If you’ve been diving for a while, you probably have at least one piece of gear that really needs replacing, but you’re just not willing to part with it. It may be some gloves that have been patched up with a couple tubes of Aqua Seal, or maybe it’s an old snorkel that really deserves to be retired in favor of a new one.
For me, it’s my dive mask.
After a few hundred dives and years in the sun, the clear silicone is no longer very clear, it leaks more than a little, and I’ve replaced the strap three or four times. I’ve bought and sold (or given away) several possible replacements, but for one reason or another, I went back to my old mask—I just couldn’t find one that fit well or had any advantages over my older mask.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to dive with a new Seasoft’s UltraDive Super Mask. 4 dives later, it’s my new favorite mask.
The UltraDive mask fits like a glove, and each comes with a free Seasoft soft carrying case, a wide neoprene clamshell mask strap, a bottle of anti-fog spray, and an impressive lifetime breakage warranty. The fit with the mask’s crystal silicone skirt is very comfortable and creates a perfect watertight seal. The strap keeps it perfectly positioned on my head (over my drysuit hood), and storing the mask in the included soft carrying case is much better than just loosely tossing it into my dive bag. Where this mask really shines, though, is its glass.
Glass is made of sand, of course, but not all glass is created the same way. Seasoft uses glass made from the sands of North Africa, which is known for its lower iron content. By reducing the impurities in the glass (specifically iron), the reflective properties of the glass are reduced, which means more light is able to pass through it. The purified HGG Glass used in the UltraDive mask provides 16% better clarity than most other masks, and you can clearly see the difference the first time you try it on. With the UltraDive mask, approximately 98% of the light from outside reaches your eyes (vs. 84% in a normal dive mask with “float” glass). For those who dive at night or in limited visibility, this mask will be an even more valuable advantage.
In addition to using the HGG Glass, the UltraDive’s lens is coated with multiple metallic oxide coatings on the lens, similar to what you find on rifle scopes and on camera lenses. The coating significantly reduces glare and improves vision underwater.
If you’re looking for a great mask (and even if you aren’t), be sure to check out Seasoft’s new UltraDive mask at your local dive shop. You’ll like what you see.
– Chris
(Photos by Brian Long)