

When shopping for equipment, one knows that regulators and tanks are essential to scuba diving. Yet, sometimes paying attention to the simple things can make a huge difference. For example, getting the wrong face mask can really affect how much you enjoy your dive. What makes one good?
1) Determining Proper Fit
Your diving face mask must really fit you. When a mask doesn’t fit well, it can make seeing difficult, irritate the skin, possibly leak and fog, and generally cause various vision problems.
Double check the fit especially around the bridge of the nose. You want this to be made of high quality material so it won’t run the bridge of your nose. Masks made of poor materials or ones that don’t fit properly will often rub the skin off the bridge of your nose. This ruins your ability to see well. This can be a potential health hazard as things get blocked from view or obscured. It also makes for an uncomfortable dive.
2) How To Get A Mask That Fits Well
You want the mask to fit snugly without needing to pull the strap tight enough to give you a headache. If your mask is too large, it is tempting to pull the strap tight to make sure it fits around your face. However, this obscure the view and often irritate the face. It will also often cause leakage due to parts of the mask crimping. It is better to simply buy a different scuba diving face mask
.
You want good fit around the face including: under the nose, along the forehead, and along the cheekbones — with proper volume in front of the eyes as well.
3) Easier to Clear Versus No Fog
Be aware that the amount of space between the faceplate and your eyes will vary between different face masks. Ones that are close to your eyes are referred to as e ‘low volume’. These can provide a more unobstructed side-view and that can enable one to judge the environment better. Additionally, low volume masks can be easier to clear of water, since a little exhalation from the nose can often fill the volume with air and push out any water.
Yet, sometimes low volume masks can often fog easier since parts of your face will give off heat, just like any other part of the body. If you have a problem with your scuba mask fogging, consider this Scuba Diving Mask Fog Wiper
or Sea Gold Anti-Fog – 5 Star Rated Gel
4) Materials
We recommend that you purchase a mask made of silicon or newer composites. Though rubber has been used for a long time, it will degrade due to the oil from the facial skin it touches. That said, be certain to wash and dry your silicon mask after using it. Silicon can become moldy. Though bleach can remove the mold, your mask will have unappealing stains afterward.
If you want more light, a translucent mask will help your underwater views to be brighter. This is important if you go on deep dives. Often masks will come in various colors so you have a choice.
Get a comfortable mask that fits your unique facial shape and allows you a wide viewing surface. With the right mask, your vision will be clear and your enjoyment enhanced.