Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
one!

Cheers all,

Rob

viper61 wrote:
> Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
> great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
> that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
> after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
> any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
> against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
> use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
> one!
> 
> Cheers all,
> 
> Rob
Don't know which fixed it but I used two unusual products recently:
Bathroom limescale and tile cleaner
Lynx antiperspirant.

Seem to have done the trick!

"viper61"  wrote in message 
news:6632cf4e-6547-4fe2-9f14-4c1f861a533f@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
> great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
> that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
> after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
> any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
> against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
> use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
> one!

Sea drops, available in any dive shop on this side of the pond, works well. 
If you can't buy them in  your local shop, order some from diversdirect.com. 
http://www.diversdirect.com/scripts/ecatalogisapi.dll/ItemSearch?Template=9990000041000999&searchn=0&maxresults=12&searchinput=sea%20drops.

You may have trouble with finding a shipping link to the UK.  They will ship 
to you, but last time somebody over there needed something from here, there 
was no link on the order site.  You may have to email them about it.  If all 
else fails, send me a private email (drop the 2 from the address used to 
send this message) and I'll run over and pick a few bottles up and send them 
to you.  Mail to there bumps the cost up a bit, but if you need them.  I've 
done similar things for several UKRS members.

There's something else you can do to help the problem.  Quit breathing 
through your nose.  Those that have severe problems with mask fogging are 
almost always breathing out through their nose just enough to increase the 
moisture in the air trapped in the mask, moisture that condenses on the 
lens.  Break that habit, and the problem will diminish.  The less moisture 
to condense, the less fog can form.

You can get away with breathing out through your nose in warm water, where 
condensation on the lens is not as much of a problem, but the colder the 
water, the more likely you are to have a problem.  I sometimes have the same 
problem.  When I do, I spend some time underwater with no mask, either 
breathing through a snorkel or from a tank.  Either way will help break the 
habit in short order.

Lee

I soak my mask in "Simple Green" AND clean it with toothpaste! It's not just 
the lens that needs to be cleaned but also all the silicone inside the mask, 
make sure you clean under the seal. The chemicals on the silicone will foul 
the glass and cause fogging. I do this when the mask is new and once or 
twice a year also. I use defog before each dive because it's cheap insurance 
against looking through a fogging mask. If you don't clean the mask first, 
the defog or spit will be useless.

Al
Bottoms Up Divers

"viper61"  wrote in message 
news:6632cf4e-6547-4fe2-9f14-4c1f861a533f@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
> great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
> that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
> after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
> any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
> against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
> use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
> one!
>
> Cheers all,
>
> Rob

On Jun 20, 11:17 pm, "NHdiver"  wrote:
news:
6632cf4e-6547-4fe2-9f14-4c1f861a533f@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
>
> > awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> > ..... after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste.
>
> If you don't clean the mask first,
> the defog or spit will be useless.
>

I find that after a while both my masks will start fogging. A clean
with warm soapy water resolves this (usually washing up liquid) so
that the usual method of wiping spit around works again. I guess that
over time a mixture of grease and snot adhere to the inside and that
makes it fog.

--
Ian

"Ian Blakeley"  wrote in message 
news:d3d01ede-036e-4967-8957-f9f2ad3a3adb@c58g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 20, 11:17 pm, "NHdiver"  wrote:
> news:
> 6632cf4e-6547-4fe2-9f14-4c1f861a533f@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> > awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
>> > ..... after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste.
>>
>> If you don't clean the mask first,
>> the defog or spit will be useless.
>>
>
> I find that after a while both my masks will start fogging. A clean
> with warm soapy water resolves this (usually washing up liquid) so
> that the usual method of wiping spit around works again. I guess that
> over time a mixture of grease and snot adhere to the inside and that
> makes it fog.
>

It's usually caused by mould release agent left on the skirt when it was 
made that migrates on to the lenses, so it pays to clean both thoroughly.

Cliff.

> It's usually caused by mould release agent left on the skirt when it was 
> made that migrates on to the lenses, so it pays to clean both thoroughly.

It is usually caused by condensation of moisture on the lens of the mask.

"Lee Bell"  wrote in message 
news:TWO7k.10498$LL4.3460@bignews7.bellsouth.net...
>> It's usually caused by mould release agent left on the skirt when it was 
>> made that migrates on to the lenses, so it pays to clean both thoroughly.
>
> It is usually caused by condensation of moisture on the lens of the mask.

Indeed, but it is the greasy layer of release agent that makes the 
condensation appear as tiny discrete droplets that disrupt light, rather 
than a homogeneous film that would have little effect on vision.

Cliff.

Cliff Coggin wrote

>>> It's usually caused by mould release agent left on the skirt when it was 
>>> made that migrates on to the lenses, so it pays to clean both 
>>> thoroughly.
>>
>> It is usually caused by condensation of moisture on the lens of the mask.
>
> Indeed, but it is the greasy layer of release agent that makes the 
> condensation appear as tiny discrete droplets that disrupt light, rather 
> than a homogeneous film that would have little effect on vision.

True.  My point, though, is that the fog itself, consists of moisture and 
can be minimized by good diving techniques.  Even a clean mask, under some 
circumstances, even one with a defog agent on the lens, will still fog 
unacceptably in cold water if moisture is continuously added by exhaling 
through the nose.

Lee

"Lee Bell"  wrote in message 
news:YHR7k.3560$NQ5.1867@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
> Cliff Coggin wrote
>
>>>> It's usually caused by mould release agent left on the skirt when it 
>>>> was made that migrates on to the lenses, so it pays to clean both 
>>>> thoroughly.
>>>
>>> It is usually caused by condensation of moisture on the lens of the 
>>> mask.
>>
>> Indeed, but it is the greasy layer of release agent that makes the 
>> condensation appear as tiny discrete droplets that disrupt light, rather 
>> than a homogeneous film that would have little effect on vision.
>
> True.  My point, though, is that the fog itself, consists of moisture and 
> can be minimized by good diving techniques.  Even a clean mask, under some 
> circumstances, even one with a defog agent on the lens, will still fog 
> unacceptably in cold water if moisture is continuously added by exhaling 
> through the nose.

Here in UK waters I get condensation inside my mask for much of the year, 
but because glass and silicone are clean the water runs down without 
obscuring vision. It's comparable to rain on a car windscreen: if the glass 
is clean the rain will run off as a clear film, if the glass is dirty the 
rain forms spots that can't be seen through.

We both have our own solutions to the problem. I prefer to clean the mask 
once a year than to adapt my diving technique.

Cliff.

Cliff Coggin wrote

> Here in UK waters I get condensation inside my mask for much of the year, 
> but because glass and silicone are clean the water runs down without 
> obscuring vision. It's comparable to rain on a car windscreen: if the 
> glass is clean the rain will run off as a clear film, if the glass is 
> dirty the rain forms spots that can't be seen through.

Your windscreens, and mask lenses, must be made of a different kind of glass 
from ours.  Rain does not run off our windscreens here unless driven by the 
force of wind.  Even with RainEx, which is a coating designed to facilitate 
that, it does not run off until your speed is in excess of about 40 miles 
per hour.

> We both have our own solutions to the problem. I prefer to clean the mask 
> once a year than to adapt my diving technique.

I suspect that you've already adapted.  If not, I'm a bit surprised that you 
would deliberately choose to continue a poor technique and particularly 
surprised that you would recommend the same to others.  Recreational diving 
is a highly individual sport, but there are some generally accepted best 
practicies.  Not breathing through your nose is one of them.

Lee

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:13:03 +0100 in uk.rec.scuba, Cliff Coggin says:

>
>"Ian Blakeley"  wrote in message 
>news:d3d01ede-036e-4967-8957-f9f2ad3a3adb@c58g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
>> On Jun 20, 11:17 pm, "NHdiver"  wrote:
>> news:
>> 6632cf4e-6547-4fe2-9f14-4c1f861a533f@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
>>>
>>> > awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
>>> > ..... after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste.
>>>
>>> If you don't clean the mask first,
>>> the defog or spit will be useless.
>>>
>>
>> I find that after a while both my masks will start fogging. A clean
>> with warm soapy water resolves this (usually washing up liquid) so
>> that the usual method of wiping spit around works again. I guess that
>> over time a mixture of grease and snot adhere to the inside and that
>> makes it fog.
>>
>
>It's usually caused by mould release agent left on the skirt when it was 
>made that migrates on to the lenses, so it pays to clean both thoroughly.

When new I'd agree but after a few years I am not so sure. I reckon
the glass just gets dirty and then the condensation binds to it.
Certainly making sure the mask is clean solves the problem and it
doesn't need toothpaste etc unless new.

-- 
Ian

I've been using Charlies Soap spray,use once every 6 months works for me.
Cleans the gear also.
Safe diving all,Paul.

"viper61"  wrote in message 
news:6632cf4e-6547-4fe2-9f14-4c1f861a533f@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
> great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
> that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
> after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
> any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
> against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
> use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
> one!
>
> Cheers all,
>
> Rob

Ian wrote:

> When new I'd agree but after a few years I am not so sure. I reckon
> the glass just gets dirty and then the condensation binds to it.
> Certainly making sure the mask is clean solves the problem and it
> doesn't need toothpaste etc unless new.

It probably doesn't need it, but toothpaste is still a pretty good mask 
cleaner.

Lee

On 20 Jun, 11:26, viper61  wrote:
> Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
> great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
> that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
> after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
> any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
> against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
> use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
> one!
>
> Cheers all,
>
> Rob

I would not use toothpaste .. that is an abrasive and scratches teh
lens ... and no way I want to do that on a new expensive mask.

There is a company in UK that makes a new mask Preparation product ...
a couple of drops removes all traces of silicon mould release (which
is what causes much of fogging)

I also use their anti-fog which I find brilliant, I did try Typhoon
anti-fog, which was as useful as a chocolate teapot.

NMP   is on http://www.salclear.com/nmp.htm

Salclear Ultra  http://www.salclear.com/ultra.htm

I found  out about this company after buying their Dive e-drops at the
Dive show -

I think they sell a 'Diver pack' which has all 3 items in one kit.

On Jul 8, 10:17 am, Osprey  wrote:
> On 20 Jun, 11:26, viper61  wrote:
>
> > Hi, had awful problems on holiday and in general with my mask fogging
> > up. Have used toothpaste twice, use spit before the dive and still not
> > great. Bought another mask as the previous one wasn't great really and
> > that was 100 times better. Used toothpaste again and still great but
> > after 6 or 7 dives started fogging even after more paste. Are there
> > any good de-fog solutions that work pretty well? Have always been
> > against using them really but if they keep my mask clear i'll happily
> > use them. Makes the difference between a good dive and an annoying
> > one!
>
> > Cheers all,
>
> > Rob
>
> I would not use toothpaste .. that is an abrasive and scratches teh
> lens ... and no way I want to do that on a new expensive mask.
>
> There is a company in UK that makes a new mask Preparation product ...
> a couple of drops removes all traces of silicon mould release (which
> is what causes much of fogging)
>
> I also use their anti-fog which I find brilliant, I did try Typhoon
> anti-fog, which was as useful as a chocolate teapot.
>
> NMP   is onhttp://www.salclear.com/nmp.htm
>
> Salclear Ultra  http://www.salclear.com/ultra.htm
>
> I found  out about this company after buying their Dive e-drops at the
> Dive show -
>
> I think they sell a 'Diver pack' which has all 3 items in one kit.

Thanks very much, very helpful. Will check out their site.

Thanks all.