Switched from full face masks to half masks on 40 foot dives after last season

I used to swear by my full face Kirby Morgan for everything, even shallow harbor work in Norfolk. But after a 6 week gig last summer on a dredge, I realized I was dealing with more CO2 buildup than I wanted. Swapped to a half mask with a neck dam for anything under 60 feet and my head stays clearer.

2 comments

2 Comments

the_anthony14d ago

Wait you seriously ran a full face Kirby Morgan on a dredge in Norfolk? Those things are tanks but they trap heat and CO2 like crazy in warm water. I helped a buddy on a harbor job there once and after four hours in a full face I was getting headaches even at 20 feet. Swapping to a half mask under 60 makes total sense to me. Your head stays clearer because you're not fighting that dead air space. Man I'm honestly a little shocked you didn't switch sooner, that must have been rough on the long days.

hunt.nora14d ago

Swapping to a half mask under 60 makes total sense to me" - wait, you're telling me @the_anthony that you've been doing that and just now mentioning it? Man, I could've saved myself a whole season of headaches if I'd known.