or smile underwater though, my masks have leaked. My buddy has lots of pictures of me blowing raspberries underwater as a result as my mask doesn't leak then.

 

[psychocabbage]

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?

I too am a lifetime martial artist but found the mental control of my body allowed for me to easily transfer where I breathe from.

The wife uses the small leak for the defog.

As for the poster that said "Who cares, clearing is easy!" I agree.. It is easy. but, given the choice of having a mask with 0 leaks or exposing my eyes to salt water, 0 leaks wins out every time.

 

[ScubaSteve]

My mask almost always leaks a little but not always bad enough that I have to clear it. I can have half a mask full of water for an entire dive where it never gets any worse, but as soon as clear the mask it is like opening the flood gates. So, unless it gets bad, I just live with it.

I keep meaning to get a new mask but have not yet.

 

[C Diver]

my mask rarely leaks. When it does I have broken the seal by moving it or not getting it tucked under the hood or just by fascial expression changes... or breathing through the nose too much...

However, I have a mask with a purge valve and I love it. i didn't really want one at first but its great. 99.5% of the time no water to worry about.

 

[Gen San Chris]

I have noticed that even if you have a mask for a long time and it is a really good dry fit, sometimes, on the odd dive it will leak like crazy! the next dives it is fine again! The main thing that I tell my students is to choose a mask because of its fit and not its color or style! Some of my students have even bought the masks from me that they used during their training if they fitted really well!

 

[rongoodman]

I've never yet had one that doesn't leak--at least I'm good at clearing them. I used to think it was because I had an old guy wrinkly face, but the more I think about it, the more I realize I'm probably exhaling through my nose. Something to work on the next time I get in the water.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I hate water in my mask! I found that if I put the mask on dry, it will usually not seal well. But if I get my face and/or mask edge wet, this makes for a much beter seal, I assume the thin film of water serves to seal the skirt.

 

[Nemrod]

I always put water in the bottom on purpose, what, masks are supposed to be dry? Go figure, next they will want hyper stretch neoprene. What is the world coming to? Uh, a total collapse of developed civilization I suspect.

N