Finally got my hands on a good surface-supply setup after weeks of hassling

Was working a harbor cleanup job down in San Pedro last week and my old Kirby Morgan mask let in a slow leak at 30 feet. Swapped to a backup that was actually serviced right and finished the shift dry... have you guys ever had a mask fail mid-job?

3 comments

3 Comments

marywilson19d ago

Oh man, I gotta disagree with you on this one. If your mask leaked at 30 feet that's a maintenance issue, not a brand problem, keeping up on your seals and valves makes a huge difference. I've seen guys run beat up gear for years without issues just cause they actually checked their O-rings before every dive.

victor77919d ago

Buddy of mine had a brand new mask flood on him at 40 feet first time out... turned out the skirt had a tiny tear right where it meets the frame. You could barely see it but it was enough to let water in. He'd checked the seals and everything but that tear was hiding under the strap. So I get both sides of it... sometimes it's bad luck with a new piece of gear and sometimes it's just not taking care of it. But I've also seen guys swap out their own O-rings with cheap ones from the hardware store and then wonder why they leak.

cora51819d ago

Yeah the bit about swapping O-rings with cheap hardware store ones really hits home. I've seen guys do that with their regulators too and it never ends well. Those cheap O-rings might fit but they're not made for the pressure or the saltwater, they harden up fast and then you've got a leak. It's like saving five bucks on a part that could mess up your whole dive. Honestly if you're gonna mess with your gear you gotta use the right stuff or just leave it alone.