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How to select a diving mask?

The mask is firmly attached to the diver's head, with the aid of an adjustable and elastic silicone strap, the mask also includes an enclosure for the nose. Due to the wide variety of masks now available in the market, choosing a suitable one has become a bit more difficult. Here are some points to consider when selecting a diving mask.

Choose a Mask that Fits Perfectly
Make sure the skirt on the mask forms a perfect seal on your face. If the seal is not perfect, it can cause water to come into mask and cause blurred vision and fatigue. Fiddling with the mask underwater will easily cause the diver to lose a lot of energy. To find a mask that will fit your unique facial features perfectly, use these simple tests:

Put on the Mask Without Breathing: When you put on any mask for the first time, try and hold your breath. Put the diving mask on your face gently and allow it to rest on your face and then remove your hands from the mask. A suitable mask will stick to your face on its own without the need to hold it in place. However, you should not breathe in through the mask while testing it because this will naturally cause any mask to stick to your face.

Keep Hair Out of the Skirt: Be sure that your hair is not caught beneath the skirt of the mask while you are testing it. Wet your hair and push it out of your face. Put the mask on and use your fingers to confirm that there's no hair under the skirt. Any hair trapped under the skirt will prevent it from giving you a watertight seal. Thus, divers should avoid keeping beards that can interfere with their diving masks.

Check the Range of Vision: With a perfectly sealed skirt, position the strap over your head and then adjust it until your feel comfortable. Take a brief look around you: look up, down, left and right. Observe how clear and bold objects are around you. Some masks have features that improve range of vision such as low cut lenses, side windows, and single screen lenses. It is very important to be able to see objects clearly and to read vital data such as the value of your submersible pressure gauge.

Select a Wide and Durable Skirt
Manufacturers make skirts with different widths. But as a rule of thumb, you should choose a skirt with a wider width because it will provide a better seal. Also, you should select a skirt made of silicone instead of rubber. Rubber skirts are not very durable; they crack and become brittle after repeated use. But 100% silicone skirts will continue to serve you for many years.

Conclusion
With the ideas and information provided in this guide, you will be able to select a comfortable, diving mask that will fit you and provide good visibility under water. If you have any special visibility challenges, you may need to consult your physician for additional recommendations.