Full Face Snorkle Mask

[Delancey]

Anyone try one of these things? My wife is interested, I am not so sure. Seems like a good idea but there must be some downside.

[dwedeking2]

I'm not sure what the upside is. I've never had an issue with my mouth being exposed to the water. I prefer masks with sides I can see out of.

[skipmac]

Depends on what kind of snorkeling you want to do.

First thing I see, there's a very large air space in the mask, both around the mouth and around the eyes. That will have a big effect on pressure and equalizing the mask if you dive. If you float on the surface then that's not a concern.

The other issue, the large air space around the mouth will hole a lot of exhaled CO2 when you exhale which can build up over time. Not deadly but will effect your swimming, endurance and may give you a headache.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by skipmac

The other issue, the large air space around the mouth will hole a lot of exhaled CO2 when you exhale which can build up over time. Not deadly but will effect your swimming, endurance and may give you a headache.

As Skipmac said and the reason that an ordinary snorkel is limited to about 18" in length to reduce the swept volume of air to the minimum or you end up breather a large portion of the air back in again, not good news.

Pete

[Delancey]

Speculation is always welcome here on the forum but I was asking if anyone had ACTUALLY TRIED one of these things and could offer up FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE because, well, speculation, you know...

If you look closely you can see there is a separate mask inside the face shield for the mouth and nose, presumably to reduce the internal air volume. I don't think the height of the snorkel is any taller than a regular snorkel.

What interests me is that the much larger single piece lens could potentially offer up wider field of view.

Also, while I have never had a problem having my nose and mouth separated when breathing, it might be nice to have them connected. Wonder if you could sorta talk with one of these things.

I have worn full face respirators before. You can talk unlike with a snorkel mouthpiece in your mouth, whether or not anyone can hear you is another story.

[n2climbing]

I love mine. I don't dive deep - rarely more than 10 feet - so don't know about skipmac's comment. Never experienced a headache though and visibility is great.

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by n2climbing

I love mine. I don't dive deep - rarely more than 10 feet - so don't know about skipmac's comment. Never experienced a headache though and visibility is great.

Looks like there are a couple different brands available. Did you have to try on several to find one that was a good fit? Is it easier to find one that fits compared to a convention mask? What brand did you get?

Thanks!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Speculation is always welcome here on the forum but I was asking if anyone had ACTUALLY TRIED one of these things and could offer up FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE because, well, speculation, you know....

Well, it isn't speculation to look at the mask and see it contains a very large air space. Based on years of free diving and SCUBA diving I pointed out the downsides to a large air space in a mask and the breathing area. If your wife's style of snorkeling is very casual and slow and isn't impacted by those issues then go for it.

One can also look and see that the mask covers a very large area of the face. Here I will speculate that it could be difficult to get a good seal if the mask isn't shaped just like the wearer's face so try the fit carefully before buying.

[Cotemar]

It probably a perfect snorkel mask if you stay within 10 feet of the surface.

Any deeper and you need to squeeze your nose to "equalize", so this mask would not be used for any deeper dives than 15 feet from the surface.

[Delancey]

I can understand the equalizing thing. Just curious, do these have a separate mouth piece for the regulator? Otherwise they are basically the same thing as far as having the mouth and nose separated from the eye portion.

[n2climbing]

I bought the Snorkl brand (online - without trying it on) but they all appear to be about the same. Mine fits great and it appears to be designed so that it will fit snugly on most any face (within the stated size parameters) but I cannot be certain of that. If it does not fit you can probably return it. Mine actually fits better than any conventional mask I have used.

[icedog11]

Knew about this and it is all primarily speculation but worthy of consideration. https://www.saltydogs.com/full-face-...k-death-11344/

[RidgeRunner]

There is some controversy with these, mostly a concern of the possibility of a build-up of carbon dioxide inside the mask. I'm not sure how one would would get into trouble, but a lady did drown last year in Hawaii.
Snorkeling Safety and the New Potential Hazards of Full-Face Snorkel Masks - The Snorkel Store

[smj]

I purchased one and used it once before returning. I thought it would work well for cleaning the bottom, less chance of ingesting bottom paint? I couldn't get it to stop leaking and I felt as if I wasn't getting enough oxygen, which was a negative as bottom cleaning can be a rigorous sport!

[puffcard]

We have a couple, fun to play with. Men with facial hair no chance of working. Doesn't work for me, my snorkeling is pretty hardcore and looking for meat. I think the snorkelers who float on the surface or just going down a couple feet the mask works fine. The plus includes great visibility and you can talk a little with them. Negatives are hard to equalize, and hard to clear water out. Weaker swimmers and teens seem to like them more, worth a try. Shop around, not much difference in brands.