Pro and cons of full face mask

G1sammons

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Dec 26, 2012
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What r the pro and cons of using a full face mask?
I dive alot and have never used one and probaly don't need it for my self ....
But one of the fellas who dives with us doesn't have many teeth left and has issues with a regulator!
Because of this he has very limited dives ! I thought this might be his ticked to longer dives as he does enjoy dredging?
 

Reed Lukens

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DSCF0017.jpg
Here's my son with his back in 05. You can buy them cheap on amazon or ebay. That should solve his problem. He can breathe through his nose or mouth like normal. i've had one for years, they keep your face warm in cold water also.
scuba full face mask | eBay
 

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minerrick

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I use both OTS Guardian and Kirby Morgan full face masks and will never go back to normal face masks. My mouth gets too dry after a few hours underwater, but with the full face masks, I am breathing through my nose and dry mouth is not a problem. Not to mention the masks are pressurized, so no water sloshes around in them while I am using them. Next thing to get is underwater comm's (just kidding).
 

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G1sammons

G1sammons

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minerrick said:
I use both OTS Guardian and Kirby Morgan full face masks and will never go back to normal face masks. My mouth gets too dry after a few hours underwater, but with the full face masks, I am breathing through my nose and dry mouth is not a problem. Not to mention the masks are pressurized, so no water sloshes around in them while I am using them. Next thing to get is underwater comm's (just kidding).

Just bought a ots with a buddy phone... Waiting on shipping
I thought about getting a Neptune also ...
I dive alot and hate the dry mouth and throat thing also and glad to hear this will bring a end to it!
I feel like the comm units are a safety thing plus a great convience .
You never think how easy it is just to be able to say help! Or how that one word could make all the difference under water!

Thanks for the great info

One more question does it make it easer to equalize ? With a pressured mask?
 

bill-costa rica

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and that is a cheap one !!!! take a look at the kirby with com ................we don,t need that good of a mask. the one that reed linked to is what i have used for years. ever had a head ache from ice cream ???? 10 times worse in cold water if you don,t have a full face mask.

bill/cr
 

Reed Lukens

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Hey Rick :) Welcome my friend :hello:
Still to me, the only problem with a full face mask is when your partner has a terrible sense of humor and farts into the intake. The next thing you know your eyes are crying, you take in a full blown straight shot of intestinal exhaust right up your nose and you can feel it sticking to your face, you can't breathe or even take a breath because of the cloud inside your mask, you come jumping up out of the water as fast as you can, just to see your partner rolling on the ground laughing his gas off :) and they can be a pain to get off in a hurry
:occasion18:

How do I know this? It was pay back time & I won :toothy2:
It took about 20 seconds for the blast to go through the air line and fill the system, hahaha
 

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G1sammons

G1sammons

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bill-costa rica said:
and that is a cheap one !!!! take a look at the kirby with com ................we don,t need that good of a mask. the one that reed linked to is what i have used for years. ever had a head ache from ice cream ???? 10 times worse in cold water if you don,t have a full face mask.

bill/cr

Checked out the Kirby but didnt find a price on them...
They don't look like much ...
 

charlotte49er

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I had an Ocean Reef Neptune II with my Keene 3" Ultra Mini with a KAC1 air pump. It was great! It even allowed an intercom system to be hooked up if I choose. It also had an insert that I could have taken to a Optometrist and get lens installed with my glasses prescription. Ocean Reef Neptune II | eBay As a former certified diver, it was a great mask to wear. $400, not cheap though.
 

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G1sammons

G1sammons

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I now have my second ots one has a buddy phone the other will have to wait untill I get a chance to find one on eBay

After planing to buy a canister light I choked on the price and I'm gona take a chance on a 10 watt led that waterproof. Ill add to the waterproofing and run a wire down from the dredge !
Thanks for the input
 

Reed Lukens

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I have lots of underwater lights but depending on the depth of the water at night a couple of car headlights mounted in styrofoam on a battery powered system really put out. You can buy them as underwater lights at any boat shop. I never took pictures of that operation because at night they don't turn out but between the wrist mounted or hand helds on you and the underwater lights beaming down on you from above, we really had great light set ups and the fish would swarm so thick at night off of the back of the dredge that you would have to push your way through them because they would pack themselves so tightly around the lights at night. It was scary at first until you realized how addicted they were to the food coming off of the dredge at night.
 

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G1sammons

G1sammons

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Well iv got some dive time with the ots both with the low presure and the normal regulator...

There's simply no comparison the comfort levels are a huge difference alone
Also had chance to use that frog face monster mask and could see where it would help in the cold but other than that don't care for it much!
The comm units are difficult to hear but they do work .

But my opinion is the full face are much safer and much more comfortable and would recommend to anyone .
Much easer to breath but your gona need at least 60 psi on your hookah!
 

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