Nose valve on mask

[finflippers]

I had a mask with the purge valve in it once I just didn't care for it. I didn't use it long before switching to a non purge mask.

[mdwestgrl]

I do have a mask with a purge valve and have never had a problem with it. I have tried both a mask with and without a purge valve and would prefer my purge valve.

[Charlotte Smith]

My husband swears by his and has a spare one for back-up.....purge or not really doesn't matter to me...

[MxDiver]

I have both a purge and a low volume one. The one with the purge is my primary, never had a problem with it and the fit is great.

[rtrski]

A lot of people don't realize you clear purge and non-purge masks differently. For non-purge, you push on the 'top' of the mask to hold the top seal tight, tip head back (look up), and blow so your air pushes the water out the bottom, looser seal.

With a purge valve, that 'looser seal' part is taken care of, so you want to tip your head *forward* (look down) to make sure the water in the mask is over the valve, and just blow. Extra air shouldn't come out the top edge of the skirt unless you go bananas exhaling faster than the purge can pass the volume.

That all said, I prefer a purgeless mask 'intellectually' as just having less to possibly go wrong...yet own a HydroOptix which has purges as part of the design. I've often considered just puckeying them up with RTV but I really don't notice any additional leakage due to them.

If you find your purge is seeping a bit, rinse them good to get rid of any salt crystals and try a little bit of silicone lubricant, the same as you'd use on o-rings for a camera housing. Unless the little purge disk is warped, it should help them settle right out and seal up better.

[Kidder]

Originally Posted by rtrski

A lot of people don't realize you clear purge and non-purge masks differently. For non-purge, you push on the 'top' of the mask to hold the top seal tight, tip head back (look up), and blow so your air pushes the water out the bottom, looser seal.

With a purge valve, that 'looser seal' part is taken care of, so you want to tip your head *forward* (look down) to make sure the water in the mask is over the valve, and just blow. Extra air shouldn't come out the top edge of the skirt unless you go bananas exhaling faster than the purge can pass the volume.

That all said, I prefer a purgeless mask 'intellectually' as just having less to possibly go wrong...yet own a HydroOptix which has purges as part of the design. I've often considered just puckeying them up with RTV but I really don't notice any additional leakage due to them.

If you find your purge is seeping a bit, rinse them good to get rid of any salt crystals and try a little bit of silicone lubricant, the same as you'd use on o-rings for a computer housing. Unless the little purge disk is warped, it should help them settle right out and seal up better.

I never really thought about the clearing bit, but that is absolutely true. I just worry about the valve leaking at 90 or 100 feet and being a major pain. As you say it may just be one more thing to go wrong.

[rtrski]

Originally Posted by Kidder

I never really thought about the clearing bit, but that is absolutely true. I just worry about the valve leaking at 90 or 100 feet and being a major pain. As you say it may just be one more thing to go wrong.

The purge isn't any 'more' likely to leak at deeper depths than shallower depths...unless you can put up with way more mask squeeze than I can. Your mask should pretty much always be internally pressurized to just a little less than the ambient pressure regardless of your depth...the 'little bit' provides the suction seal, but if it was a whole lot, you'd end up with a serious set of bloodshot eyes, burst capillaries in the nose and cheeks, etc. In short: not a pleasant experience.

[MyPC8MyBrain]

My GF/Buddy is fairly strange. I know that's a vague statement, but let expand on one point of strangeness....
She breathes in through her reg and then exhales through the purge valve under her nose. Never seen anything like that before.

Technically maybe that is the smartest way to go. If you think about it, the charge coming in from the reg is less diluted with exhaled gases that way.

Who knows, who cares.. it just thought it looked funny when I saw her doing it.

[Kidder]

Originally Posted by MyPC8MyBrain

My GF/Buddy is fairly strange. I know that's a vague statement, but let expand on one point of strangeness....
She breathes in through her reg and then exhales through the purge valve under her nose. Never seen anything like that before.

Technically maybe that is the smartest way to go. If you think about it, the charge coming in from the reg is less diluted with exhaled gases that way.

Who knows, who cares.. it just thought it looked funny when I saw her doing it.

I would be concerned that it would blow her mask off her face should the valve not work properly. But if it works for her why mess with it.

[rtrski]

Might lead to a little more mask fogging, since you're exhaling into the mask quite often. But if it works, no biggie I guess.