Replacement mask straps

[rich427]

Anyone know Where to get replacement mask straps in Colors? Im looking for some blue ones for old blue masks. Seems impossible to find.

On another note, why doesnt anyone reproduce the old oval masks in a blue color? Or do they and im just really bad at searching on the internet? Any information appreciated. Thanks - Rich

[DavidRitchieWilson]

A few years ago, I managed to purchase an Ixtapa blue oval mask, which is still manufactured, so far as I know, with other blue models (Cancun, Adulto), by Escualo Sports of Mexico:

New blue oval masks are also still on the websites of modern diving equipment manufacturers Gonper of Mexico:

Majorca sub of Greece:

Gull of Japan:

and Spine of Russia:

The problem isn't so much manufacturing such masks, it's their distribution and availability in western countries. And before anybody points it out, yes, only one of the masks pictured has a traditional stainless steel band and screw!

[SeaRat]

David, do you know whether all these masks have glass lenses? I think that the one on the right, second row, may have a plastic lens.

John

[rich427]

Thanks for the reply! So how do you go about getting one of those masks? Id love to get one of those gonper ones with the screw

[DavidRitchieWilson]

Aug 30, 2012 14:58:02 GMT -8 SeaRat said:

David, do you know whether all these masks have glass lenses? I think that the one on the right, second row, may have a plastic lens. John

John, I work on the principle with these traditional oval masks that the mask lens is likely to be plastic unless the manufacturer says otherwise. I've checked the records of my online searches on coloured-skirted masks and I've determined that the Russian masks (Laguna, Neptun, Nimfa models) have glass lenses, if this online retail site is anything to go by:
Маска «Нептун». Материал: стекло, резина, пластмассовое обжимное кольцо ["Neptune" mask. Material: glass, rubber, plastic rim]
spartak-plus.ru/catalog/?category=15&product=358
The Japanese Gull Basara mask has a tempered glass lens, or so it says on the lens in English. As for the Mexican and Greek masks, the web pages showcasing them don't say in English or any other language what material is used to make the lens.

[DavidRitchieWilson]

Aug 30, 2012 17:53:32 GMT -8 rich427 said:

Thanks for the reply! So how do you go about getting one of those masks? Id love to get one of those gonper ones with the screw

You've asked the $64,000 question - how do you get the masks? I got my blue-skirted Escualo Sports Ixtapa and Cancun masks through Badesports, a sporting-goods online retailer in Mexico:

www.badesports.com.mx

They speak English and sold me, without fuss, masks and fins made by Escualo Sports of Mexico.

I'm unaware of any retailer selling either the Gonper or the Majorca sub masks.

As for the Gull Basara and the Spine masks Laguna, Neptun and Nimfa, they are on Japanese and Russian online retail sites respectively, but I've never tried submitting an order. I have tried Japanese online retailers over the years, but have never received a reply. I understand that there are Japanese websites set up to help westerners buy Japanese goods, but I can't vouch for them.

As I said in my earlier posting, it's not down to manufacture but to distribution when it comes to coloured-skirted diving masks.

[DavidRitchieWilson]

Just to tantalise further, the Ukrainian Kievguma company also manufactures a tempered glass oval mask in blue:



On one site, this "Akvanavt" (Aquanaut) model mask was retailing for just over 9 US dollars:
kiev.ko.slando.ua/obyavlenie/maska-akvanavt-dlya-podvodnogo-plavanya-ID4Jbnp.html