I always carry a spare mask as well.You can buy a thigh pouch for around thirty dollars that loops onto your waist belt and has one or two sraps that clip onto your thigh.In it I carry a spare mask,truck keys,wet notes and deco tables.I also put baby shampoo in my spare mask as well as my primary one as a defog before the dive.I like the nylon mask staps with a nice pad better than the rubber ones the mask comes with.I think their alot stronger.
When mask comes off at 100 ft ......
- Thread starter scubasaint
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I carry a spare as well. Had the same thing happen to me that happened to GUBA. Strap rode up, did not realize it. Until at 147 ft in Lake Erie I had to remove and replace it. Very easy to hold depth. 39 degree water sucked though!
SPG3K
Contributor
I realize this is not earth-shattering, but...
Since my first checkout dive, I have taken a small (6") length of Paracord without the internals, so basically just the hollow, flat webbing part of it, and tied a slip knot in one end and a square knot in the other end.
The slip knot is locked to the narrow part of my neoprene strap, and then the othen end is tied to a trimmed zip tie that is through part of my BC, on the non-regulator side of the BC. If/when my mask comes off, it falls 6" to the left of my head.
I suppose it is an entanglement hazard, but it's so close to my neck and so short, I really don't think it's that big of a deal.
And, if it got entangled, I've got a pair of line cutters in a BC pocket. *shrug*
I should add - I kept adding length to the cord until I could move my head freely as though it was not there, upon closer inspection, it may be more like 7 or 8 inches, I'm really bad at spot measurement, lol.
Since my first checkout dive, I have taken a small (6") length of Paracord without the internals, so basically just the hollow, flat webbing part of it, and tied a slip knot in one end and a square knot in the other end.
The slip knot is locked to the narrow part of my neoprene strap, and then the othen end is tied to a trimmed zip tie that is through part of my BC, on the non-regulator side of the BC. If/when my mask comes off, it falls 6" to the left of my head.
I suppose it is an entanglement hazard, but it's so close to my neck and so short, I really don't think it's that big of a deal.
And, if it got entangled, I've got a pair of line cutters in a BC pocket. *shrug*
I should add - I kept adding length to the cord until I could move my head freely as though it was not there, upon closer inspection, it may be more like 7 or 8 inches, I'm really bad at spot measurement, lol.
diver 85:
With over 1,000 dives, I'm sure you know the answer to that question and simply didn't think about it before you posted. Unless you've attached lead to your mask, it is not going to be at 2,000 feet. It will be drifting slowly down. If you act quickly, you'll be able to pick it up simply by reaching out. If you don't act quickly, you should be able to easily reach it in 10 or so feet.
Actually this thread is quite amusing - and worrying. I never realised this question was remotely controversial. Every diver should be perfectly comfortable without their mask underwater, and if they're not they should go back to basics. The only "question" should be when to carry a spare mask, and I've already answered that for myself - whenever the consequences of not having a mask could be serious. For routine non-deco local dives down to 100' or so I often don't carry a spare.
The fact is that I have never had a mask strap break, I have never lost my mask irretrievably on entry, and only three or four times have I had a mask dislodged by another diver. I've never had one completely kicked off. For me the risk of occurrence is very low and the consequences of an occurrence are also low.
The fact is that I have never had a mask strap break, I have never lost my mask irretrievably on entry, and only three or four times have I had a mask dislodged by another diver. I've never had one completely kicked off. For me the risk of occurrence is very low and the consequences of an occurrence are also low.
I keep a spare mask clipped to my backplate. If my mask gets knocked off, I can just reach behind myself, unclip the spare, and keep going.
As an exercise, while I was diving a spring, I took off my mask and tossed it away. Then I started looking around to find it. I searched and searched and didn't have much luck. Finally, I signaled my buddy that I was ending the exercise. They retrieved my mask from the bottom, handed it back, and we continued with other skills.
After the dive, we discussed the lost mask drill. I noted that I had no problem (other than being a bit less comfortable than usual) being underwater without a mask. I noted that I couldn't see well enough to reliably locate and retrieve my mask, and I certainly could not see well enough to read my instruments. I *was* able to catch a glimpse of my SPG and read my computer thanks to the "bubble mask trick", but it was too difficult to be practical (at least without much more practice).
Then my buddy told me something that was rather eye-opening (hehe, sorry). Apparently, when I took my mask out and tossed it away, a little boy who was out there snorkeling saw it, swam down, and picked it up. My buddy had to go over and retrieve it from him, at which point the mask was tossed back down as I continued to search. What did I take from that rather unexpected complication? Simply this: Things do not always go according to plan.
What are the odds that a passing barracuda will see your falling mask and swim off with it? Probably not much, but what if someone turns a corner, finds your mask, and swims off without seeing you or even glancing around? I decided that having a spare mask was a reasonable concept.
Of course, I'm a DM and also a solo diver. As a DM, if I'm mauled by an inexperienced diver, I don't want to be impaired and searching for my mask. With my spare, I can pop it on and stay on top of things (and hopefully be able to see and retrieve my original mask). As a solo diver, while I'm fully capable of ending a dive with no mask, it seems much preferred to just slap on a backup and find my original mask while I'm still there.
I've been kicked, kneed, elbowed, slapped, clawed, landed on, launched through, rammed, shoved, run into walls, and even quite literally *marched* over by an entire OW class as they proceeded into a *cave* (*sigh*). Never once have I lost a mask, although I've had mine knocked askew numerous times. Carrying a spare is so utterly trivial, however, that there's little point to even questioning whether it's a reasonable idea.
As an exercise, while I was diving a spring, I took off my mask and tossed it away. Then I started looking around to find it. I searched and searched and didn't have much luck. Finally, I signaled my buddy that I was ending the exercise. They retrieved my mask from the bottom, handed it back, and we continued with other skills.
After the dive, we discussed the lost mask drill. I noted that I had no problem (other than being a bit less comfortable than usual) being underwater without a mask. I noted that I couldn't see well enough to reliably locate and retrieve my mask, and I certainly could not see well enough to read my instruments. I *was* able to catch a glimpse of my SPG and read my computer thanks to the "bubble mask trick", but it was too difficult to be practical (at least without much more practice).
Then my buddy told me something that was rather eye-opening (hehe, sorry). Apparently, when I took my mask out and tossed it away, a little boy who was out there snorkeling saw it, swam down, and picked it up. My buddy had to go over and retrieve it from him, at which point the mask was tossed back down as I continued to search. What did I take from that rather unexpected complication? Simply this: Things do not always go according to plan.
What are the odds that a passing barracuda will see your falling mask and swim off with it? Probably not much, but what if someone turns a corner, finds your mask, and swims off without seeing you or even glancing around? I decided that having a spare mask was a reasonable concept.
Of course, I'm a DM and also a solo diver. As a DM, if I'm mauled by an inexperienced diver, I don't want to be impaired and searching for my mask. With my spare, I can pop it on and stay on top of things (and hopefully be able to see and retrieve my original mask). As a solo diver, while I'm fully capable of ending a dive with no mask, it seems much preferred to just slap on a backup and find my original mask while I'm still there.
I've been kicked, kneed, elbowed, slapped, clawed, landed on, launched through, rammed, shoved, run into walls, and even quite literally *marched* over by an entire OW class as they proceeded into a *cave* (*sigh*). Never once have I lost a mask, although I've had mine knocked askew numerous times. Carrying a spare is so utterly trivial, however, that there's little point to even questioning whether it's a reasonable idea.
ScubaSteve2000
Contributor
Here's one for you. I had a mask fall off. My first warm salt water dive. Also my first dive sans hood. So there I was happily finning along when my mask started leaking like mad. Okay. I have a cookie duster so I figured that was the problem. Cleared the mask. It started leaking again. Ratz. Cleared it again. Then I saw the strap come into my field of view and the mask fell away.
The strap was loose and had worked it's way over the top of my head. Since I usually dive with a hood, I don't usually feel my mask strap. My snorkle was bugging the heck out of me (yeah I know) and I was thinking about that.
After marveling at my stupidity I grabbed the mask and put it back on. No worries opening my eyes in salt water. Didn't even think about it until after I put my mask back on. Cinched the strap up a notch and continued my dive. I was at about 30fsw.
The strap was loose and had worked it's way over the top of my head. Since I usually dive with a hood, I don't usually feel my mask strap. My snorkle was bugging the heck out of me (yeah I know) and I was thinking about that.
After marveling at my stupidity I grabbed the mask and put it back on. No worries opening my eyes in salt water. Didn't even think about it until after I put my mask back on. Cinched the strap up a notch and continued my dive. I was at about 30fsw.
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