Mask straps - Page 2

__vader · March 30th, 2006, 11:42 PM

Man I would like to see GI's response to this one, but I think I already know the answer

Anyway I think its a bit silly, why? Be course its not an issue in the first place.
Doesn't it give you more hustle/con then actually pros?

Just my 2 cents

Hybrid · March 30th, 2006, 11:42 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Bob Cooper)

Has never happened to me.

It isn't.

Here's my take on this....

Until very recently, I was a "wear the mask strap under the hood" supporter. Now, I wear it over the top of the hood. Why? because I tried it that way and find it easier and more comfortable after years of wearing it under the hood.

I really don't see what difference it makes. The mask is a fairly important piece of kit. You need to look after it and check it thoroughly before and after every dive.

I have to admit (shock horror) that I don't carry a spare mask on most of my dives.

I used to never carry a spare mask either, I thought that it was simple piece of equipment that wouldn't break, or give me any hassle. This was the way for MANY dives, then at 6m on a deco stop, I went to clear a bit of water in the mask, and when I replaced it filled up with water quite quickly. I thought I just had caught my hood in the seal, so cleared my mask again, this time I worked out that something seriously wrong with the mask. The frame had clicked out and allowing water to flow in. My buddy quickly noticed that I has a problem. He DID carry a spare, which he gave me, which was great, so I could continue the deco stop, see my BT, and the dive continued to plan. I'm not sure what happened to the mask, if has been bashed by some other equipment, causing the unclicking of the plastic - but once on the surface the mask simply clicked together, and I'm still diving it today. But now carry a spare mask ALL the time. Having your sight bascially taken away is NOT a good feeling. If you have a good pocket, then having a low volume spare mask, on a double ender is not a big deal. It should be included in your kit.

The down side of using the spare mask is it fogs up ALL the time...ugh... but still better than no mask.

***EBT*** · March 31st, 2006, 12:54 AM

Interesting. So no one uses the air bubble trick nowadays?

<smiles>

SeaJay · March 31st, 2006, 04:43 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by EBT)

Do you wanna tell (Vikings that they're not DIR)? I mean granted a longboat isnt a very fast pursuit mechanism, but those horned helmets and beserker techniques would worry me!

Hahahahahahaaa!!! Damn that's funny. :D Glad to see humor. I didn't realize that my article - which is about mask straps, not whether to tuck or not, by the way - would raise such controversy.

But hey, I stand behind my placing of the mask strap UNDER the hood - It's more streamlined, conforms better to Rule #6, and I don't have to readjust it seasonally to wrap around an extra 24mm of hood (which comes to something like an extra 50mm in circumference around the head!)

...And despite what some people have found, I have found that it's not a problem to pull your mask off, if you really want it off. The strap will still slide up and over your head if you really want it off. To put it back on, simply slide the hood down enough to replace the mask, do so, and then replace the hood. You'll live. Quit whining. :D

Meanwhile, I believe that the cleaner appearance, extra security, and simpler system that doesn't have to be changed with season or location is more in line with DIR philosophy. That's simply my opinion, however - I've never been trained one way or the other, and have no idea what GUE's stance is on it.

My bet is that they really don't care one way or the other.

Of course, my opinion may be influenced by the fact that I spend a lot more time offshore than in springs - 6' seas and weird surges around wrecks do tend to rip things from your body that aren't firmly attached. :D

...And drop a mask in 300' of water on exit - or over even a shallow wreck where you're not likely to find it - and it's more than an "inconvenience" - it's a real sucky situation.

Hybrid · March 31st, 2006, 04:50 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by EBT)

Interesting. So no one uses the air bubble trick nowadays?

<smiles>

Ha....That old wives tale still alive! :D :D

sasdasdaf · March 31st, 2006, 05:48 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by SeaJay)

That's simply my opinion, however - I've never been trained one way or the other, and have no idea what GUE's stance is on it.

My bet is that they really don't care one way or the other.

There was a heated discussion some time ago, I think on the Quest list, about this. The GUE stance was to have the mask outside of the hood.

Devon Rob · March 31st, 2006, 06:46 AM

I spent years wearing my hood inside my mask, but now I have a spare hood on every dive
Devon Rob

***EBT*** · March 31st, 2006, 08:54 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Hybrid)

Ha....That old wives tale still alive! :D :D

I guess that makes me an old woman then, since I see it as a skill to add to the armoury and have successfully used it in the sea with 5mm Neoprene gloves on.

Of course its not as good as a spare mask, but then its a hell of a lot less bulky too and you'll find it hard to forget your hands

JeffG · March 31st, 2006, 08:57 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by SeaJay)

<snip>

How are those world records coming along?

Ahmed Adly, Marlin Inn DC · March 31st, 2006, 11:52 AM

Hey there buddy.

It took me years of denial. I hesitated for months after I was convinced and finally pulled a neoprene strap from my store disply and installed it on my venerable no-name mask.

Neoprene Mask straps rock the house. And they RULE too!

Common man, they only cost about 5 bucks.

March 30th, 2006, 11:42 PM	#11 (permalink)
__vader(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Denmark Posts: 87	Man I would like to see GI's response to this one, but I think I already know the answer Anyway I think its a bit silly, why? Be course its not an issue in the first place. Doesn't it give you more hustle/con then actually pros? Just my 2 cents __________________ All the best Ilhan Vardar "Vi gør det på den Norske metode - Jonas Lüttichau" Last edited by __vader; March 30th, 2006 at 11:49 PM.

March 31st, 2006, 04:43 AM	#14 (permalink)
SeaJay(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Beaufort, SC, USA Posts: 165	Quote: (Originally Posted by EBT) Do you wanna tell (Vikings that they're not DIR)? I mean granted a longboat isnt a very fast pursuit mechanism, but those horned helmets and beserker techniques would worry me! Hahahahahahaaa!!! Damn that's funny. :D Glad to see humor. I didn't realize that my article - which is about mask straps, not whether to tuck or not, by the way - would raise such controversy. But hey, I stand behind my placing of the mask strap UNDER the hood - It's more streamlined, conforms better to Rule #6, and I don't have to readjust it seasonally to wrap around an extra 24mm of hood (which comes to something like an extra 50mm in circumference around the head!) ...And despite what some people have found, I have found that it's not a problem to pull your mask off, if you really want it off. The strap will still slide up and over your head if you really want it off. To put it back on, simply slide the hood down enough to replace the mask, do so, and then replace the hood. You'll live. Quit whining. :D Meanwhile, I believe that the cleaner appearance, extra security, and simpler system that doesn't have to be changed with season or location is more in line with DIR philosophy. That's simply my opinion, however - I've never been trained one way or the other, and have no idea what GUE's stance is on it. My bet is that they really don't care one way or the other. Of course, my opinion may be influenced by the fact that I spend a lot more time offshore than in springs - 6' seas and weird surges around wrecks do tend to rip things from your body that aren't firmly attached. :D ...And drop a mask in 300' of water on exit - or over even a shallow wreck where you're not likely to find it - and it's more than an "inconvenience" - it's a real sucky situation. Last edited by SeaJay; March 31st, 2006 at 04:54 AM.

March 31st, 2006, 06:46 AM	#17 (permalink)
Devon Rob(Offline) Can´t remember-member Asteroids Champion! Moon Lander Champion! Pacman Champion! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lyme Bay.Devon.UK formerly Hamburg, Ger. Posts: 327	I spent years wearing my hood inside my mask, but now I have a spare hood on every dive Devon Rob __________________ this mail was checked for viruses,worms & bad breath

March 30th, 2006, 11:42 PM	#12 (permalink)
Hybrid(Offline) New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 54	Quote: (Originally Posted by Bob Cooper) Has never happened to me. It isn't. Here's my take on this.... Until very recently, I was a "wear the mask strap under the hood" supporter. Now, I wear it over the top of the hood. Why? because I tried it that way and find it easier and more comfortable after years of wearing it under the hood. I really don't see what difference it makes. The mask is a fairly important piece of kit. You need to look after it and check it thoroughly before and after every dive. I have to admit (shock horror) that I don't carry a spare mask on most of my dives. I used to never carry a spare mask either, I thought that it was simple piece of equipment that wouldn't break, or give me any hassle. This was the way for MANY dives, then at 6m on a deco stop, I went to clear a bit of water in the mask, and when I replaced it filled up with water quite quickly. I thought I just had caught my hood in the seal, so cleared my mask again, this time I worked out that something seriously wrong with the mask. The frame had clicked out and allowing water to flow in. My buddy quickly noticed that I has a problem. He DID carry a spare, which he gave me, which was great, so I could continue the deco stop, see my BT, and the dive continued to plan. I'm not sure what happened to the mask, if has been bashed by some other equipment, causing the unclicking of the plastic - but once on the surface the mask simply clicked together, and I'm still diving it today. But now carry a spare mask ALL the time. Having your sight bascially taken away is NOT a good feeling. If you have a good pocket, then having a low volume spare mask, on a double ender is not a big deal. It should be included in your kit. The down side of using the spare mask is it fogs up ALL the time...ugh... but still better than no mask.

March 31st, 2006, 12:54 AM	#13 (permalink)
*EBT*(Offline) Just another crouton... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 420	Interesting. So no one uses the air bubble trick nowadays? <smiles>

March 31st, 2006, 04:50 AM	#15 (permalink)
Hybrid(Offline) New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 54	Quote: (Originally Posted by EBT) Interesting. So no one uses the air bubble trick nowadays? <smiles> Ha....That old wives tale still alive! :D :D

March 31st, 2006, 05:48 AM	#16 (permalink)
sasdasdaf(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 388	Quote: (Originally Posted by SeaJay) That's simply my opinion, however - I've never been trained one way or the other, and have no idea what GUE's stance is on it. My bet is that they really don't care one way or the other. There was a heated discussion some time ago, I think on the Quest list, about this. The GUE stance was to have the mask outside of the hood.

March 31st, 2006, 08:54 AM	#18 (permalink)
*EBT*(Offline) Just another crouton... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 420	Quote: (Originally Posted by Hybrid) Ha....That old wives tale still alive! :D :D I guess that makes me an old woman then, since I see it as a skill to add to the armoury and have successfully used it in the sea with 5mm Neoprene gloves on. Of course its not as good as a spare mask, but then its a hell of a lot less bulky too and you'll find it hard to forget your hands

March 31st, 2006, 08:57 AM	#19 (permalink)
JeffG(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 69	Quote: (Originally Posted by SeaJay) <snip> How are those world records coming along?

March 31st, 2006, 11:52 AM	#20 (permalink)
Ahmed Adly, Marlin Inn DC(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: hurghada Posts: 864	Hey there buddy. It took me years of denial. I hesitated for months after I was convinced and finally pulled a neoprene strap from my store disply and installed it on my venerable no-name mask. Neoprene Mask straps rock the house. And they RULE too! Common man, they only cost about 5 bucks.