How to choose a mask that’s right for you… Part Two!

coverSo last week we talked about finding a mask that fits you properly. Now lets get into all the different types of masks available

If you have been into a dive shop before, you’ll notice that there a crazy amount of colors and color combinations you can choose from; Pink, Blue, Yellow, Orange, etc… There are so many, it can be overwhelming if color is high up on your list when buying a mask. For most divers though, color is one of the last things that matter.

A more important thing would be something like mask skirt color. For those of you who are scratching your head wondering what I could be talking about, (No, it’s not a pretty thing you stick on to your mask if you are going for a night out.) =D It’s the silicon rubber part of the mask that actually creates the seal by conforming to your facial features. There are generally two kinds of skirting on masks; Clear and Black. Lets run through some of the pros and cons of these two types of skirting.

Bio metal

Clear Skirt

Pros: Some people prefer to be able to have some sort of peripheral vision with their mask so they do not have to turn their heads so much to check and see if their buddy is still next to them. However since you are looking through silicon you will not get a clear image of what’s next to you, but you will be able to see a general shape.

Cons: Depending on how well you care for your mask, clear skirts tend to yellow over long periods of time. this might not be an issue for some but for a lot of people they want their mask to stay looking nice (because it can be a somewhat costly investment.) Also when diving, some divers complain that excess light coming through the skirt create glare.


beetle

Black Skirt

Pros: When diving, you will not get the excess light coming through the skirt creating glare. Also the skirts color will not become discolored. If you are self conscious about your looks through a mask, this skirt helps to “mask” your features. =D no pun intended.

Cons: You will have tunnel vision with this skirt because it does not let any light through, this can also create a feel of being confined and might be uncomfortable for anyone claustrophobic.

After you have narrowed it down from a clear skirt or a black skirt, lets move on to:

Single lens VS. Double lens  

Bubo

Taking looks out of the equation there is not too much difference between the two. When you first start wearing the mask you might notice the center part of the frame and you might find it a bit of an annoyance. But in time as you wear it more your brain will actually start to tune it out. Sort of like how you are constantly seeing your nose, though your brain tunes it out over time. It is very similar with your mask!

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There is a downside to single lens though. If you are thinking of getting prescription lenses implemented into your mask you will have to rule the single lens mask out.

If you are looking into prescriptive lenses, then I recommend going -0.5 degrees lower than your actual prescription. The refraction of light through water will actually magnify things a bit, making them appear larger and -0.5 degrees is about right to accommodate this.

VaderFinally we’ll move on to:

Tinted/UV-protected lenses

(The majority of most tinted lenses do offer UV protection as well but only a little bit. There are lenses that will completely filter out UV rays basically like underwater sunglasses. But these masks aren’t absolutely necessary unless you plan to wear your mask as sunglasses. And you must admit, they look pretty damn cool =D)

Naida

For tinted lenses, depending on the color of the tint will actually help bring color at greater depths. I’m sure you’ve noticed that underwater photos usually look so blue (sometimes green/turquoise). Water absorbs colors of the light spectrum as light rays travel through the water, and this is called absorption. Red is the first color absorbed, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Yellow starts to get absorbed at about ten to twenty metres, so as a diver a yellow tint would be most suited towards you! A yellow-tinted mask then would put yellow back into the picture, making coral and marine life appear more vibrant.

After you go through all these steps and you have picked your idea of a perfect mask, you will then need to remove the chemical film that is left on the lenses. If you don’t, your mask will constantly fog up no matter what you do. There are a few ways you can fix this. One is by buying commercial mask scrub and applying as instructed. A cheaper way would be to use non gel toothpaste to gently rub off the film. Finally the cheapest way but more risky would be to use a lighter to burn the film off. You will actually be able to see the film burn off.

Here at Eko, we’ve got a wide range of masks to fit almost all face shapes. We’ve picked three to showcase here (:

Coco2The Gull Coco

One of the top picks with the ladies =)

  • Suitable for divers with small faces;

  • Single lens for wide angle, unobstructed vision;

  • More comfortable design with 100% soft silicone skirt and strap gives you a comfortable seal and no ring will be left on your face

  • Comes in many pretty colours!

Check it out here!

Apollo Bio metal

One of the most highly-engineered masks.

Bio metal 2

  • Specially designed to minimize gap between the two lenses

  • Angled slightly down to increase vertical field of view to a phenomenal 120°

  • Silicone skirt treated to significantly reduce bacteria build up

  • Made out of the highest quality surgical silicone

  • Built-in drainage channels allow divers to clear their mask without using their hands!

Check it out here!

GIF part 3Aropec Beetle

Our best seller here at eko because it’s cheap and good!

  • Affordable

  • Prescriptive lens available from -2.0 to -7.0

  • Fits a wide variety of faces

  • Comes in black/black, grey/black, blue/clear and pink/clear

Check it out here!

Visit our store to check out the other masks we have (: We’re more than happy to help you choose the right mask for you, and we know all the masks in here very well because we personally use the same masks to dive. So come on down and try on all our masks!

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