Full Face Snorkle Mask

[rbrentp]

My wife has the double whammy: TMS and asthma. So we bought one and took it snorkeling. She had trouble drawing air.
So we switched and I tried it. Visibility great, fit great and for floating and looking it was perfect. In trying to swim from spot to spot I found that breathing was hard. So closer examination showed the actual air passage was about half of a good snorkel so it took a lot more effort to inhale. So if you are a floater they are great.
I have read of a second gen trying to address the issue but cannot now find the articles. However there must be twenty different brands now.
Brent

[Leo Ticheli]

My opinion is based on actual use; I like mine very much and so do all my friends who have tried it. The masks can be had for around forty bucks, so giving one a try won't break the bank.

The mask does have a rather large volume of air, so you probably won't dive more than eight or so feet. It does seem that breathing is a little more difficult, but for cruising around on or near the surface it's more comfortable to me than a regular snorkel and mask. Visibility is excellent, I can wear my wire-rimmed glasses, and my very short beard presents no leak problem.

Fair winds,
Leo

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Speculation is always welcome here on the forum but I was asking if anyone had ACTUALLY TRIED one of these things and could offer up FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE because, well, speculation, you know...
.

I tried a friend's one briefly. It worked well. I expected fogging issues, but none. The fresh air is drawn in over the glass, expired air leaves by a separate path. There are two tubes in the snorkel, so "rebreathing" stale air doesn't happen.

It's very good for people who can't handle having to breathe through the mouth only, which was her issue. It's a recreational snorkelling setup. Not suited or intended for free diving record attempts....

[LLizzard]

My friends just got back from USVI where they tried their new full face masks. the wife loved it, but she stays on the surface. The husband said he could not go down more than a few feet due to the air volume and no way to effectively equalize his ears. Yawning or swallowing does not work for me, I must pinch and blow, so not for me

[downunder]

For shallow water/ swimming on the surface and very shallow diving (maybe 5-10ft) they would proberbly be good particually for someone who is nervous and has problems in the water.

For extensive free diving they would be terrible. For instance lets say the internal air volume is 1 litre then to dive to 10m you would have to put in 1 litre of air from your lungs or have the mask crushed up on your face and eves popping out.

Thats why free diving masks have minimal air volume.

It also would be relatively expensive if made of good materials.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

This is not a new concept. I used one when I was a boy in the mid 50's. In fact Sandra Dee used a full face 2 snorkel mask in the 1959 film Gidget. I don't remember any special problems using it. Of course no beard then.

I don't recall Sandra Dee ever having a beard

[LLizzard]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

I don't recall Sandra Dee ever having a beard

Ya know, it's answers like that ,that keeping me coming back to CF!
too funny!

[Privleoplag]

you know, sometimes it's all about the look, and these things are dang ugly.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by LLizzard

Ya know, it's answers like that ,that keeping me coming back to CF!
too funny!

[Rorzech]

I've always been deep in the water holding my breath for long periods and pop up and blow the tube like a whale , take a few breaths and go back down. I don't see how there could be a build up of Co2. I see a problem of having to hold the mask tight to blow the water out. But I guess the tube is supposed to stay dry as a bone with some sort of check valve so blowing the water out is a non issue. I still can't see the Co2 being an issue. Like sea mammals dive to great depths and never get the bends because they do it on one breath and don't get the nitrogen build up . I'd hate to be down only twenty feet and have my tube leaking salt water in my nose. Just saying. We'll get the goods on them sooner or later.

[Viking Sailor]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

I don't recall Sandra Dee ever having a beard

Here is a photo of Sandra and her mask.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-saF-9X94iW...s_swimming.jpg

[tstano]

Since I'm not hanging out with Skip at Mr. Manatees, I've been losing weight and those hollow cheeks make it hard to get a seal with any mask. Cruising friends have been using their full face masks and enjoy them. Good point about air exchange, it has to be adequate. I trim the facial hair since I look good either way that's not an issue. The laugh lines around the eyes are getting deeper so I might have to use a different foundation before snorkeling. Like the other responses.


All U Get

[TeddyDiver]

Just a reminder those things are dangerous if not used well inside their limits. If you are untrained for diving and snorkeling physics there's no way to know what the limits are..

BR Teddy

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

I've always been deep in the water holding my breath for long periods and pop up and blow the tube like a whale , take a few breaths and go back down. I don't see how there could be a build up of Co2. I see a problem of having to hold the mask tight to blow the water out. But I guess the tube is supposed to stay dry as a bone with some sort of check valve so blowing the water out is a non issue. I still can't see the Co2 being an issue. Like sea mammals dive to great depths and never get the bends because they do it on one breath and don't get the nitrogen build up . I'd hate to be down only twenty feet and have my tube leaking salt water in my nose. Just saying. We'll get the goods on them sooner or later.

Actually there have been cases reported of bends in conch divers from Central America. They would dive all day for conch to depths 60-100' and would build up enough N2 in their system to get bent.

The CO2 buildup is due to the large volume of the mask which results in rebreathing a lot of your exhaled breath. For snorkeling it's not something that is usually dangerous or deadly. If you breath deeply and exhale forcefully that will minimize the potential but it's still there. Swimming on the surface with little exertion and shallow breathing for a long time it will have the potential to build more CO2 in your system but again, not something that will kill you.

[Scrimshaw4]

We have them and they work great for SURFACE snorkeling. Make sure you get the right size for each of you. Facial hair doesn't allow a proper seal so make sure you shave before using.