Mask Seal w/ Mustache

[Daddy-h2O]

I would tend to disagree (RESPECTFULLY) to a point. I would agree that smiling, wrinkles, and the vast majority of leaks are at the top. But I have had leaking problems at the 'stash. It tickles a little. The water pressure overcomes the internal pressure in the mask and you have a leak that can come from anywhere, that is why when you have a good seal you will experiance a mask squeeze and need to breath out the nose a little to equalize the internal pressure with the ambiant pressure.

I have posted before that on some occasion I only have to remove my reg, and swipe my hand downwards from the nose pocket to remove any stray long hairs.

I think you make a valid point, I also think that the mask itself maybe part of the problem. The fit in the shop may not be the same once you hit the water. (just a thought)

[Papa Bear]

My only point is if you take a cup into the water upside down it won't fill with water! Diving bell etc! It will compress the air the deeper you go, but if you didn't equalize with you nose your eyes would pop out! The only way for water to come in is air to leak out! My face hair has nothing to do with it sense it is under my mask. It is about displacement and fit, but not face hair. Unless you have Captain Kangaroo eye brows!

[Papa Bear]

Good poing Papa Bear, but I do have one thing to say about that. On land, the area near your mustache is at the bottom but as a diver you should know in the water that area is not necessarly the bottom. Maybe for beginer divers who for many reasons seem to have their head up high with their fins down low this could be true.

For the rest of us that dive in a horizontal position the glass of our mask becomes the bottom and the seal is on top, so water can leak in near the mustache.

Stop dragging your fins in the sand and get horizontal.

Well maybe because I always have a camera my face plate, unless I am upside down, faces where I am going. It keeps me from running into thing as well you should try it!

[BamaCaveDiver]

My only point is if you take a cup into the water upside down it won't fill with water! Diving bell etc! It will compress the air the deeper you go, but if you didn't equalize with you nose your eyes would pop out! The only way for water to come in is air to leak out! My face hair has nothing to do with it sense it is under my mask. It is about displacement and fit, but not face hair. Unless you have Captain Kangaroo eye brows!

Good for you! Personally, I like to look around a bit while under water which means I am taking that cup and turning it all sorts of ways under water (try this with your diving bell cup and you will see that even a small shift will allow water in.) The only way to do this without having to devote an inordinate amount of time to mask clearing is to ensure I have a good seal along the entire perimeter of the seal. If that means shaving a thin line across the top of my moustache, then so be it. If your method works for you, more power to you.

[Papa Bear]

Point is I have never had a problem! Nothing wrong with a little water, my point is people use the Mustache excess when it is not. No one looks around more than me? But if it makes you all happy to think this is the cause be my guest and wax those bad boys up, trim them up, or cut them off! But you mask will still leak from the top first!

[acelockco]

No one looks around more than me

Wow, I am really impressed. Did you figure this out the same way you figured out sharks like pink fins?

Your new title:

The King Of Deductive Reasoning.

[Papa Bear]

Are you picking on my mother again? thats why I can't dive with people who wear pink! You insensitivity is blatant at best and picking on a divers dead mother! WOW! Now that's cuts deep!

[Bob3]

... others who sport 'staches' who are divers so, it has to be a non issue, right?

Yah, I always snort some air out, as already mentioned several times, a vent in the hood does the trick.
For drysuits you can get a little "button valve" to install that'll let air out but not water in.

This is probably going to seem like a really girlie response to a serious manly question...

Alternatively, you could shave of your 'stach??

SACRILEGE!!!
We do have to cut you some slack though, for obvious reasons.
The proverbial neighborhood "cat lady" would sooner part with her furball critters than most guys would want to shave their 'staches.
Besides, some of us are just so homely that we're doing everybody a favor by covering out faces a bit.

Oh yah, there are a couple masks that are better at sealing than others.
More on that later though.

[Air On]

Double post removed, quick reply didn't work right.

[Air On]

I think the type of wiskers you have is a factor too.

I for one have pretty stiff wiskers. If I clip it short then the mask gets held off my lip and will not seal. I did pick up this stuff that looks like chap stick you put a little on and it will seal no problem. DON"T use petrolium jelly though the mask material doesn't like it.

The working solution I have now... My wiskers also grow up pretty close to my nose. So I shave them back a little (the 1/8" mentioned by the other guy) and it doesn't have a problem. I just need to re-shave at the nose each day I dive or the wiskers hold the mask off (fast growing too).

It pretty much fills in again within a week after the dive so Its no big deal to me. It might look odd to you at first but some people's hair starts lower then others anyhow... Probably why they have enough skin to make seal.

All things being equal I get more leaking from a smile. Its the constant seepage from wiskers that gets anoying. You DO have to keep positive pressure on the mask. That will probably help you in diving though.

Though people do look at you funny if you get used to just snorting a bit and the mask makes a audible trumpet sound under water..lol

As far as diving angle... If I'm traveling I'm slightly head down. If I'm exploring I could be vertical head down or on my back even.

Nothing looks as cool as seeing up as your floating along... As long as you pay attention and don't hit something...lol

Isn't that a underwater photographer ideal position too, down looking up at the subject?

I know my mask that does fit me well on both inside and outside skirt. I know were It leaks from... Its not hair or forhead wrinkles. Its around the bottom of the nose. Its even worse if I'm floating on my back and I can see the water cross the mask lense.

We are all a little diffent from hair to skin to bone shape... So find the best seal in a mask you can and then figure out how to work with it.