Black vs Clear silicone - softness and seal

[Fondueset]

Does anyone think black silicone is softer than clear?

 

[rcerdena]

It depends on the type of silicone, not on the colour.

Cheers,

Roberto

 

[roy_nexus_6]

I find clear silicone to be softer, but it is a highly subjective observation.
Personally I prefer black silicone masks, because I don't like the reflection clear silicon skirts cause.

 

[cdavis]

Logicly, given the same type of silicone, a clear mask skirt should be softer. The black color is just some type of filler. I have looked at that same question and could not see any consistant trend between clear and opaque skirts. It seems to depend more on brand than color. For spearing, the reflections from light coming in the clear skirt make me crazy, so I have stayed away from clear skirts (since the first one).

Connor

 

[DeepThought]

I found black silicon to seal better, regardless of softness. I think it depends on the brand though.
For optical reasons I think black silicon is much better - makes your eyes more sensitive to the light that comes through the lenses therefore you see btter in darker conditions.

 

[Fondueset]

Black silicone seems to be colored with graphite. To me it seems a bit softer - I've ordered a second Cressi Matrix in black to put scrip lenses in (I got the first one clear because that was all they had!). I might hypothesize the graphite makes the silicone a bit less prone to stiffen up in the cold. But generally it somehow seems to seal better. I prefer the lack of reflection too - and the matrix has an amazing visual field even without the clear sides.

 

[Jon]

I find black masks seal better, but I have a heck of a time getting them defogged- compared to clear silicone masks.

I usually need to soak my black silicone masks in a bowl of degreasing dish soap overnight to get the lenses properly cleaned, and still defog it every time I go diving. With a clear silicone mask I just scrub the lenses with toothpaste and I am set to go.

This has especially been difficult with my OMER masks for some reason? I have used all the standard treatments that have worked on every mask that I've owned in the past 30 years- toothpaste, dishwasher cycle, store bought defog, spit, potato, kelp leaf, ect. Still, I get fogging whenever I use them.

I have a stack of other black silicone masks that I have owned for a long time and they are fine.

I am open to any new ideas to clean out the black silicone masks if anyone has one.

Jon

 

[donmoore]

A guy who had worked in the scuba manufacture industry told me that the softest silicone grade used in dive masks only comes in black. He said it was because it was naturally too cloudy to look good in clear. He called this type of silicone a specific name. He also said he thought the Mares X-Comfort used this type of silicon.
don

 

[Fondueset]

I just got my Omer Alien - black - a couple days ago. Compaired with the black cressi matrix..about the same silicone wise, but the matrix has thicker flanges. The mimetic Alien appears to have even softer silicone.

Interesting about the black silicone grade. It's allways seemed softer to me on most of the masks I've tried. The cressi silicone has little sparkles in it, colored with graphite I think.