A diving supervisor in Galveston changed my mind about full face masks

I used to think full face masks were just for rookies who couldn't handle a regular reg and a comms unit, but last month a supervisor in Galveston told me to try one on a 60 foot pipeline repair and said 'your jaw will thank you by the third dive.' He was dead right, my face wasn't wrecked and comms were way clearer than the hard hat I'd been using. Has anyone else switched over for long bottom time jobs, or is it just a preference thing?

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terry_mitchell25d ago

Aw man, that hits home hard! I had the same exact attitude for years, thought full face masks were overkill and just extra gear to babysit. Then I did a week of harbor work in Norfolk with a ton of silt and current, and my jaw was cramping by the second day, plus the comms sounded like a broken radio. That switch to a full face setup saved my sanity, honestly. It's not about being a rookie or a pro, it's just about not suffering when you're doing real bottom time. Your jaw and your ears will pick the mask every single time after a long day.