Tutorial: Buy which Divingmask/ Snorkel

Divingmask

Each diver will have to try several masks before finding “his” mask.

The problem is that the mask must first be tested for sufficient underwater water before you can assess it well. For the beginning, a 10 € mask can be enough, but with an increasing diving level a good diving mask is essential.

The question is what you want to use the diving glasses for? Especially in the spearfishing area the choice is Apnoe Equipment, which is designed for deep dives. When trying on, before buying the mask you should consider the following things:

Fitting

Is the mask fitting good? Enough space for the nose? Are the nostrils free? Lower pressures in the forehead or temporal area can quickly cause headaches.

Field of view

Is it restricted? Do you see everything equally clear?

In apnea diving goggles the field of view is often smaller due to the small volume than with a snorkel mask. Unfortunately this is a compromise that you have to enter here. If the goggles have a clear rubber lip, keep in mind that when snorkeling, sunshine could disturb the eyes (that’s why I recommend black rubber lips).

Inner volume

Important as the dive depth increases, the deeper you dive the more the mask presses on the face due to the increasing water pressure. For this reason a pressure equalization in the mask is necessary from approx. 10 m depth of water, for this breathes through the nose into the mask to equalize the pressure. If the mask has too large an inner volume, you lose precious breath. Apnoemasks therefore use a very small internal volume and are therefore the measure of things.

Wearing glasses?

If it is worth the money one can get glasses with polished glasses at the optician but this is not cheap and with variable strengths, one should well consider whether it is worth the money. Over the years, our eyes unfortunately change what you should think about when you buy a polished diving mask.

Price

Sunglasses should cost a minimum of 10 €. A good Apnoemaske costs between 50 and 100 €. With increasing price, the processing quality, the glasses, the durability increases. However, I am also for many years dipped with a cheap pair of glasses, but I have noticed how much more diving quality a more expensive mask brings with it.

Anti Fog

A good pair of glasses can also be seen on the anti-fog coated glass (so-called tempered glass, on the panes of the diving glasses you find a “T”). This provides for a non-fogged and clear view. Good glasses have a sight glass made of glass and not plastic.

General advices

After purchase: Silicone is often deposited on the sight glass during the production of the mask. This can not be rubbed with yet so much rubbing and ensures a permanently fogged glasses. Insider tip: spread the glass on both sides with toothpaste and let it dry. The toothpaste absorbs the silicone and can be easily washed out after drying. This reliably removes the silicone.

Accuracy: Can be checked if you put the mask on shore. Deep inhaling through the nose, the mask draws air, it does not sit perfectly. If she sucks her face, you have found a Matching Mask.

In the water: You can simply prevent the mask from being sprayed into the mask, rubbing the spit, briefly washing the mask in the salt water, and you have wonderful undefeated sight.

Two video tutorials to remove fogging:

Remove fogging, the toothpaste methode

Remove fogging, the match methode

Snorkel

When snorkelling you can choose between many different variants. Simple snorkel consist of a bent tube and a mouthpiece. More expensive snorkel often have a blow-out valve on the mouthpiece. Dive into the beginner’s area is a snorkel with valve much more comfortable, as it allows one to get water which by spray or similar in the snorkel arrives easy blow out.

For larger dive depths (at least 15 meters), the additional water resistance hinders the dipping process, which is why simple snorkeling is often used. Finally, a snorkel must not exceed 35 cm in length and should have an internal diameter between 18 and 25 mm. If the snorkel is longer, the diver can no longer inhale against the prevailing water pressure. If the snorkel is too thick, it exceeds the breath volume. This means that no more air is exchanged with one breath, in order to supply the body with sufficient oxygen

Recommendations

The snorkel set

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For Apnoe diving