Speedo Glide Mask - opinions?

[simonp820]

I'm looking to start collecting equipment (recently completed PADI Open Diver) and have found this:

Glide Mask & Snorkel Set (http://store.speedo.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product6_10151_10202_79154_-1_33470_33314_Y_183637?backUrl=CategoryDisplay%3Fb eginIndex%3D%26pageView%3D%26pageSize%3D%26origPag eSize%3D%26showAll%3D%26top_category%3D33314%26cm_ mmc%3DGoogle_Speedo-_-Equipment+-+EXACT-_-Product_Scuba-_-snorkeling+equipment_Exact%26langId%3D-1%26storeId%3D10151%26cm_guid%3D1-_-100000000000000003889-_-4546297962%26catalogId%3D10202%26categoryId%3D3347 0)

Can anyone give me any feedback on this? It seems quite a lot cheaper than other sets but I trust Speedo (being a swimmer). Is it suitable for open water diving in the UK and abroad? Obviously I'd go and try it in a store first ;)

Cheers!

[dazloz]

hi
i bought this set for my wife to use for her first time snorkelling in egypt this jan it has a plastic lens which i found to fog up very quickly whether you used spit on the lens or an anti mist spray.
ok for a first buy but would go for a mask with a tempered glass lens

[Nigel Hewitt]

We tend to advise that you take your face to a mask shop and buy the one that fits best. You want one where it seals to your face almost just on touch not with a big suck as that will require the very lightest of strap tension.

An uncomfortable mask on a long dive rapidly becomes evil.

[ChristianG]

Nigel was very polite in that he didn't refer to the snorkel, unfortunately I'm not as polite as Nigel. :o

Although I realise that in the "learning to dive" section of SCUBA snorkels are still (why?) deemed to be indispensable, a snorkel should really only be used on the surface - specifically for the purpose of snorkelling - as distinct from SCUBA.

Some will now claim that slop (water movement) means that a snorkel is (sometimes) desirable. In a career of diving involving several decades I have yet to find this and, believe me, I've dived in some pretty hairy conditions indeed, usually when the weather has changed while I'm u/w.

If you must buy a snorkel, get something (a bent tube with a decent mouthpiece sounds good to me) which is absolutely simple.

To add to what Nigel said:

Go to your local LDS, ask to see masks, start with the cheapest one (with tempered glass), try it on using the "suck it and see" test. It fits? Buy it. NO! Don't buy the same model in its nice shiny box, buy the one on your face, that's the one that fits you.

[PeteM]

Go to your local LDS, ask to see masks, start with the cheapest one (with tempered glass), try it on using the "suck it and see" test. It fits? Buy it. NO! Don't buy the same model in its nice shiny box, buy the one on your face, that's the one that fits you.

And to further add to the good advice already given...

Of all the bits of kit you will buy the mask is probably the most important and the best value for money. Look after it and it will last ages. Mine is over 12 years old. A modern replacement would be about £40 - three quid a year is a bargain.

Don't be tempted to buy a mask just based on price, as Nigel said a bad fitting mask is evil, a leaking mask can be dangerous. Buy the best fitting one what ever it costs. As no one has spelt it out in full here is the guide to buying a mask


Go to a dive shop with a decent stock of masks.
Find the cheapest tempered glass mask (in a real dive shop they all should be).
Try it on by flipping the strap round to the front of the mask, hold it against your face and breathing in very gently through your nose whilst you have a snorkel or regulator in your mouth* - then hold your breath; if it fits it will stay there. Breath in hard and any mask will stay there.
If it fits try a few other masks of the same type to see if you can improve the fit. Buy the one that fits best.
If it does not fit proceed to the next most expensive mask and repeat from step 3.
Take mask home and clean very thoroughly - that is all of it not just the lenses - search on here for tips on how to clean it.



* this changes the shape of your face, as you are going to use it with a regulator in your need to make sure it fits with a regulator in

[simonp820]

Thanks for the info folks. Agree about the plastic - didn't realise that.

Cheers!

[PatrickH]

Thanks for the info folks. Agree about the plastic - didn't realise that.

Cheers!

From speedo site :
Adult Glide mask and snorkel set. The snorkel mask features a tempered glass lens that is angled for excellent vision and maxium safety

[Gareth]

And to further add to the good advice already given...

Of all the bits of kit you will buy the mask is probably the most important and the best value for money. Look after it and it will last ages. Mine is over 12 years old. A modern replacement would be about £40 - three quid a year is a bargain.

Don't be tempted to buy a mask just based on price, as Nigel said a bad fitting mask is evil, a leaking mask can be dangerous. Buy the best fitting one what ever it costs. As no one has spelt it out in full here is the guide to buying a mask


Go to a dive shop with a decent stock of masks.
Find the cheapest tempered glass mask (in a real dive shop they all should be).
Try it on by flipping the strap round to the front of the mask, hold it against your face and breathing in very gently through your nose whilst you have a snorkel or regulator in your mouth* - then hold your breath; if it fits it will stay there. Breath in hard and any mask will stay there.
If it fits try a few other masks of the same type to see if you can improve the fit. Buy the one that fits best.
If it does not fit proceed to the next most expensive mask and repeat from step 3.
Take mask home and clean very thoroughly - that is all of it not just the lenses - search on here for tips on how to clean it.



* this changes the shape of your face, as you are going to use it with a regulator in your need to make sure it fits with a regulator in

My only variation to Pete's recommendation is don't look at the price.
Try ALL the masks, find the one that fits the best, hopefully you will have a number that fit, put them in a best fit order, then decide which you prefer, then find out the prices.

I have seen people decide on the mask based on price, when they where supposed to be deciding on fit, they just end up spending the money twice !