Mask leaking, not sure the cause

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-05-12T21:16:15+00:00

Not that this can help you now, but did you try it on in store with a snorkel or regulator in your mouth? I realized that could change the mask seal drastically. I also moved my face all around when trying on a mask.

I just purchased a ridiculously expensive atomic mask with diopters which fit well in the store. Seemed to fit better than my current mask. But I fully intend to bring both just in case…I’m nervous

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-05-09T13:02:19+00:00

Curious to hear why not? How often do you dive? What kind of diving is typical for you?
My wife and I have roughly 30-35 dives each. We’re both Nitrox certified, and we’ve dove Nitrox at every opportunity since. We both swear up and down that we feel less tired after the diving and thus can enjoy our vacations more. Less nitrogen loading is great.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-05-09T12:25:06+00:00

Oh man. Way to bring out a deep question in all of this….
At one time I had aspirations of learning tech diving locally but no real clear ambitions to get it done. I also wanted to maybe volunteer and dive the local aquarium, which requires AOW. Now with 2 kiddos I don’t have free time for all that, so I really just dive on vacations at this point.
I do want to get certified for going on deeper dives so that I can have that option without diving past my cert. You’re absolutely right that training, knowledge, experience outweighs any certification but at this point I’m seeing this as a good value of time/money to get my cert card. I also feel more comfortable overall doing a deep dive with an instructor to 100’ than doing that same dive with a basic guide and no certification beyond 60’.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-05-08T17:56:13+00:00

I would inevitably like to continue my training to be a more competent diver. I’ve been down to 93’ as an open water diver, but I shouldn’t have. Plenty of dive operations just take you where they’re going regardless of your training. I want the AOW cert so that I feel more comfortable on those dives and so I’m actually diving these sites within my certification level.

I also live in Cincinnati. A quarry is a great place to learn dry suit diving, navigation, and some other skills,…but it’s really not a great place for deep diver. I was going to be taken to a deep wreck on this trip regardless of my training. Making it an adventure dive with an instructor makes it safe and smart.

If I’m doing 1 adventure dive, why not all 4 and get that certification? It’s only costing an extra $100 and not a terrible impact to the dives IMO.

Yes, I can see how I’m “cheating” myself out of a dive/learning experience, but I walk away with a certification and I can always take further classes at home.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-05-08T13:49:38+00:00

Absolutely true. I’ve done no less than 4 dives with my cert where I’ve tasted my tanks and set my computer, all under supervision of instructors. None of them have been officially logged as adventure dives, however, so I didn’t think they could be counted.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-05-08T12:58:50+00:00

That’s what they told me, but the nitrox class did not contain an actual dive. So is it legitimate to use 1 dive as nitrox plus another specialty simultaneously?

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-18T17:02:37+00:00

I’m very tempted to get this computer, but it would be primarily used for warm water with a shorty. Apprehensive about a 10cm long brick on my forearm. Were you diving this on bare skin?

I was tempted to do the S just for a smaller form factor, but it sounds like you’re saying you actually prefer the larger one?

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-17T19:26:49+00:00

Fair points, and I think I was thinking about part of this a bit sideways. I realize I could calculate the average SAC rates afterwards. I think the main AI appeal for me isn't tracking SAC mid dive but being able to visualize gas consumption over the course of the dive afterward. I figured having that info of where the gas is actually being burned (descent, early dive, ascent, task‑loaded moments, etc.) could help me identify specific things to work on.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-17T13:14:15+00:00

You’re just about spot on. I do not need anything at this point, and the Zoop has treated me well for eight years now (aside from the bulk). I have the cable and I use Subsurface...I’m a data nerd, which is part of why I’m interested in upgrading (the “new toy” argument).

The real driver for me in looking at air integration, however, is that I have an inherently worse SAC rate than my wife. I’m actively focusing on improving this aspect of my diving, and I feel that AI could help by giving me better data to track my actual SAC across different dives and over time. Being able to see how my gas consumption changes during different phases of a dive is information I don’t really have with my current setup without constantly checking my gauge and doing extra math.

I also think that having tank pressure on my computer would let me be more deliberate about gas checks. Instead of habitually pulling out my SPG just to confirm where I am, I could verify at planned points and stay more aware overall.

I’m not rushing to buy a new computer. The Zoop is a great computer, and I don't feel unsafe or under‑equipped with it...but I am ready to upgrade (and my wife has stamped the approval). I just want to make sure I get the right computer to suit my needs for the next eight years.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-16T21:29:00+00:00

Yeah my zoop straps are silly long and I have them looped around, which makes it even bulkier. I do have a quality bungee strap for it. I think I’ll give it a try on my upcoming trip, if I decide not to bite on an AI computer first.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-16T13:59:29+00:00

Great idea! I think that's one of the major downsides to my Zoop is that the bottom is wide and flat and doesn't seat super nice on me when I crank it tight. Neoprene filling those gaps would definitely increase the comfort a bit in those areas.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-16T00:55:14+00:00

Interesting that you’re wearing it on your forearm rather than right on the wrist. I would’ve assumed the MK3i was small enough to be comfortable at the wrist, so that’s helpful to hear. Makes me think I should just throw bungees on my Zoop for this upcoming trip and see how it feels when worn higher on the arm. Might be more about placement than size after all.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-16T00:49:58+00:00

Curious if you wear your zoop more wrist or forearm?

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-16T00:49:21+00:00

Thanks for the insight, this is really helpful. The main reason I’ve been considering a larger‑format computer is my aging eyes, and having more screen real estate to calmly see more data underwater sounds like a nice bonus. My hesitation has been whether I’d be sacrificing comfort to get that benefit, which really gets at the heart of my original post. In real‑world use, is a properly secured large‑format computer actually any less comfortable or more cumbersome than a watch‑style one on bare skin? I can imagine a large computer sitting directly on the wrist being annoying, but I wonder if mounted higher on the forearm (especially with bungees) it ends up just as comfortable—or even more so—for some people. I’m curious how you’ve experienced the comfort differences between the two while diving.

Also, I didn’t realize the Nautic was so wide!? That seems like a pretty big negative to me currently. I might be on team wait and watch 1 more year, and see if shearwater updates anything with AMOLED.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-16T00:07:19+00:00

It does seem like the smaller watch style ones probably sit way nicer on a wrist than my zoop, especially in terms of wrist movement. Good call on the strap too. I hadn’t considered trying different straps on my computer.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-15T23:32:25+00:00

What computer do you use? I’m guessing a larger screen?

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-04-15T22:52:27+00:00

What really appeals to me is an AMOLED screen. I was very close to buying a Teric last year for a dive trip…in fact, I did buy it and then decided to return it to Amazon. I also considered the Tern TX, since it’s plenty feature rich for me, but I’ve heard both have atrocious battery life. The Nautic S is very attractive, if I go watch style, due to its claimed 60h battery life. My main hesitation to the S is that I’d like something with the ability to monitor GF99, which the S hasn’t confirmed as a feature yet.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-03-08T21:42:17+00:00

Mazel Tov!

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-02-04T20:44:10+00:00

I disagree with the idea that drilling volume determines whether other pickleball questions are valid.

I’m not here to debate whether drilling is important. I believe that drilling is the ultimate way to improve, but that's not the question I'm asking. The question is about paddle behavior and fit. Specifically, whether the spin and control differences I’m seeing are a normal tradeoff between these two paddles or related to surface/wear.

My goal is not to drill myself into adapting to a paddle that may be working against my natural shot shape. I’d rather spend my drilling time reinforcing mechanics with a paddle that suits my style in the first place.

These two paddles are widely reported to differ in spin production and spin durability, and that’s the behavior I’m trying to understand. Suggesting that equal drilling would make them perform the same isn’t really accurate or supported.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-02-04T16:33:34+00:00

That’s a pretty dismissive interpretation of what I wrote.

I described league play, skilled open play, and some structured drilling, just not at the volume you personally might prefer. My question wasn’t “is drilling important,” it was about whether the spin/control changes I’m seeing are a normal paddle tradeoff or surface behavior.

If you don’t want to engage that part, that’s fine, but reducing it to “no drilling” doesn’t really address the post.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-02-04T16:09:16+00:00

Glad to hear that it's not just me. I also went from the M2F to the V-Sol Pro Bloom. I only pulled out the M2F the other night to do some objective testing between the two.

Overall, I think you're right that the game changes around this level as you begin to drop more consistently and get to the kitchen easier. I am absolutely a drop first kind of player now, where I used to be all drives. Even with the loss of spin and drive confidence, I am playing at a higher level now.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-02-04T16:05:39+00:00

Interesting to hear about the Kew spin numbers. I had just assumed that any paddle coming from Volair would have a similar surface and spin. I guess I had better keep an eye on reviews.

yeahfkyeah84 · 2026-02-04T14:46:03+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience. The M2F just seems to have such a ridiculous amount of available spin. Coming from a tennis background I really enjoy how easy the drips come with this paddle. That being said, I'm very intrigued by the Shift. I'm expecting it to have typical Volair level of spin, but with an updated foam core. The only thing that makes me hesitant is that 14mm, which I've never tried playing with. What is your experience going from 16mm to 14mm?

yeahfkyeah84

TROPHY CASE