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newbie mask/goggle question

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Shannon R

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Jun 21, 2024
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So I've covered wetsuit and fins questions for far, (thanks for all of the great responses!) and now comes the mask/goggles...

I'm only going to be diving up to 50 ft (so I say now, but we'll see, at least its what I'm telling my partner who is worried about me getting involved in this sport! :), and that's the limit in our river anyway where I'm doing my main diving, and really I'm more interested in staying down longer underwater for maybe getting into spearfishing or seafood gathering, etc, than going really deep.

So far I've been using a pair of goggles but only gone down about 25-30 ft, so get a bit of pressure but not too bad. They aren't great goggles for keeping water out and they bite around the eyes. i don't really like snorkel masks since I don't like my nose being covered up. I had a swim mask once (like snorkel mask, smaller, without the nose covered), and liked that but it didn't last long. So I'm trying to find a decent quality swim mask or good quality goggles that don't bite around the eyes. I'm just learning about freediving goggles and the equalization thing, but I am guessing for up to 50 ft I won't really need those specialized ones?

Any thoughts on what would be adequate for shallower depths? I like having a wider field of vision which my current Swedish style goggles offer, so I think a swim mask would be good, but so far just finding ones with bad reviews about leakage and breaking easily, etc.

Any suggestions appreciated! :)
 
The best way to avoid a leaky diving mask is to try it on at the retail outlet in advance of purchase. Place the mask on the face without attaching the straps, inhale through your nose to generate a partial vacuum inside the mask and see whether the mask stays in place without being supported by your hands. If the mask remains where it is, you may have found a good fit for your face, but there are no guarantees until you get into the water. We all have differently-dimensioned faces, so there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all mask, whatever manufacturers may claim.

As for nose coverage, one type of freediving/spearfishing masks to be offered during the early 1950s was the monogoggle:

1658315349567-jpeg.734178
The Asteria model above made by Nemrod of Spain came with bulbs on either side to squeeze air into the interior, equalise pressure and prevent mask collapse at depth. As you can see, the nose is excluded from the mask. It went out of production in the middle of the last century, ceding the ground to nose-enclosing masks. That nasal enclosure does not necessarily involve a nose pocket, however, where the nose is hidden within a soft recess that can be pinched from the outside to clear the ears.
 
Thank you for this!
It seems like the hecktometer or Evolve FREEQ might be the only way to go if I don't want my nose covered. After more research I am learning that even going to 30-50 ft. there are enough pressure changes to merit having to equalize. While I don't prefer regular goggles usually I may prefer them over a diving mask. Esp. for saving air. Just searching the forum to check on people's experience with these. They definitely look interesting. Sadly I am nowhere near any dive shops that have freediving masks to try on so I have to do my trial and error through online ordering.
 
If you're going to dive to 50 feet or anywhere close you need a mask that covers your nose and lets you exhale into the mask. There must be a reason that I've never seen anyone use anything else.
 
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What is the reason you do not want a full mask, want to be able to breath with you nose as soon as you are out of the water? Were you planning on using a nose clip or dive without anything over your nose at all? There are a ton of masks out there and I have tried/bought a lot of them, if you have any fit questions about a mask feel free to ask. Do you have a wide face, long nose, high nasal bridge?
 
The best way to avoid a leaky diving mask is to try it on at the retail outlet in advance of purchase. Place the mask on the face without attaching the straps, inhale through your nose to generate a partial vacuum inside the mask and see whether the mask stays in place without being supported by your hands. If the mask remains where it is, you may have found a good fit for your face, but there are no guarantees until you get into the water. We all have differently-dimensioned faces, so there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all mask, whatever manufacturers may claim.

As for nose coverage, one type of freediving/spearfishing masks to be offered during the early 1950s was the monogoggle:

1658315349567-jpeg.734178
The Asteria model above made by Nemrod of Spain came with bulbs on either side to squeeze air into the interior, equalise pressure and prevent mask collapse at depth. As you can see, the nose is excluded from the mask. It went out of production in the middle of the last century, ceding the ground to nose-enclosing masks. That nasal enclosure does not necessarily involve a nose pocket, however, where the nose is hidden within a soft recess that can be pinched from the outside to clear the ears.
@DRW that is such a great post and photo!!! Do you actually have that mask? So. Cool.
 
What is the reason you do not want a full mask, want to be able to breath with you nose as soon as you are out of the water? Were you planning on using a nose clip or dive without anything over your nose at all? There are a ton of masks out there and I have tried/bought a lot of them, if you have any fit questions about a mask feel free to ask. Do you have a wide face, long nose, high nasal bridge?
Thanks, sorry I missed your response here.

I realize my main reason is I don't want to have to blow water into the mask to equalize (and the masks are heavy/bulky). I'm realizing that I prefer goggles even though I said I don't love goggles (pinching into delicate skin around the eyes) but now that I understand the choice is between equalizing through mask wearing with the nose covered and self-equalizing goggles, I'm thinking I'd prefer the latter. I have a long, thin nose, not sure if my face is very wide, but my eyes are set apart maybe wider than most, but not very wide apart either. My nasal bridge might be considered a bit high....

I've been diving with crappy goggles instead of my dive mask this summer since I realized I hate dealing with the dive mask. I also like to pinch my nose with my hand (I'm also using a nose clip now, but find I still pinch it for equalizing out my ears) and I notice I immediately take off the nose clip when I surface to breathe through my nose (easier than taking off the mask). I've been letting my goggles fill with water a little (wearing them loosely) to avoid mask squeeze though I noticed a little of that still happening. Not sure what depths I'm making it to yet. Probably between 30-40 ft so far.

So now I'm trying to find info on freediving goggles, and see there are fluid-filled ones and the Hektometer/Evolv-Freeq that are similar, but I can't find any Hektometers for sale, only pre-order availble for the 2.0 version but no clue as to how long the wait it and I read bad reviews about the Evolv-Freeq. Anyone have suggestions in the goggle department? Tried the fluid ones or know where to buy Hektometers? Thank you!
 
I notice I immediately take off the nose clip when I surface to breathe through my nose (easier than taking off the mask). I
But you don't have to take off either one. Why not just breathe through your mouth? You're trying to reinvent the wheel. Millions of divers wear masks and breath through snorkels in their mouths before they dive, spit out the snorkel as they start the dive, and breath through their mouths when the surface. Why not give it a try?
 
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But you don't have to take off either one. Why not just breathe through your mouth? You're trying to reinvent the wheel. Millions of divers wear masks and breath through snorkels in their mouths before they dive, spit out the snorkel as they start the dive, and breath through their mouths when the surface. Why not give it a try?
I know sounds crazy. I do breathe through my mouth too but doesn't seem like enough, or not as comfortable, not sure. I've also done plenty of snorkeling and mask wearing but really dislike it. So I've definitely tried it. Maybe I've not had a comfortable/good enough mask. But I still think I'll prefer the goggles option...
 
...
So now I'm trying to find info on freediving goggles, and see there are fluid-filled ones and the Hektometer/Evolv-Freeq that are similar, but I can't find any Hektometers for sale, only pre-order availble for the 2.0 version but no clue as to how long the wait it and I read bad reviews about the Evolv-Freeq. Anyone have suggestions in the goggle department? Tried the fluid ones or know where to buy Hektometers? Thank you!
If you're feeling brave, you could try making your own...
:cool:
 
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