The first piece of your scuba equipment is a scuba mask. But there are so many masks out there… Which one is good or bad, which is fitting right? This is why we made a guide, how to choose your scuba mask or snorkel mask in 4 easy steps!
The Scuba Mask or Snorkel mask is the first piece scuba equipment what you normally get.
Step 1: Does the Scuba Mask fits me?
The first thing you want to accomplish is the fit of a Scuba mask. First you don’t look at looks of the mask. You want one that fits right and isn’t leaking any water. But how?
Well, the best thing you can do is try them in the water. Take several masks and go diving. But sometimes this isn’t a option so there is a little trick for it. Just put the diving mask on your face without the silicon strap and just inhale air through your nose. The scuba mask needs to suck on your face and stays there. You don’t want to have any air leaking in your mask. Well a video is better then thousand words so click on the video on top of this page.
When you find a scuba mask that isn’t leaking any air in the mask. You have to look if you have enough space between your lip and the mask. If that isn’t the case it will leak water in your scuba mask when you put your snorkel or regulator in. Also check if the silicon of the mask isn’t touching your hairline. A really nice mask which almost everyone fits is the Aqua Lung Reveal X2
Which scuba mask is good?! check out our reviews.
Black or Transparent? Which color Silicon?
Okay, you have several masks which are fitting correctly. So now you can look to which one you like. Black or transparent silicon, which one is better? I’m really fan of the black silicon because it’s really nice on the eyes, it works like a sunglasses. The second reason i love black silicon is it doesn’t discolored like the transparent silicon. You have seen those discolored masks, it looks like someone was smoking in the mask for several years, so brown.
Double lens or a Single Lens?
Nowadays it doesn’t matter anymore if you have a single lens or a double lens. In the early days the single lens dive masks has a bigger view because you also have glas above your nose and it was low volume. Low volume means that the glass is closer to your eyes then a high volume mask. The double lens masks where almost every time a high volume mask. Nowadays also the double lens masks are low volume so also a big field of vision.
The only thing you need to think about is if you want prescription lenses in your scuba mask. When you need prescription lenses you need to go for a double lens snorkel mask. Check out the Tusa Paragon with special glas in it!
HIGH or LOW volume?! What?
High or low volume, what is it. As i mention in the paragraph above a low volume mask has the glas closer to your eyes. This means you have a bigger field of view and it’s easier to clear your mask from water. The downside is that you need to equalize your mask more often when you’re descending. But still always choose for a low volume mask.
BONUS TIP!
Check the video for the bonus tip on the end! 😉
