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Low Volume Masks
- Thread starter Ophiodon
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
I think we've all been through this one!
I used a scuba/snorkelling "Visualator"-style mask the first year spearing & I tried it again recently, briefly, for some shallower work. Although it provides a very wide field of vision (esp. as it was clear silicone), the lower volume masks are just more pleasant to deal with - smaller, lighter, easy to seal/clear, etc. & much better when diving a little deeper.
I currently user the Omer Alien (as several others here do) and like it. It uses soft silicone & has a slightly wider field of view than most low volume masks. It seems to fit a wide range of faces too.
I tried the Cressi Matrix & Lince2 in stores too. I agree with Fondueset, the Matrix seems good - with a a slightly higher volume & slighter wider field of view. The lince sealed but was really too small for me and so had a restricted field of vision. Cressi masks are expensive here. That said, the Omer prices shot up here last year
.
I also own a SeacSub X-Low Combat and I actually like it a lot, although I haven't used it in the water yet - I bought it as a spare. From a quick on land test, the Omer Alien seemed to have a slightly wider field of view - and as I was already using it, I decided to continue using that.
For me, the Italian made Seacsub Combat was also considerably cheaper than the Taiwanese made Omer Alien -- so it probably depends on where you are, etc.. They are very similar in design & implementation (low vol, soft silicone, camo,...) - which to use was really a coin toss. I like the hard plastic side adjusters that Vjand didn't - personal taste; the mask seems to go on quick with less twists, more positive. The mask has more camo too. Unlike the Omer, the Combat also comes with a proper plastic mask case (small to match the mask size) - shops will often charge as much as £4 or £5 pounds for these alone!
I know somebody who got a fantastic deal on a new Beaver Atom mask on eBay (I won't say how much, as these often sell for much more - but it was much less than a pint of beer, and just 3% of the price of the Omer Alien). Although single lens it is still remakably small & low volume, it has a very good field of view, and came in chic spearo black! (It looks a bit like the Mako, mentioned above).
I like the look of that Technisub mask.
I used a scuba/snorkelling "Visualator"-style mask the first year spearing & I tried it again recently, briefly, for some shallower work. Although it provides a very wide field of vision (esp. as it was clear silicone), the lower volume masks are just more pleasant to deal with - smaller, lighter, easy to seal/clear, etc. & much better when diving a little deeper.
I currently user the Omer Alien (as several others here do) and like it. It uses soft silicone & has a slightly wider field of view than most low volume masks. It seems to fit a wide range of faces too.
I tried the Cressi Matrix & Lince2 in stores too. I agree with Fondueset, the Matrix seems good - with a a slightly higher volume & slighter wider field of view. The lince sealed but was really too small for me and so had a restricted field of vision. Cressi masks are expensive here. That said, the Omer prices shot up here last year
.vjanda said:
I also own a SeacSub X-Low Combat and I actually like it a lot, although I haven't used it in the water yet - I bought it as a spare. From a quick on land test, the Omer Alien seemed to have a slightly wider field of view - and as I was already using it, I decided to continue using that.
For me, the Italian made Seacsub Combat was also considerably cheaper than the Taiwanese made Omer Alien -- so it probably depends on where you are, etc.. They are very similar in design & implementation (low vol, soft silicone, camo,...) - which to use was really a coin toss. I like the hard plastic side adjusters that Vjand didn't - personal taste; the mask seems to go on quick with less twists, more positive. The mask has more camo too. Unlike the Omer, the Combat also comes with a proper plastic mask case (small to match the mask size) - shops will often charge as much as £4 or £5 pounds for these alone!
I know somebody who got a fantastic deal on a new Beaver Atom mask on eBay (I won't say how much, as these often sell for much more - but it was much less than a pint of beer, and just 3% of the price of the Omer Alien). Although single lens it is still remakably small & low volume, it has a very good field of view, and came in chic spearo black! (It looks a bit like the Mako, mentioned above).
I like the look of that Technisub mask.
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I got the mask today!:friday
I thought that was pretty good time since it came all the way from South Africa. Total cost, with shipping and the crappy state of the US dollar these days, was $71.
It looks like a keeper to me. In the past I have been switching back and forth between my Sphera, for freediving, and my OMER Alien for spearfishing and scuba diving. I think this will be my only mask from now on.
It has a skirt very similar to the Sphera, but there is a lot more room for the nose and the lenses are made out of glass. It is NOT anywhere near the same mask as the Falco. I had one and this is much nicer- more solid.
If you want to get one email Nick at Dive Action, a store in Cape Town. His email is: nick@diveaction.co.za
He was very helpful and updated me with shipping information and tracking numbers.
It sounds like we MAY be able to buy them in the USA some time early next summer.
Tomorrow I test it in the pool.
Jon
I thought that was pretty good time since it came all the way from South Africa. Total cost, with shipping and the crappy state of the US dollar these days, was $71.
It looks like a keeper to me. In the past I have been switching back and forth between my Sphera, for freediving, and my OMER Alien for spearfishing and scuba diving. I think this will be my only mask from now on.
It has a skirt very similar to the Sphera, but there is a lot more room for the nose and the lenses are made out of glass. It is NOT anywhere near the same mask as the Falco. I had one and this is much nicer- more solid.
If you want to get one email Nick at Dive Action, a store in Cape Town. His email is: nick@diveaction.co.za
He was very helpful and updated me with shipping information and tracking numbers.
It sounds like we MAY be able to buy them in the USA some time early next summer.
Tomorrow I test it in the pool.
Jon
Sorry i haven't posted sooner- my INTERNET connection has been kind of buggy.
The Marina has a much larger nose pocket than my Alien. It also has a wider field of view than the Alien but not nearly as wide as the Sphera- of course what you can see is much sharper than the Sphera because it has glass lenses in it.
It is fairly low volume, much like a Super Occhio or an Abyss, but not nearly of flexible as a Sphera- which is part of the reason that mask can be taken so deep. Still it is much lower in volume than the Falco made by the same company.
The mask itself is a little bit narrower than the Sphera around the temples. I seem to have somewhat of a round head- think Charlie Brown. rofl So I find the Sphera to be the best fit I've ever had. Still this mask is much nicer for monofining with than my Alien- doesn't rip off my face at higher speeds. I imagine that it will work out better scooter diving as well.
Overall I am very happy with it, but will not give up my Sphera completely. I will probably put the Alien in the back-up bin and use this one most of the time.
Here's a couple of shots I took of it. Sorry about the profile shot, but it's hard to take a picture of yourself from the side and get everything composed just right. Still, I thought that it showed off the nose pocket pretty well.
Jon
The Marina has a much larger nose pocket than my Alien. It also has a wider field of view than the Alien but not nearly as wide as the Sphera- of course what you can see is much sharper than the Sphera because it has glass lenses in it.
It is fairly low volume, much like a Super Occhio or an Abyss, but not nearly of flexible as a Sphera- which is part of the reason that mask can be taken so deep. Still it is much lower in volume than the Falco made by the same company.
The mask itself is a little bit narrower than the Sphera around the temples. I seem to have somewhat of a round head- think Charlie Brown. rofl So I find the Sphera to be the best fit I've ever had. Still this mask is much nicer for monofining with than my Alien- doesn't rip off my face at higher speeds. I imagine that it will work out better scooter diving as well.
Overall I am very happy with it, but will not give up my Sphera completely. I will probably put the Alien in the back-up bin and use this one most of the time.
Here's a couple of shots I took of it. Sorry about the profile shot, but it's hard to take a picture of yourself from the side and get everything composed just right. Still, I thought that it showed off the nose pocket pretty well.
Jon
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best mask ive owned is the cressi matrix. Super soft silicone, low volume, high FOV, and no pressure points on my face.
is the Alien about the same width as the Abyss or is it wider?
I never had the chance to try on an Alien as we have no decent local Omer dealer I could only try an Abyss but it was not wide enough for my face, and felt very unconfortable. I'm thinking of ordering an Alien online as so many people seem to be satisfied with it, but I'm afraid of buying a mask I haven't been able to try before.. By the way, the following masks fit my face: Seacsub X-low, Sporasub Instinct Star, Cressi Big eyes; the following ones are too small: Cressi Superocchio, Omer Abyss, Sporasub Samurai..
So what do you say, is it a good idea to order an Alien without being able to try it?
I never had the chance to try on an Alien as we have no decent local Omer dealer
I could only try an Abyss but it was not wide enough for my face, and felt very unconfortable. I'm thinking of ordering an Alien online as so many people seem to be satisfied with it, but I'm afraid of buying a mask I haven't been able to try before.. By the way, the following masks fit my face: Seacsub X-low, Sporasub Instinct Star, Cressi Big eyes; the following ones are too small: Cressi Superocchio, Omer Abyss, Sporasub Samurai.. So what do you say, is it a good idea to order an Alien without being able to try it?
I just tried on my Seacsub X-low & Omer Alien masks for comparison. I would say they are very similar but the Alien consistently feels a little larger (wider) to me - but it might just be that mine is a little more worn-in. Obviously it is best to try yourself but I think it'll be fine. The silicone is very soft & forgiving re. fit.daiquiri said:
BTW The Seacsub X-Low seemed to offer slightly more viz than the Alien this time (the opposite of the last time I tried) - so I would have to say they offer v. similar field of view -- too close to call. Breathing in a little harder is all it takes to make a significant difference.
Interesting that you found the X-Low fit but not the similar but older Superocchio & Samurai designs. Anybody tried/got an Omer Bandit mask (another modern take on the Superocchio)?
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