Blacked Out Masks

[JS1scuba]

For those of you that are doing training what are you using to black-out masks for skill sets ?

I've used a variety of things over the years but am looking for something easy to put on and off underwater.

thanks
JDS

[Rainer]

I know Blackwood used electrical tape for his recent Wreck Pen course.

[Ben]

I've seen duct tape on the outside of the mask with a tail such that a panicked diver could pull it off.

[TobinGeorge]

We just dive at Vets in January-March


Tobin

[Mo2vation]

We just dive at Vets in January-March


Tobin

HAHAHAHAHAH

Nice.

We have been to that movie, huh.




-K

[Jack Hammer]

I don't know why people don't just make something simple that will go over the mask. Something with elastic like those shoe booties you put on at sailboat shows so as not to mark up new boats, but with a material that blocks light. That'd be cheap and easy to make, would fit over most masks, easy to put on and remove underwater, and would fit in someones pocket without taking up much space.

[ppo2_diver]

I have an el cheapo mask that is covered with electrical tape. I give that mask to my students underwater when doing blacked out skills.

[StreetDoctor]

Are the blacked out masks to simulate a silt out/black out or a lost mask? From a students perspective I've found it much better to actually remove the mask and turn it around on my head. The blacked out mask doesn't simulate the cold water on your face and nose. If you panic and need your mask it's right on your head all you have to do is turn it around.

[Mark Vlahos]

In my cave class my instructor had a mask with thick black tape for blackout simulation. For humor he had drawn some bloodshot eyes on the outside of the lenses, kind of like those joke glasses. He would signal and hand me the mask for me to put on, he would take custody of my "good" mask. To simulate a silt out he had a separate mask with a somewhat opaque brown tape on it, this allowed in some light, but absolutely no ability to see anything with any detail. For mask off, he would remove my mask and eventually also remove my backup in a few minutes.

I did not find the switching mask routine to be disruptive for the purpose of the drills, once I would switch to one of his masks that was my condition for the rest of the dive, at least until we reached the cavern zone. I would think that if you need a tape that is removable underwater thick black gaffers tape would suffice, but I can't think of anything that would work every time to apply underwater.

Mark Vlahos

[AzTek Diver]

just cut up a heavy garbage bag and hold it on with rubber bands or a 40 stage band.

[go62onair]

Blue hospital shoe covers were in use... If you keep the eyes open with these (and bubbles) on, you are into some psychedelic experience that may not help with whatever drill you are doing (such as lost line).

[go62onair]

I guess that would be a blued out mask though...

[blondie]

I just have them remove the mask. We also do a drill where they remove the mask and and share gas while exiting in touch contact on a line.

[Kendall]

A lamp shade

[Pasley]

Ordinary trash bag stuffed into the mask works just fine. We use that for our HSA training to for our blind diver simulation. Easy in and out and with a black one you will get no light. With a white bag, you will have a dim light but most people will not open there eyes with the bag in their mask anyway. No mess, no fuss, and easily available and waterproof.