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Best mask

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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island_sands i know that feeling: before i would have gambled my left &*% on the drop of a dime on my Cressi-sub masks, but im past that phase of my life, although you will have to pry my Cressi guns from my cold dead fingers..
 
I was in dive shop to test Luna vs Abyss...

Firstly the abyss the one i test was not silicon but rubber, so its less comfortable and nose pocket is relatively smaller but still usable... On the other hand Luna has soft silicon that is more comfy...

Abyss has obviously has smaller profile and volume than luna but also less field of view...I think its 20 degree less or something like that... Overall i decided to not to change luna for abyss because of the rubber skirt....

Now if i only can convince local omer shop to bring some Alien masks to shop for next summer:head
 

ha! i can vouch for that! you really are a pain in the bum when it comes to your guns you know. you are so uptight. i got a mares last week (and guess what dad paid for it!) and it shoots great.

and Meshal: bite me!:martial
 
custom lenses

I think I'm going to have lenses put in.(bonded to existing) Place in San Diego. The matrix really is pretty low volume ( lower than Big eyes) - and the visibility is fab. Lenses will reduce the volume even more. this will counter Astigmatism as well - whereas off the shelf lenses won't.
 
In my experience masks are totally personal and cannot be evaluated until you've stuck one on your face and gone for a dive.

For example I've bought and discarded the sphera, minima, falco, and superocchio because they just don't fit.

The Abyss Exclusive and Samurai on the other hand are perfect for my face. I also find them comfortable, and very low volume.

These results are pretty much reversed for various of my diving buddies.

Ciao

Al
 
Isn't the Sphera similar to the Minima? The Sphera is an Aquasphere product, right?
 
OMER mirrored masks

I use OMER Exclusive, which is mirrored from outside and provides a yellowish look from the inside. Yes it darkens a bit but this gives you an advantage of checking under rocks without using your UW light. Of course, not to a great extent. For spearfishing, its mirrored outside can be advantageous suct that the fish cannot see the "hunter gaze" and can get really close. On the other hand, the mirrored lens flashes so much under sunlight that you have be careful about the position of the sun, those flashes are disadvantageous for most fish kinds. Finally, for freediving, if you are diving with a security diver who will accompany you for the last 10m of ascending, it is not good that he will not be able to see your eyes and have an idea about if you are about to BO or not.

Separately, I used it after using Technisub LOOK for a while, and I can say its low volume makes difference indeed.

Cheers,
 
i had the mirrored samurai for a while... my only dislike with those masks is that you cannot see the diver's eyes and detect signs of blackout.
 
after reading all this
wich make is your recomendation?
(I need one with optical lenses)
 
I have a Cressi Matrix, which is a dynamite mask - the lenses are very close to your eyes and the visibility is great (very close to haveing no mask on at all. Air volume is quite low. I've also ordered an Omer Alien and will be comparing these two masks as soon as I get it. Supposedly the Alien has the same volume as the abyss with much better vis.

The Cressi is a little close in fit - very very comfortable but you have to keep you face relaxed or it tends to leak a little on my face - just below the cheek or at the corners of the eyes. Not much of a problem really.

I didn't order the abyss because of it's limited visibility. I like to be able to see out the sides of my eyes - also up and a down.

There is a place in San Diego that does prescription bonding. You can get off-the-shelf lenses with the abyss - but they don't correct astigmatism.

Prescription dive masks
 
Just bought the Omer Alien thusday, feel great on but have not had a chance to use it this weekend, little storm called Jenne came through and messed things up, seas are a bit rough and the vis maybe a tad poor! I just hope I get a change to get in before the next one hits us!
 
alien

I recently got an Omer Alien, too. Its a comfy mask, however I often find the nose cup filling with water! Fortunately it doesn't get into the rest of the mask, but I don't know why the water gets into the nose cup? I've never had this problem before... anybody else have the same experience with this mask? (I know I'm unsightly and all, but I don't think my face is THAT unusually shaped!?)
 
Lutz,
I dove a whole season once with my favorite mask that had a hole worn completely through the nose pocket. The mask is no longer made but I liked it so much I really didn't want to replace it with something else. It was sort of like a built in purge valve but simpler. It was a Mares mask that had a cable holding the skirt to the frame and really low volume. I'll try to post a picture of it. It remains my favorite mask of all time. I just wish I could get or make a replacement skirt. I've still got two of them but the skirts are tattered beyound repair.
Mark
 
water in the nose cup

Hi Lutz,

I think I have a similar problem. I use OMER Exclusive. At the bottom I have that feeling of a wet nose like I have the flu. Sometimes, when I blow to the mask to equilize, the water escapes through the skirt just below my nostrils and the mask is not even equilized! Ok I have a big nose with an arch, but I dont think that should be a problem.
 
I get a little of this with my matrix. It seems designed so that any leakage ends up in the nose pocket (and the nose pocket is quite full in my case ) However, by adjusting the strap and keeping my face fairly unflexed (tendancy, I noticed to sort of stretch my mouth at that last big inhale) it's not much if any problem. I even tested by leaving the water in their and rolling over, going straight down etc - it never seems to find it's way to the lenses..

If it's leaking bad right under the NP though it may just be too small. Also check what your upper lip is doing with the snorkel. As I mentionion I find keeping the mouth relaxed pretty much eliminates the problem with the matrix.
 
nose cup

Thanks for the info, good to know I'm not the only one with this problem. Yeah, its not like its full of water, just a little bit. And it never seeps into the lenses. I will try tightening the straps a little more and focusing on relaxing my face muscles. I don't know when the water gets in, I need to pay more attention so I can fix the problem. I take my snorkel out when I dive, only use it at the surface (actually, when the hell else would anyone use their snorkel! Where's my sign?) MJacobs, that is kinda funny, I'd like to see what you look like while you are wearing it, with your nose showing! Ha!
 
Alien vs Matrix

Got the alien mimetic today - no water trials but I can tell you more than a few things allready

Visibility: Peripheral and downward is good on the alien - but inferior to the Matrix - upward is close - maybe impossible to call. Omer has moved the frame quite close to the forhead - which to some extent counters the higher design of the Matrix for upward viewing. On the whole - however - the alien has very good all-round vis.
The Matrix I would rate as superb relative to the alien's very good. Peripheral vision on the matrix is such that head movement can be much reduced during sneakage. Alien is not quite so good by several degrees - the biggest diff being side vision. (worth noting - the clear silicone on the matrix does provide useable peripheral vision - good enough for movement and large objects - though obviously there are some reflection issues - this is not a factor in my review however)

Fit: Alien -- comfort is very good on both but the alien seals better - very soft silicone. My matrix has clear silicone and I think this is a bit stiffer than black - but it is still thicker and less flexible than the alien.

Nose: The Alien has a design flaw here - the nose is way too upturned (interestingly the Cressi BigEyes has this same problem)
I don't know why they designed it this way - but only the very flexible silicone saves it. Still, for long dive-comfort you'd have to wear the mask lower - which cuts into the critical upward vision.
Matrix corrected this problem with the BigEyes.

(both alien and matrix compress the nose under pressure - this makes it easier to equalize the ears with conventional technique. For equalizing mask I've allways used either stored air in my mouth, or put some air into my mouth then compress it into the mask - this allows you to generate plenty of pressure to get through a compressed nose pocket without the sense of pressure in the head from pushing hard to go from lungs to mask - it also gives precise control so you don't overcharge the mask)

Compressibility: Alien will win here hands down - having the strap on the frame combined with the very soft silicone and more flexible frame will let this mask compress without sucking your brains out (ironic, consideing the name). The Matrix is a more rigid design and, while quite low volume, does not compress as readily.

Volume: Alien wins - but maybe not by a whole lot. Heres why:
The Nose Pocket - while designed for people with a 35 degree upward slant to the bottom of their noses - is more generous along the front top where the nose actually curves in toward the eyes. The Matrix quickly compresses to fit my nose like a glove - less wasted air space. I think the lenses on the Matrix are also a tad closer - more space saved to help compensate for the larger lense area. As it compresses the Alien's vis does improve - but not up to the Matrix even uncompressed. Like I said though - quite good.

Matrix Wins: Field of view

Alien Wins: Seal, volume (?) and compressibility.

Tied: for comfort I'd say. It's soft silicone vs better nose design.

What I'd Change on the Alien: I'd angle the lenses down a tad more - this would reduce volume along the bottom - where there is a bit of room to spare. I'd use that volume to extend side lense area for better vis. THE NOSE POCKET BOTTOM ANGLE COMES REAL CLOSE TO RUINING THIS MASK - I'd lessen the bottom angle on the pocket - which could enhance upward vis by allowing the mask to be warn a tad higher. As it is though - it's a pretty darned nice mask - and the soft silicone does compensate for the nasal weirdness - that and wearing it a bit lower.

OMER: Redo the nose on the ALIEN!!

What I'd change on the Matrix: Softer Silicone.

Note - I expect to be able to wear my mask with a very lose strap. In addition to comfort - this allows maximum volume at surface - which equals more compressibility as you go down. What I found was positioning the strap higher on the back of my head improved the angle of the mask seal. I actually ended up loosening it a tad.
 
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Reactions: Snorkel Bum
Lutz,
My nose didn't actually stick out or anything. That is a quite comical image, though. It was just worn through enough to leak. A slight nasal exhale cleared it of any water, though, and it really wasn't too bad to wear once I got used to the hole.
Mark
 
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