What dive gear should I buy first? The one that fits.

Price isn’t the place to start

We usually hear one of two things: “What’s the best mask you have?”, which really means the most expensive one, or “I want the cheapest set you have.” Both are real buying considerations. But picking gear by the price tag isn’t always the best way to get the right gear.

The most expensive mask on the wall didn’t fit

People come in all the time asking for the most expensive mask on our wall. They put it on and it doesn’t seal. Then we find a mask that costs a lot less and seals perfectly.

The opposite happens too. We start someone with the cheapest mask and work our way up, slowly, until we find the one that fits their face. Sometimes it’s the cheap one. Sometimes it isn’t.

The 6-hour test

At the end of the day it’s not about the price. It’s about finding the mask where you can honestly say: if I had to wear this for 6 to 8 hours, for whatever reason, would it bother me? If the answer is no, that’s your mask.

Some people say you’ll never wear a mask that long. A dive is 30 minutes to an hour. But think about the day things don’t go to plan: the boat leaves you behind, or a strong current pulls you out. With a mask, snorkel and fins that really fit, you can stay comfortable at the surface for as long as it takes.

Same goes for fins, a BCD or a wetsuit. Your face, feet and body decide, not the price tag.

How we do it

When you buy gear with us, we fit it with you in the shop. Read how to tell if a mask fits, then come see us.