Masks, masks ,masks

[Scuba_cat]

Hey guys just got my hard gear and wandering which soft gear to get and mostly which mask????? please Help!!!!

[PeteM]

Hey guys just got my hard gear and wandering which soft gear to get and mostly which mask????? please Help!!!!

One that fits, everything else is secondary.


Go to a shop
Find the cheapest mask they have
try on whilst using either a snorkel or regulator.
If it fits buy it
If not find the next cheapest and go to step three

[Chris aka divingchef]

Yepp thats a good sugestion.

But do you need corrective lenses ?
This would limit you to a few masks.

[Scuba_cat]

No any lense is fine its just there are so many to choose from! I was thinking of the mares liquad skin but its got a hefti price tag! does the comfort features thry rave about even make a difference????

[Nigel Hewitt]

does the comfort features thry rave about even make a difference????No.
As PeteM said fit is everything.
You want the loosest fit that exactly matches your face.

After an hour or two in the water a poorly fitting mask becomes absolutely evil.

[Scuba_cat]

lol!
thanx for all the help guys will go buy one tomorrow!
thanks alot! :)

mat

[starfishdiver]

I've got the liquid skin one and it is much superior to either of my other 2 masks. Luckily I did get to have a go first before I bought - and that is what made the final decision to get this mask. It seems to be particularly good if your face is a bit smaller.

Good luck and hope you find the right one for you.

Cheers
Suz

[bakerstreet]

No any lense is fine its just there are so many to choose from! I was thinking of the mares liquad skin but its got a hefti price tag! does the comfort features thry rave about even make a difference????

Having spent £46 on one of those, My advice would be dont buy one. Others have borrowed it and come up with the same thing.

Although the Liquiskin is very soft, IMO it isn't rigid enough to provide a good seal IMO.

I have always had Mares Mask. Cressi are also worth a look as well

[flipside]

dont make the mistake i did , i bought a mask without trying it with a reg in my mouth, could never get it to seal.

i would try them on in the dive shop work out the best one and then go online

Cressi Matrix masks are amazing the offer good downward vision

Flip

[No Waiting]

i would try them on in the dive shop work out the best one and then go onlineNot really the way to to business is it! Take advantage of the demo stock at your LDS, maybe even someones time and experience, then walk out of the door and purchase from else where... Online sellers don't have demo models, and may not even know what they are selling! Yes prices may be more at your LDS, but you may even find one that lets you borrow their demo model for a pool test - mine did!

[Tony Dwyer]

dont make the mistake i did , i bought a mask without trying it with a reg in my mouth, could never get it to seal.

i would try them on in the dive shop work out the best one and then go online
Flip

Nope.

Support your local dive centre. We need them.
In my view it is not ethical to use them as a service for no reward. :(

You might find your welcome being revoked.

[bakerstreet]

i would try them on in the dive shop work out the best one and then go online

Why? I paid £46 for mine and its £49 at Simply Scuba plus postage.

I say stick with your local dive shop. Its worth keeping your local dive shop sweet. Mine test all my equipment and carry out my repairs. They have always given me nothing but top service. They know me by name to and that adds an extra comfort/friendly factor IMO :)

[flipside]

it is a consumers world, i agree very much with using the local dive shop and most of the time i do, however when LDS jack up prices i will always go with lowest cost

example comes to mind just started my pool training went to the local dive shop, bought a mask 35 quid found it online 2 days later from another dive shop 15 quid

massive difference

Flipside

[Roz]

it is a consumers world ...however when LDS jack up prices i will always go with lowest cost...Flipside

This old chestnut again.

FYI in the last 3 months 24 Dive Shops/Centres have closed in the UK, and more will follow. There is a massive blood letting going in the UK Diving Industry at the moment, and now more than ever it is the time to support your LDS, because if you don't, you will be driving 100+ miles or more to try on things like masks.

There is very little markup in this equipment, as "No Waiting" said you are paying for the ability to try on demo stock and someone's time and experience. If everyone follows your lead, your LDS will not be there soon.

LDS are not ripping you off. Whilst they are a business, and so should be making a profit, they are generally people who love diving. Why not start treating them as such, rather then a company that 'jacks up prices'??

[hilrosepaul]

This old chestnut again.

FYI in the last 3 months 24 Dive Shops/Centres have closed in the UK, and more will follow. There is a massive blood letting going in the UK Diving Industry at the moment, and now more than ever it is the time to support your LDS, because if you don't, you will be driving 100+ miles or more to try on things like masks.

There is very little markup in this equipment, as "No Waiting" said you are paying for the ability to try on demo stock and someone's time and experience. If everyone follows your lead, your LDS will not be there soon.

LDS are not ripping you off. Whilst they are a business, and so should be making a profit, they are generally people who love diving. Why not start treating them as such, rather then a company that 'jacks up prices'??


I've only been diving for a year, and I've bought from e-bay, online dive Shops, the dive show and a couple of LDS's. For me, if I want something that comes in a standard size / configuration (cylinders, torches, etc); online is a clear winner.

If it needs to fit properly, and there are several choices (mask, BCD, suit, etc) I'll go for the LDS. Some of them offer you a cup of tea as well as advice - I've even been offered Ovaltine!)

I'm lucky in that there about 4 I can get to fairly easily. (There and back in a lunch hour with time for shopping and talking)

Also, I wouldn't like to have to get a fill on-site before the 1st dive or have to do a long round trip just for a fill so that I wouldn't have to wait on-site.

The downside of an LDS is all the shiny stuff on the walls that I really, really need now I've seen it. :)

Just my 2p

[flipside]

i do concur that if at all possible then your local dive shop should be used. But this argument can go back and forth all day and has been done so on many other forums.

the closure of any small buisness is not good, however i will always go to the lowest bidder that is a personel choice.

also service varies from LDS to LDS it is not just about shops who are divers, for your information i use my local shop for small stuff ie fills,

but i drive more than 100 miles for regs to be serviced at another LDS, and stay overnight with family.

again this goes down to personel choice and again this can go back and forth all day.

Flipside

[Richard Whitcombe]

Why? I paid £46 for mine and its £49 at Simply Scuba plus postage.

I say stick with your local dive shop. Its worth keeping your local dive shop sweet. Mine test all my equipment and carry out my repairs. They have always given me nothing but top service. They know me by name to and that adds an extra comfort/friendly factor IMO :)

Depends on the shop in question. I know of one im happy with here but know of a fair number more that are nothing more than rip off merchants.

Some places charge 20% over the odds when compared to online. I dont have unlimited money so will opt to save whenever i can. If that involves not being over the top prices at a shop then so be it.

[Chris aka divingchef]

but i drive more than 100 miles for regs to be serviced at another LDS, and stay overnight with family.
Flipside

I bring my regs back to the UK for servicing, you cant beat my old LDS for service And they have all the uptodate shinny stuff !!

[Mike Halligan]

This old chestnut again.

FYI in the last 3 months 24 Dive Shops/Centres have closed in the UK, and more will follow. There is a massive blood letting going in the UK Diving Industry at the moment, and now more than ever it is the time to support your LDS, because if you don't, you will be driving 100+ miles or more to try on things like masks.

There is very little markup in this equipment, as "No Waiting" said you are paying for the ability to try on demo stock and someone's time and experience. If everyone follows your lead, your LDS will not be there soon.

LDS are not ripping you off. Whilst they are a business, and so should be making a profit, they are generally people who love diving. Why not start treating them as such, rather then a company that 'jacks up prices'??

This one keeps cropping up. What will we do when every town has ONLY a Tesco or a Sainsbury or a Morrison or an ASDA and nothing else?

We'll quake, because gradually they will merge and we will be left with one store in every fifth town and nothing else. Nationalised monopoly was bad enough (BR, Br Coal, Br Gas, etc.) but a for-profit monopoly supply will make Chancellor Darling look like Santa Claus.

[Richard Whitcombe]

This one keeps cropping up. What will we do when every town has ONLY a Tesco or a Sainsbury or a Morrison or an ASDA and nothing else?


Pretty much like that here and its a good thing.

Whereas before youd tramp round a load of shops, be unable to find what you wanted as it wasn't stocked or pay a silly price now i can get what i want in one place without and real issues.

Small local shops quite often made shopping take 3x longer and often end up without what you want.

[Mike Halligan]

Pretty much like that here and its a good thing.

Whereas before youd tramp round a load of shops, be unable to find what you wanted as it wasn't stocked or pay a silly price now i can get what i want in one place without and real issues.

Small local shops quite often made shopping take 3x longer and often end up without what you want.

Cool! Is it Tesco or Asda that has the nitrox fills, direct feeds, bits & pieces?

[Richard Whitcombe]

Gas fills? Usually get those from the site i'm at if inland or shop that runs the boat.

Everything else? Usually online unless there is no cost saving in which case i'll buy at a stop.

If a shop has what i want and is a similar price i'll buy there - if not i wont.

[bakerstreet]

Depends on the shop in question. I know of one im happy with here but know of a fair number more that are nothing more than rip off merchants.

Some places charge 20% over the odds when compared to online. I dont have unlimited money so will opt to save whenever i can. If that involves not being over the top prices at a shop then so be it.

I know the feeling about limited money.

Its a fair point. One of the recent dive shops to sut down in Bedfordshire was known to be a rip off for kit prices. TBF I didn't buy any of my new Apeks from my LDS. I couldnt afford to. I got one set from the London Dive Show (SDS I think) and I bought the other set over the pohone from Denny Diving.

I wanted a Suunto Vyper about 4 years ago and my mum aggreed to get me one for christmas. She found the best price on line and went into my LDSto see if they could match it. They couldn't get any where near :(