Breathing old air through the mask

[Breathtaking]

After watching many skilled freedivers who use masks while they dive, I can see that to compensate for the pressure outside their mask that makes it uncomfortable, they put some of their air into the mask. This is all well and good, I've tried it and it makes it easier for me to equalize.

The part which I don't get is why they don't re-breath that air on the way up- with the air pressure inside the mask expanding, air escapes from the mask. Are they wasting air, or is there a safety reason why you should not re-breath air from your mask? E.g. pneumothorax or some other nasty condition.

 

[Breathtaking]

* Injury, not condition

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Lots of people say they suck the air back out of the mask on the way up. In fact it seems so common that I'm surprised that you haven't heard about it.

For some reason it doesn't work for me. Maybe my nose is too big, but when I've tried it, the nose pocket just collapses and seals off my nostrils.

 

[Breathtaking]

Great, thanks. I also suck the air back out, but just wasn't completely sure if it would be dangerous at deeper depths.

 

[Apneaddict]

Take it back in!

It can be a nice psychological boost to get a hit of "fresh" (non-CO2 laecd) air later in your dive and on the ascent... it gives you something else to think about that's positive during this difficult stage of the dive.

 

[REVAN]

I think it may be common. I sniff the air back from the mask on the way up. I don't know of any safety issues associated with this. If anyone knows otherwise, please speak up about it.

 

[esom]

Lots of people say they suck the air back out of the mask on the way up. In fact it seems so common that I'm surprised that you haven't heard about it.

For some reason it doesn't work for me. Maybe my nose is too big, but when I've tried it, the nose pocket just collapses and seals off my nostrils.

For me it works depending on the mask. stiff seems to work best (Micromask ++), soft not so (sporasub mystique + -, beuchat maxlux - -)

 

[dfhawkins]

This is an "Ah Hah!" moment! I have always wondered why so many YouTube vids showed no bubbles from the mask on ascent. They must have known what I didn't. I will give it a try next time out.