Spare Mask

[les waller]

Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'
Thanks
Les

[Philip Smith]

Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'

Look for models that have the buckles attached to the skirt rather than the frame of the mask. They fold "flatter". Mares do some; I'm sure other makes do too.

Phil S

[les waller]

:=Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'

Look for models that have the buckles attached to the skirt rather than the frame of the mask. They fold "flatter". Mares do some; I'm sure other makes do too.

Phil S

Thanks Phil, that is a very good idea.

Les

[siltmonkey]

:=:=Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'
:=
:=Look for models that have the buckles attached to the skirt rather than the frame of the mask. They fold "flatter". Mares do some; I'm sure other makes do too.
:=
:=Phil S

Thanks Phil, that is a very good idea.

Les

If you're having trouble finding one, consider a child-size diving mask (not swimming/snorkelling mask). They're very small, quite cheap and can often fit when adult size masks don't.


:-)

r

[les waller]

:=:=:=Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'
:=:=
:=:=Look for models that have the buckles attached to the skirt rather than the frame of the mask. They fold "flatter". Mares do some; I'm sure other makes do too.
:=:=
:=:=Phil S
:=
:=Thanks Phil, that is a very good idea.
:=
:=Les

If you're having trouble finding one, consider a child-size diving mask (not swimming/snorkelling mask). They're very small, quite cheap and can often fit when adult size masks don't.


:-)

r
Richard

I had thought of doing that but even the child masks are fairly bulky with the strap mountings on the rigid frame. I would like to get something that is really slim with the straps fastened to the skirt if posible so that it would lie fairly flat in a BC pocket. Phil mentioned Mares, but I haven't found any yet.

Les

[David G]

:=:=:=:=Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'
:=:=:=
:=:=:=Look for models that have the buckles attached to the skirt rather than the frame of the mask. They fold "flatter". Mares do some; I'm sure other makes do too.
:=:=:=
:=:=:=Phil S
:=:=
:=:=Thanks Phil, that is a very good idea.
:=:=
:=:=Les
:=
:=If you're having trouble finding one, consider a child-size diving mask (not swimming/snorkelling mask). They're very small, quite cheap and can often fit when adult size masks don't.
:=
:=
:=:-)
:=
:=r
Richard

I had thought of doing that but even the child masks are fairly bulky with the strap mountings on the rigid frame. I would like to get something that is really slim with the straps fastened to the skirt if posible so that it would lie fairly flat in a BC pocket. Phil mentioned Mares, but I haven't found any yet.

Les

Something like the link below from Oceanic perhaps?

[iainmsmith]

Something like the link below from Oceanic perhaps?

FWIW, I carry an Oceanic Shadow as my backup mask. It does indeed fold completely flat and goes into one of my drysuit cargo pockets...along with DSMBs, spools, shears, a strobe, etc...

If it fits your face, it should do the job nicely.

Iain

[JohnDuncan]

:=Something like the link below from Oceanic perhaps?

FWIW, I carry an Oceanic Shadow as my backup mask. It does indeed fold completely flat and goes into one of my drysuit cargo pockets...along with DSMBs, spools, shears, a strobe, etc...

If it fits your face, it should do the job nicely.

Iain

I use a Oceanic Black Shadow, it folds VERY flat. keep an eye on the skirt splitting through being folded up a lot though, applies to all masks that you keep folded up. Also try a freediving mask, they seem to be very low volume, which is the most important for a backup mask. In the event you have to use it you want it to clear ASAP and if it is low-volume then that is better

[gordon archer]

Can anyone recommend a lightweight and flexible mask that will happily spend its life folded up in a BCD pocket 'just in case'
Thanks
Les

If it's a spare mask for just in case situiation why have it folded up in the BCD, wear it around your neck (I have seen some Trimix divers do this, some wear the mask around the back of the neck to stop it getting in the way of the mouth piece.)
Handy always there and availably in a just in case situation.
No fumbling trying to find it when underwater.
Have you ever tried to extract anything from your pockets whilst underwater when you need it.

[iainmsmith]

If it's a spare mask for just in case situiation why have it folded up in the BCD, wear it around your neck (I have seen some Trimix divers do this...)

Personally (speaking as a trimix diver) that idea fills me with horror. An increasing number of people put their backup reg on a necklace - the last thing you want is to risk having a mask strap get in the way of that! It also strikes me that having a mask around one's neck pretty much guarantees to snag a long hose when trying to deploy it and/or get in the way of your isolator knob on a twinset.

Handy always there and availably in a just in case situation.
No fumbling trying to find it when underwater.
Have you ever tried to extract anything from your pockets whilst underwater when you need it.

Yes - it's one of the reasons I moved to cargo pockets on the thighs of my drysuit, rather than putting extra pockets on the waist strap of my harness...that and the shortage of space there by the time you fit a battery pack, shears and an argon cylinder!

But seriously, cargo pockets on the side of the suit thighs are _so_ much easier to get things into and out of than typical BC pockets.

Iain

[nick kay]

Out of interest, how many people have their mask strap inside their hood?

Does it make life easier / safer?

[janos]

Personally (speaking as a trimix diver) that idea fills me with horror. An increasing number of people put their backup reg on a necklace - the last thing you want is to risk having a mask strap get in the way of that! It also strikes me that having a mask around one's neck pretty much guarantees to snag a long hose when trying to deploy it and/or get in the way of your isolator knob on a twinset.


Nah. You're doing it all wrong. This is what happens when someone tries to adopt part of a system without adopting all of it. You need to stuff the long hose down bungees in the side of your tank, and wear your tanks inverted (ie with the valves around your bottom)

;-)

Laters,
Janos

[matt]

Out of interest, how many people have their mask strap inside their hood?

Guilty as charged

Does it make life easier / safer?

Not going to lose it rolling in backward
If the strap breaks you do not lose the mask
The mask seal can't end up on top the hood seal

Absolute pain when teaching mask removal :-)

[David Walker]

Out of interest, how many people have their mask strap inside their hood?

Does it make life easier / safer?

I can't see anything particularly wrong with it (apart from if you're teaching mask removal), although I do tend to put the mask on last which i'd have to change. Don't think there's much in it, but don't agree with the benefits (if you hold onto your mask you won't lose it when you roll in), but then the only disadvantages are the minor inconvenience of having to put your hood on last (in the cold and rain I tend to keep my hood on out of the water).

David

[matt]

:=Out of interest, how many people have their mask strap inside their hood?
:=
:=Does it make life easier / safer?

...Don't think there's much in it, but don't agree with the benefits (if you hold onto your mask you won't lose it when you roll in)

If the strap has been pushed off the back of your head, you will find out about it when you move your hand away. The mask will need to be refitted on the surface, which is not so easy in choppy water, and lets just hope it is slack and you have not missed the shot after the mask faff.

I agree that the advantages are not huge. Someone once asked me why I have my mask strap outside my hood and I could not come up with a compelling reason. There are a couple of minor advantages of having it inside, so that is what I do.

, but then the only disadvantages are the minor inconvenience of having to put your hood on last (in the cold and rain I tend to keep my hood on out of the water).

I have a knack. Put your hood on normally. When you are ready to fit your mask, pull the hood back over your face and around your neck. Fit your mask. Pull the hood up and over and back in place.

Try it and see what you think.

[Paul Oliver]

Yup

Used to wear mine under the hood for years. Not sure why i changed back but its outside now. Both ways work very well.

Regards

Paul

[Paul Oliver]

I use a Oceanic Black Shadow, it folds VERY flat.

Yup same here. I cary mine in a nice little pouch i got off Bowstone, its the only thing in it and it sits just left of centre on my BC waist band. Never gets in the way and in just the right place when i want it.

I tend to practice swapping it every time i practice shut downs and always with gloves and a hood on.

Regards

Paul

[Paul Oliver]

Nah. You're doing it all wrong. This is what happens when someone tries to adopt part of a system without adopting all of it. You need to stuff the long hose down bungees in the side of your tank, and wear your tanks inverted (ie with the valves around your bottom)

;-)

Laters,
Janos

Nothing biteing yet then?

Dive Safe

Paul

[Kevin Swindin]

Paul,
where did you get it from?


:=I use a Oceanic Black Shadow, it folds VERY flat.
:

[Paul Oliver]

Hi Kevin

It was off the Bowstone stand at last years LIDS.

I have seen them in several dive shops since, not sure which ones though.

Regards

Paul

[Kevin Swindin]

Paul,

thanks for the post - I will go looking around the Medway area.

Kevin

Hi Kevin

It was off the Bowstone stand at last years LIDS.

I have seen them in several dive shops since, not sure which ones though.

Regards

Paul

[Paul Oliver]

Hi Kevin

I was practicing with it at the Black Lion Centre a few weeks ago. If i'm gonna be up there again soon i'll let you know so you can have a look.

I'm sure both Kent Diving and Simply Scuba have them. Not so sure about the shop in Gillingham.