Get the Best Dive Mask You Can.

I have been teaching diving for 25 years and the best advice I can ever give my students, is get the best dive mask you possibly can. A good mask will guarantee your diving enjoyment, a substandard mask will mean that you won't continue diving.

Most new divers get nervous before they start underwater. The big day arrives, and they head off to scuba diving school. However, there's one thing that puts more new divers off before they even begin their first dive than any other - Leaky masks.

When people start scuba diving, they often want to buy the cheapest gear or the most popular brand. If you spend money on a quality mask, it will fit better and be more comfortable, which makes an enormous difference when diving.

Here are five tips that will help you get the right dive mask.

1. Get your instructor to help
   Buy your mask from a dive instructor not a salesperson and ask that instructor for help. An experienced will give you good insight on which masks will work best for you. If you trust your instructor to teach you to breath underwater then trust then to select the best mask for you.
2. Test assorted sizes
   Make sure that you test out different sizes of scuba diving masks in-person before making your final selection. You want to make sure that it fits your face well and that there aren't any leaks.
3. Find a functional seal with no leaks
   The seal between your face and your scuba diving mask is one of the most important aspects for a quality read of the fit, so make sure it's tight, but not too tight.
4. Insist on comfort
   Make sure it's comfortable Scuba diving masks should be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. If it starts to hurt your face or feel uncomfortable, that's a sign that you need to find a different size or style.
5. Be aware of your own facial features
   We all have different face shapes and sizes, so what might work for someone else might not work for you. Keep that in mind when selecting a scuba diving mask.

The best way to ensure that your mask doesn't leak is to make sure that it fits properly. This sounds simple but use your instructor to help you choose the best dive mask for you that will maximize your diving enjoyment.