Scuba Diving Masks

Fit is the specification that matters most

Everything else on a mask spec sheet is secondary to whether it seals on your face. Hold the mask to your face without the strap, breathe in gently through your nose and let go. A mask that fits stays put on suction alone. If it slides or lets air in, no amount of strap tension will fix it, and it will leak all dive.

Frameless, framed or full-face?

Frameless and low volume

Frameless masks bond the lens straight to the skirt, which cuts weight and bulk and brings the glass closer to your eyes for a wider view. The Apeks VX1 is a low-volume frameless design built to be light, easy to clear and simple to equalise. The XDEEP Radical is frameless with a wide field of view, and the Radical S is the same mask shaped for narrower faces. Less internal volume also means less air to blow out if it floods.

Framed and sub-framed

A frame adds rigidity, which helps a mask hold its shape over years of use. The Atomic Aquatics SubFrame hides an internal frame beneath the silicone skirt, so you get the strength without the external bulk. The Frameless 2 goes the other way and combines two grades of silicone in the skirt for comfort.

Full-face

The Ocean Reef Neptune III is an integrated dive mask: you breathe through the mask itself rather than a separate second stage, behind a large visor and a double-layered silicone skirt. It suits divers who want natural breathing, a warmer face in cold water, or the option to add communications. Full-face diving needs specific training, so talk to us before you commit.

Lenses, coatings and contrast

Glass is not just glass. The TUSA Paragon carries a UV 420 lens treatment. The Fourth Element Scout comes with a choice of lens: Shield for bright tropical water, Contrast to lift definition in temperate seas, and Enhanced with anti-HEV, so you can match the lens to the water you actually dive in. The Apeks VX2 takes swappable Pure Clear lenses if you want to change later.

If you wear glasses

You do not have to choose between contact lenses and diving half-blind. We stock TUSA corrective lenses in plus and minus spherical powers, supplied as separate left and right lenses so each eye can be corrected independently, and a dedicated corrective lens for the Paragon. Tell us your prescription and we will tell you what is available for the mask you want.

Fogging, and how to stop it

Most fogging on a new mask is residue left on the glass from manufacturing. Clean the inside of the lens thoroughly before the first dive, then use a defog before every dive after that. The SEAC Pura is the exception in our range: it carries a permanent plasma anti-fog treatment on the lens rather than relying on gels or sprays.

Come and try one on

Faces differ, and fit is the one thing you cannot judge from a photograph. We fit divers in our centres every week. Trying three masks on takes ten minutes and saves a season of leaks. Call us on 0800 699 0243 or come and see us in Hove.