Also wondering what the difference is between a "purge" snorkel, a
"semi-dry" snorkel, and an "ultra-dry" snorkel.

If you like the small stuff, as I do (I often dive with a magnifying
glass), you may find that Rx lenses make a very big difference.

Typically, dive shops cannot match on-line prices because of their lower
volume on a given item. Typically, dive shops will give better service
and will give regular customers a break on other items/services over the
long run.

esg

Everything is magnified underwater, but that's not a particularly important
fact.  The key is how well you can see the things you need to see.  I, for
example, have trouble seeing my gauges, or anything else close to my eyes.
I don't have a problem seeing things far away.  Your issues might be the
reverse, or not as sever, or almost anything else.  Those that benefit the
most are those that see the worst.  Borrow a non prescription mask and see
how you like it.  If you can see everything you want to as clearly as you
can expect to, it's fine.  If not, get a prescription mask.

Lee

Mike,

I won't comment on price matching as I don't get into that game.
However, one of the things that gets mixed up here and in dive shops is
the terminology when it comes to corrected masks.

Rental masks are almost never "prescription".  The are most likely
"diopter corrected".  That is a magnification only.  These work fine for
people that have just near sided vision.  If you can see OK with the
grocery store reading glasses, then diopter correction is fine. This
typically adds about $30-50 (depending on the manufacturer) per eye to
the cost of a mask but is only available in one or two style masks from
the different suppliers.

Prescription is a true custom ground mask like prescription glasses.
The optician requires your actual prescription from your eye exam and
will either grind your lenses into the mask glass or into pieces that
are bonded into your mask.

I am a big fan of this method because I have an astigmatism and the
diopter corrected ones just don't cut it for me.  One additional benefit
is that I can choose ANY mask and have the lenses bonded into it instead
of being limited in styles.  I had my lenses bonded into three different
masks over the period of a couple years since I like to try different masks.

The drawback for actual prescription is that the cost starts at about
$115 and goes up from there for bifocals, trifocals, extreme
prescriptions, etc.  To me the slightly higher cost for prescription is
worth it.  I am a sight seer underwater and a photographer.  I hate it
when little things get away!  Plus, I am a "mask slut" and can't seem to
stay loyal to any mask for long.  ;-)

Hope that helped!

[Default] Thus spake mike <mikeerdas@yahoo.com>:

The three shops I talked to here all send out their custom lenses to
the same folks.  So I just did it myself.  You'll need your
prescription and someone who knows how to dot your lens.  If you are
going to get bifocals, wear the mask fro a while and put painter's
tape across the top part of the lens.  Keep lowering the line until it
becomes "just a little too low", and take off that strip, and maybe
the one above it.

I've found that for me, a custom lens is critical.  And having the
bifocals really helps.  When I sent in the mask, they asked me about
the size of the readers, since it seemed small.  But I shoot a lot of
pictures and needed only a sliver to read my gauges.

I've used these people twice.  The last time was a rush-rush-rush as
my old mask failed a week before we were supposed to leave (it was 14
years old).  So I had to buy a new mask, figure out the dimensions,
get it dotted, send it to them and get it back.  Yeah, I paid for a
rush and for FedEx 2nd day to Maui.  But the mask is great.

http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/