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Masks for thin faces?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Frank O'Donnell

Apneic shutterbug
Apr 23, 2003
132
1
103
Masks for narrow faces?

When I started diving, I had a heck of a time finding suitable masks. I have a narrow face (i.e. narrow from side to side) and deepset eyes, and typically get leakage either to the side of the eye or along the cheek below the eye.

After (unsuccessfully) trying a lot of buddies' masks, I visited a freediving-specific shop with two or three dozen masks lined up on the wall. After trying a bunch of these I brought home an Omer Asia and an Omer Abyss.

The Asia is comfortable overall, but tends to leak a bit. The Abyss is more leak-proof, but I find the field of vision fairly restricted.

Apart from remodeling a Sphera per the instructions posted here, are there any off-the-shelf masks that people with faces like mine have found to be leak-free while offering a fairly good field of vision? For example I wonder how the Omer Millennium mask would be? A couple of people mentioned Cressi Big Eyes, but I tried one and found it leaked like a sieve on me. Thanks for any input!
 
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Hi,

being narrow-faced myself, I settled for Cressi Minima. No, it does not have very much of a field of vision and in our murky waters it can get a bit dark. I'ts got a good fit though.

Another option is the old Scubapro Futura - great mask, great fit and decent field of vision.

//Per
 
Having the same problem myself, I found that most cressi masks would fit me nicely. I currently use a Cressi Superocchio. BEST MASK EVER! Very low volume, leak free and with good field of vision (for a low volume mask).
 
I have the same problem as you, Frank. A Cressi Superocchio had been leak free for a long time for me, but recently has been leaking from just the areas you mentioned. Heavy seas yesterday, relieved me of the offending mask from out of my kayak, so I now have a reason to go shopping for another. I'm going to check out the Riffe's (the skirts seem so soft) and there is a new Omer (Alien?) camo mask that is said to have a softer skirt.

BTW: I've found that putting the mask on while both it and my face are dry or nearly dry and trying to maintain that seal throughout most of the dive makes for a superior and leak-free seal.
 
Peter,

I think that the sight of you in a kayak must be irresistable to aquatic gremlins. They steal my Garas, they steal your mask ...:waterwork
 
Originally posted by Roan
Heavy seas yesterday, relieved me of the offending mask from out of my kayak, so I now have a reason to go shopping for another.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check those masks out.

Where'd you find heavy seas yesterday? I didn't get wet this weekend, but my buddies were referring to Palos Verdes as Lake Pacifico. I was in South Laguna yesterday, where the water looked just a skosh choppy, but not bad diving.
 
Abalone Point. I had my kayak anchored next to and was diving the outer reef (or boiler) off the point. The swells can really toss you around out there; but it was worth it... crystal clear water, loads of bait-fish with calicos tagging them. The calicos were having such a feeding frenzy, I let them be and watched them in wonder, I was looking for yellowtail or WSB anyway... which I didn't see any of. I did see some barracuda though. Abalone Point is a fairly long swim from any beach and the outer reef is more often than not boiling pretty good. But when it calms down out there, the vis gets really good by OC standards. Frank, when it really clears up there it might be the best spot in Orange County to photograph: lots of structure, critters and wildlife. Still not a whole lot to spear there beyond sand bass, calicos and sheephead but it is a headland and I keep telling myself I'm going to run into something big there someday. :p

Last week when the surf was up here a bit, I went up to PV and the water was lapping at my ankles as I entered and I was happy for that because the beach entries there are much rockier.

Yep Pez, now we both have gear at the bottom of the drink! :D
I could have went looking for it but I had already dove to release my anchor, de-geared in the kayak and was on my way back to the beach in front of that small kelp bed we dove when a "monster" rougue wave ;) broke over my stern and washed away my un-secured mask and snorkle! :eek: Time for new gear anyway!
 
Thanks, Roan, I'll have to check out that end of Crystal Cove State Park next time I'm down there. So far in my limited visits I've mostly stuck around Reef Point.

I did see a good-sized lone barracuda at Casino Point on Catalina last week when I was freediving with a new camera. He was in a dark spot under the kelp, exited fast and I didn't have the right cords yet to use strobes with this camera, so the only picture I got was a non-keeper. There seem to be tons of baitballs out there, some extremely huge, these days -- on mainland beaches, islands, oil rigs, you name it. Also reports of lots of whales due to a lot of krill in the water.
 
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