Snorkeling equipment: the mask

September 18, 2023

A mask is made up of one or two lenses, also known as portholes (rare models feature two side windows, for a debatable advantage), a rubber or silicone skirt, and a strapping that holds it all together, to which the strap attachments are hinged. Some models can be completely disassembled.

The first thing to do when trying on a mask is to check that it's watertight. Apply it to your face, without passing over the strap and making sure your hair doesn't get caught under the skirt. Inhale slightly. If the mask fits, the whole thing is watertight and stays in place without you having to hold it (a sort of suction-cup effect). Press lightly on the top of the mask - you shouldn't feel any painful contact with the bridge of your nose or the base of your forehead. Final check: you should be able to grasp your nose easily and pinch it to block the nostrils. We'll see later that this detail is essential for comfortable compensation. If all these conditions are met, this mask is right for you.

Internal mask volume

The volume of air between your face and the glass is called the internal volume. Generally speaking, the smaller the internal volume, the closer the glass is to your eyes.
A smaller glass with a smaller internal volume may offer an equivalent or better field of vision than a larger glass that is further from your eyes.
The size of the glass surface is therefore irrelevant; the importance of the internal volume is more decisive. We'll see later that this volume needs to be pressure-balanced when immersed.
You'll need to try out several models, making sure that the internal volume is not too great.

While there are still masks with rubber skirts, silicone is now the norm. This material offers advantages in terms of comfort and longevity. Skirts are available in black or translucent. The latter are aesthetically pleasing, giving the impression of greater luminosity and eliminating the blinkered effect seen with a black skirt. On the other hand, mainly on the surface, they create a glare effect when the sun's rays are directly perpendicular to the viewing axis. Strap attachment and adjustment points are your mask's weakest link: opt for simplicity and sturdiness, and avoid mechanisms incorporating a spring or plastic parts to support the strap's tension. Gadgets and other zany inventions are sometimes grafted onto the base of an ordinary mask. Avoid all such fanciful designs. The mask is the most important piece of your equipment. Don't skimp on comfort and safety. Whether you opt for a single- or double-glazed model, you'll want to be sure you're getting the guarantee of a recognized brand.

Protecting yourself from condensation

Spread your saliva well before rinsing with seawater.

Each time you go out, you'll need to spit into your mask, spread your saliva on the inside of the glass and then rinse it out. Saliva acts as a natural anti-fog. If you don't like this method, you can buy bottles of artificial anti-fog at any dive store. This may not be enough when the mask is new. Glass is usually covered with a thin, greasy film, a residue of the manufacturing process. If this is not removed, it will cause fogging that's hard to get rid of. First solution, the barbaric one: Pass the flame of a lighter over the lenses, inside and outside the mask, taking great care not to burn the skirt. The film burns off, leaving a blackish deposit that you can simply wipe off with a cloth. Secondly, the ecological solution: Rub both sides of the glass with half a raw potato. The starch removes the greasy film. Rinse with water. Third solution, the household solution: Clean both sides of the glass with washing-up liquid (degreaser). Rinse well to get rid of the chemical smell. Some people recommend toothpaste as an additional solution. There's nothing more annoying than having to put up with persistent fogging when you're looking at a grandiose spectacle: two precautions are better than one.

For young children

It is very difficult to find masks adapted to the face of children under the age of 4.
Often, the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip is too small to ensure a satisfactory seal.
Wearing a mask for the first time can be frightening: a feeling of confinement, breathing through the nose causing fogging or a suction cup effect!
Be educational and patient.

You can add an over-strap to your mask. This is a neoprene sheath, sold separately, which covers the strap where it grips the back of the head. The effect is twofold: greater comfort, as the strap's tension is spread over a larger surface area, and greater stability, as the strap has no tendency to slide down towards the nape of the neck. All the more useful if the mask is worn bareheaded, without a neoprene hood. Masks with lightly tinted lenses, such as those with very small internal volumes, are specific to spearfishing or deep-sea freediving. They are too specialized for regular use.

Mask with overstrap.

Maintenance

The mask is the most fragile and expensive part of your equipment. Transport it in a plastic box, rinse it after each use, and avoid leaving it lying around in the sand or exposed to direct sunlight. As far as possible, remove any mould or grains of sand that get caught between the skirt and the glass. Properly cared for, your mask will last you a good ten years.

Corrective lenses

Wearing contact lenses with a standard mask does not seem to pose any particular problems.
You can have corrective lenses fitted to your mask, in place of the original lenses. A handful of specialist opticians are able to do this perfectly for most models.
Some manufacturers offer a wide range of corrective lenses to be fitted directly onto your mask at the time of purchase.

The authors

Snorkeling guide

Emmanuelle Levasseur, Julien Collet