Diving with facial hair

[oddbod]

Used to have a mo, and found trimming the top as mentioned best but also found a mask with a thin flexible nose pocket without any skirt better.
P.S. Shaved the mo off when the kids came home with lice from school

[BoomerNJ]

I have a goatee & always have a slight leak. Very slight. I keep it trimmed very close (slightly more than a few days growth) & the minor leak doesn't really bother me. I use a purge mask (I know, failure point blah blah blah) & just exhale out of my nose every once in a while & it keeps the leak down to a minimum...

[Skred]

Originally Posted by Lone Frogman

I have full beard and I have found masks that work and others leak. The key for me is the fit of the skirt.

Agreed. I've been diving with a mustache for 9 years and I've found that if the mask fits me right, it doesn't leak at all unless I let the fur get pretty shaggy.

As long as I keep it trimmed close, it's good to go.

[Sansho]

Asides from keeping a space shaved below the nose, I use an Atomic frameless mask, which fits fine and doesn't leak. A Tusa Liberator Plus mask also fits and doesn't leak, as well as an H2O Alpha 2 mask. When I say fits, the area under the nose without mustache is enough skin for a seal.

[Catt99]

I live with a slight leak. I've tried Vaseline and frankly it was moe bothersome than occasional clearing.

[skiroc]

I've had some variation of beard/mustache for 30 years. Try different masks, you will find one that works.

[DMBillies]

I am just getting back in and have grown a goat since my high school days when I was most active in the water (damn college getting in the way). I was wondering about solutions to this problem as I was contemplating what gear I would need to pick up. I look like a schmuck with my facial hair now, so I may just try the "shave it low" technique. I'll have to post my experience...

[freeski4ever]

when i first started diving, i had a full beard. that lasted all of about a day. after that, i shaved it down to a goatee. i have noticed that if i don't shave before diving, my mask tends to leak. then again, nasty lake water isn't the best thing to expose to freshly shaved skin.

[chinacat46]

I've got a little growth under my lip ala Frank Zappa. No problem with my mask.