New low-volume cressi freediving mask

[Apneaddict]

Cressi Nano:

Looks promising.

Cressi Scuba Diving Masks freediving scuba mask minimal internal volume tempered glass hydrodynamic compact crystal silicone

Might have a similar volume as a superocchio... but much better vision??

Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[manalive!]

It looks very similar to the Micromask

 

[Xenoseal]

As luck would have it, I got talking to a guy at Blue Springs today and he had bought a pair of Nanos, used them once and didn't like the fit. Offered him $40 and got myself a pair of new goggles.

My next dive is this weekend so I'll come back and post a more detailed report then. I will be able to compare them to the Occhio Plus, Minima, and Omer Aliens. Unfortunately our group only has the Occhio Plus, not the Superocchio.

Out of the box they look very similar to my Occhio Plus mask but smaller. Fit feels like my buddies Minimas.

 

[neutrino]

I'm really interested how it is compared with my favourite minima.

 

[kronek67]

It seams like it has close to the same volume as the minima, but with much better field of view. However, they don't fit as many people as the minima does. With me, the skirt touches my eye socket, but not my eyeball. I'm not sure if I can get use to that or not. They have a harder feel on my face too and you know they are there. I also have a wide head though. If you have a smaller face, they will probably fit perfect. Some people will love them and some will not be able to wear them comfortably.

 

[Xenoseal]

Excuse my tardiness with this. Been a busy week.

We spent Fri, Sat, & Sun at Blue Spring and the mask was passed around to 4-5 people with varying results.

Myself - The mask is comfortable and the dry fit was great. Unfortunately, it goes downhill for me from there. I tried then 5 or 6 times in the water over the 3 days and wasn't able to take them very far. I had issues with leaks twice, and the mask collapsed on me 3 times right around 25ft. During the collapse incidents I attempted to equalize the mask and the nose pocket had sealed causing it to blow up like a balloon and the dives were aborted.

I think that I have the wrong facial profile for this mask. I'd say I have a medium face. Despite my problems I want to test them again this up coming weekend. I really like the mask and want it to work.

Kronek67 - You can read his comments in the post above mine. He took them to 40ft over the weekend.

Buddy 2 - Has a more narrow facial profile than myself or Kronek67. Normally wears Cressi Minimas. He took the Nanos to 60ft over the weekend for a new personal best. Now he wont stop bugging me to sell him the Nanos.

Buddy 3 - Another narrow face. Normally wears Walmart Brand mask. Took the Nanos to 40-50ft this weekend and loved them.

Buddy 4 - Another narrow face. Not sure on his normal mask. Took them to 30ft a couple times and loved them.


It seems that if you've got the face for it, this is a great very low volume mask. Just imagine some Minimas with greatly increased range of vision.

As for me, I'm going to give them another few goes this weekend. If I cant get them to work they'll go to Buddy 2 who thinks they are the best thing ever.

 

[mrjomac]

Been using a nano for about a month now and really like it. It's my first low volume mask and we've only just started freediving but no probs down to 10-11m, the occasional leak with a hood but methinks because it's not on straight or lip's over edge of hood at times. No probs without a hood. Fits my lady/buddy too who weighs half as much as me. Volume is about 85ml I think so about the same as other low volume masks, takes one tiny whiff of air to equalize at 10m. Can't comment on deeper yet.

 

[Xenoseal]

A small update to add.

After using the mask for quite a few dives I've taken it down to 93ft.

 

[Speardiver1]

My review of the Cressi Nano.

The very low internal volume and the frame/skirt integrated construction, put the Nano in the modern Micromask category along with Aqualung Technisub Micromask, Speardiver Micromask, OMER Zero, and Sporasub Piranha. But unlike those masks, the Nano's skirt is nice and soft providing a better coverage and seal, with no leak under the nose even when contorting one's face. I feel the Cressi Nano will fit a much wider variety of faces than the other micromasks. I already had a few divers try it on and it fit everybody.

The Nano mask has very nice styling. The frame combines old school smooth curves, with a modern twist, allowing a very nice field of vision. It may be just my personal taste but I prefer this very much against the hard angular style which omer went with for its Zero and Piranha masks. They look alien to me, whereas I find the appearance of the Cressi Nano comforting, taking me back to my diving beginnings. The mask is available with two accent styles; gold and green. For myself I like the gold.

Disadvantages if any, there's no room on the frame of this mask to mount a Gopro

camera. The relief in the area over the nose/middle of the mask will not allow it. The mask strap is robust and looks durable, but is a tad less stretchy that what I'd consider ideal. If this is any real concern for someone, it's easily rectified by switching it out with a compatible softer mask strap.

The Nano comes with 3 different accents, black/black, black/green, black brown, $79.99 at www.FreediveStore.com.

 

[Mr. X]

That does look like a real nice mask - although I find Cressi's masks are often significantly more expensive than other brands, perhaps because of they are used to selling in the more lucrative SCUBA market?
http://www.cressi.it/Multimedia/VideoPop.asp?v=FER_Nano&EstVideo=859

 

[Speardiver1]

Perhaps. But Cressi also have some very affordable masks. The Cressi Nano is a new entry in the Micromask class catering to a somewhat specialized market, same as the Aqua Lung Technisub Micromask which retails for about $115. It's a new mask so there are development costs to be recouped. I know what it takes to have a mask manufactured from scratch and mold costs alone run in the tens of thousands. Factor in distributors and dealers that all have to make their cut in order to make the product available to the end user, and the price goes up.

Personally I do think at $110 retail the the Cressi Nano is expensive. But if a super low volume mask that actually seals is what you need, then you gotta pay to play. Personally I don't buy into the micromask hype for my purposes (spearfishing). A low volume mask like the Speardiver Stealth mask has all the features I need in a spearfishing mask and is half the price.

 

[Mr. X]

Speardiver Stealth, described above.

Interesting point, I guess I usually don't dive that deep - so I probably don't need a micro-mask. It'd like to try some of them on though, to see how well the fit, how comfortable they are and how good their field of view is. That Speardiver Stealth also looks like a nice mask - and a much more attractive price. I haven't checked out new masks recently (still using an old-style Seacsub Combat mask currently - very happy with it, except the strap is a tad short for my big head ) - good to see designs evolving, and hopefully improving.

 

[nishthefish]

Just bought a Cressi Nano mask! Got it off a wholesaler who I know personally, for around $40 .
Fits well, quite comfortable, but i haven't gotten used to the comparatively reduced field of vision as of yet. But that's just my issue with it, that's all.

The silicone skirt looks and feels quite well made, and the buckles feel flexible and strong. Its my first low volume mask (had a high volume Cressi Sky mask before), so I cant compare it with any other low volume masks!

I've noticed something quite strange though. Every time I ascend from depth or exhale sharply, the mask makes a tiny high pitched sound, like a whistle. Its very slight, so it doesnt bother me much. I hope its not loud enough to scare away the fish though!

 

[Apneaddict]

Likely just air escaping on ascent as it expands.

Sniff in slightly to suck in the air and stop the leakage.

 

[nishthefish]

Okay. Just went for a little snorkeling/freediving in Fujairah recently.

The mask stopped making the high pitched sound every time I ascended from depth. I suppose it just needed to be used a few more times.

Great mask though. VERY comfortable (for my face, at least), and the field of view isn't as limited as I thought it would be. And it is quite hydrodynamic.

 

[xristos]

Any other feedback from the Nano ? How does it compare to Micromask?

 

[NoFair]

Been diving with a Nano a few days now and it is very close in fit and field of view to a Micromask. The skirt is nice and soft and it looks well made. I've had 3 people with small/medium faces try it and it work well with all of them. I still slightly prefer my Piranha (better field of view, fits perfectly as well). I haven't gone deep with it (it is -1 in the water here so it is pool time for me), but volume feels small.

 

[conn4000]

That does look like a real nice mask - although I find Cressi's masks are often significantly more expensive than other brands, perhaps because of they are used to selling in the more lucrative SCUBA market?
http://www.cressi.it/Multimedia/VideoPop.asp?v=FER_Nano&EstVideo=859

Hey x just noticed decathlon shops selling these for £29.99

 

[Mr. X]

Yes, I see what you mean: Nano Mask @ Decathlon

I bought a Technisub Micromask last year and really like it, it is the best mask I have used so far - perhaps a little small/narrow for my big ol' head but it works very well despite that. The Micromask has the best field of view for a bi-lens spearo mask that I have used but others posters mentioned some other masks that supposedly have an even better/wide field of view - I forget the details but I think the Sporasub mask was one of them (the relatively small lenses are apparently very close to the eyes).