Having your own equipment in any endeavor has monumental advantages over borrowing or renting equipment with which you are unfamiliar. Your mask is your window to the underwater world. Diving and snorkeling are "visual" sports. Having a good mask makes all the difference in the world - the underwater world, that is. There are several things to consider when selecting a mask. We will try to simplify our explanation of these on this page.

In this blog series we will discuss the different components of the mask. The first installment of the series is The Skirt.

The Skirt - This is the part that fits against your face. How well the mask seals out the water is mostly related to the skirt. Materials used include rubber, PVC, and silicone. The absolute best material for a diving mask is silicone. It maintains its suppleness for much longer than other materials. This is important because your face does not stay the same year after year. People go through cycles of weight loss and gain - changing the shape of their faces. Silicone is impervious to ozone, chlorine, and salt water. Cheaper grades, however, are known to cause rashes and irritation, so that's why we guarantee silicone to be hypoallergenic. A snorkeling mask is also more likely to provide a good water seal year after year if it is made of a good quality silicone material. Rubber and PVC masks, although less expensive, will stiffen with time (2-3 years) and are susceptible to rotting and tearing. Silicone is also a clearer material than the others, which allows for more light to penetrate into your mask, providing a more "open" feeling.

The next post in our series will discuss choosing The Lens.

View available masks at snorkelcity.com: http://snorkelcity.com/masks.html

View available prescription masks at snorkelcity.com: http://snorkelcity.com/Prescription-Masks.html

 

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