Choosing a mask and snorkel for scuba diving

2019-03-15 - Home

Choosing a mask for scuba diving

Scuba diving lets us get up close to the splendour of the underwater environment and its wealth of fauna and flora. A properly designed mask will enhance your view of the underwater world. In addition, the size and shape of the mask are devised to simplify pressure equalizing manoeuvres through the nose.

Diving masks with a single lens, like the Maxlux S, the Super Compensator or Oceo, offer a very wide field of vision, while masks with two lenses, like the X-Contact 2 Mini and the Mundial have smaller internal volumes and facilitate pressure equalisation manoeuvres via the nose. The X-Contact 2 mask can be fitted with optical correction lenses. The Ultra Clear HD Lens, available on select masks, renders colours more naturally, with greater luminosity and better contrast.

The comfort and ergonomics of your diving mask are also essential to guarantee you an optimum underwater experience. Silicon skirts, fitted to all Beuchat diving masks, are preferred for their flexibility and seals. Although transparent skirts are more attractive, black skirts are better at reducing lateral reflections. The mask must fit the face naturally, without causing discomfort: that’s why you must try it on before you choose. To test both adherence and comfort, position the mask on the face without using the strap to hold it in place. Be careful to keep your hair outside of the mask. Then breathe in through the nose: if the mask is the right size, the suction effect will keep it in place by itself and it will only fall off when you breathe out. Beuchat’s fast micrometric adjustment buckles offer maximum adjustment of your mask for optimum comfort.

Choosing a snorkel

A snorkel is not indispensable in scuba-diving, since you already have a regulator to breathe. Even so, to swim comfortably on the surface without using up the air in your bottle, a snorkel will prove very practical.

The purge facility is the main criterion when choosing a diving snorkel, which is why we like models fitted with a one-way valve coupled witha chicane to optimize the clearance of any water remaining in the tube plus the Beuchat Dry System at the top of the tube.

Finally, don’t forget to try the Beuchat Activa Tubair diving snorkel. Moulded in highly flexible material, the tube can be folded up and slipped into the pocket of your stab vest!