The ultimate low volume 'mask', Pipe goggles !

[growingupninja]

I tried it out yesterday in the swimming pool and it worked well; takes just a tiny puff of air to eq it. I had to be careful with it as it does leak if I just jam it over my head, but it's just the way the goggles fit and not the piping I added. Once they are fitted properly they don't leak. I had tried it in Florida while spearing and didn't like it but those were more hostile conditions and not really suitable for using a new piece of gear. I may try it in home waters this weekend. I am still thinking about how to fashion the nose piece...

 

[skygear]

My PipeGoggles are partly inspired by Wal’s design.

Took me about 10 minutes and cost less than 5 bucks, excluding the goggles.

I used:

• AquaSphere Kaiman Goggles
• 4mm plastic tubing (windscreen washer system part, available from auto store)
• “T” connector (windscreen washer system part, available from auto store)
• Rotating leather punch. Ensure the punch is “hollow”.
• Set of pliers
• Scissors

Method:

• Punch 3mm holes toward outside of each lens. Sharp edge of punch on outer side of lens.
• Trim ends of tubes on an angle, like the end of a hypodermic needle.
• Gently pull these ends through the 3mm lens holes with a set of pliers.
• The hole should be slightly smaller in diameter than the tubes. This way the tubes will be “constricted”, making them water and airtight.
• If hole is too small, make larger by carefully inserting and twisting punch.
• Trim the pointy end off so you don’t poke your eye out,
• Attach “T” connector and mouthpiece
• Trim all tubes so that the “T” connector sits just above your upper lip
• TEST!

The advantages I can see of this design are:

• Theoretically, an even distribution of air to each eye
• No glue required
• Simple

Tested them to -5m, no leaks. Now I just need to get a noseclip!

Just one of those "if it can happen it will" moments here. Personally, a side entry would be the best in my opinion. I can see you 'spitting' into your eyes by accident or if the pipe comes out of your mouth for whatever reason, or having salt water spray you in your eyes. From the sides you dont have the 'in your eye' direct issue.

Some ways to seal for everyone here,.

get some sand paper and rough up the tube a little on the ends. Do the same for the plastic area the pipe will be going into.

I found after making the hole, twisting a piece of the sandpaper so it fits into the hole is the way to go. Once its in the hole, let the sand paper unravel a little so its slightly bigger than the hole and overlaps the plastic 1/8-1/16 of an inch. This way you can sand the area and not accidentally hit the lense or make a mess with excess scratches on the surface of the material.

Now you can use some clear 100% Anti Mold Shower silicone in the 15-30 minute version. (or whatever you prefer) Put a small drop on your finger and put a finite amount evenly coating the end of the pipes where you sanded and insert them into the holes. Leave just a little excess so when you slide the pipes in, the holes scrape the excess off forming a ring. Let them dry and proceed further in whatever direction you prefer for the equalization.

There should be no need to silicone the inside of the goggle where the tube came through. If you leave 1/16-1/8 of tube pertruding on the interior, there should be enough silicone from where you pushed it through to bond it to the plastic on/in the lip/ wall of the hole.

 

[growingupninja]

Here is my take.. Later this week I will take it out to the ocean test it on some middling deep drops. And my buddies will no doubt tell me I look like a diving pig. I molded the nose plugs from Sugru (cool stuff, goggle it). Won't work if you pinch and blow to eq... My first iteration of pipe goggles worked but I didn't like having to EQ through a mouth tube (I don't even use a snorkel when spearing/diving), and whenever I was inverted I had to either exhale or flood my sinuses... So: Pipe goggles with the EQ integrated into a nose plug.