Full Face Mask Diver

Who Should Take This Course?

If you have ever watched a public safety diver, scientific diver, aquarium diver, or somebody using underwater communications and thought, “Okay, I want to try that,” this is where you start.

You must be at least 12 years old and certified as a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or hold a qualifying certification from another recognized training organization.

Full-face masks can also be appealing to recreational divers who want additional facial protection in cold water, prefer breathing through their nose, or simply want to explore another way of diving.

You do not need to own a full-face mask before taking the course.

A Full-Face Mask Changes a Few Things

With a conventional scuba mask, your mask and regulator are two separate pieces of equipment. A full-face mask combines them into one system covering your eyes, nose, and mouth.

That creates some nice advantages. Your entire face stays out of the water, breathing can feel more natural, and compatible systems can support underwater voice communications.

It also means that some of the skills you learned in Open Water need to be approached differently.

If the mask floods, comes loose, or develops a problem, you need to know how to respond without turning an equipment issue into a breathing problem.

That is why this is a specialty course and not just something I hand you at the edge of the pool with a cheerful “good luck.”

What Will You Learn?

The course includes knowledge development, one confined-water session, and two open-water dives.

During training, we will work on things such as:

• Different types of full-face masks and how they work.
• Proper mask fit and adjustment.
• Preparing and inspecting the mask before a dive.
• Connecting and checking the regulator system.
• Equalizing while wearing a full-face mask.
• Clearing water from the mask.
• Removing and replacing the mask underwater.
• Switching to an alternate breathing system when necessary.
• Managing buoyancy and awareness while working with unfamiliar equipment.
• Post-dive care, cleaning, inspection, and maintenance.
• Accepted safety procedures and problem-solving techniques.

By the time we move into open water, the goal is for the mask to feel like equipment you understand rather than a giant piece of plastic strapped to your face.

Yes, You Still Need a Backup Plan

A full-face mask combines your mask and primary breathing system, which means losing the mask is a little more consequential than losing a conventional mask.

That is why backup procedures matter.

Depending on the system and training configuration, we will work with an appropriate alternate breathing source and backup mask so you have a workable plan if the full-face mask needs to come off underwater.

We practice those procedures in confined water first, where you can learn the sequence without simultaneously trying to manage depth, visibility, temperature, and an open-water environment.

I would much rather have you deliberately practice the uncomfortable part when everything is controlled than discover it for the first time because something broke.

What About Underwater Communications?

For a lot of divers, this is the feature that makes full-face masks especially interesting.

Compatible full-face mask systems can support underwater communications, allowing divers to speak with one another or communicate with a surface station.

That can be useful for public safety, scientific, commercial, aquarium, instructional, and other specialized diving applications.

It is also undeniably fun the first time you realize you can actually talk underwater.

Communications equipment is not required to understand the fundamentals of full-face mask diving, but if the system we are using supports it and the training plan makes sense, we can incorporate communications into the experience.

How Does the Course Work?

We start with knowledge development and equipment orientation before getting into the water.

The confined-water session is where you learn the mask itself: fitting it, breathing from it, clearing it, removing and replacing it, working through backup procedures, and getting comfortable with the different feel of the system.

Once those skills are solid, we complete two open-water dives using the full-face mask in a real diving environment.

The course is normally completed over two training days so there is enough time to become comfortable with the equipment before we take it into open water.

Do I Need My Own Full-Face Mask?

No.

If you already own an appropriate full-face mask system, bring it and we can determine whether it is suitable for the course.

If you do not own one, use of a DWF full-face mask is included with the course. You do not need to buy specialized equipment just to find out whether full-face mask diving is something you enjoy.

I teach with equipment I know, so we can spend the class learning how to dive the system instead of troubleshooting a mystery mask somebody found online last week.

What Other Gear Will You Need?

You will need your normal scuba equipment appropriate for the training environment.

In addition to the full-face mask, the configuration may include:

• An appropriate primary regulator connection for the mask
• Alternate air source
• Backup conventional scuba mask
• Dive computer
• Exposure protection appropriate for the water temperature
• Any communications equipment being used for the training

We will go through the entire setup before getting in the water so you understand what every piece does and how it fits into the emergency procedures.

Can This Count Toward Advanced Open Water?

The first dive of the PADI Full Face Mask Diver Specialty may be eligible for credit as an Adventure Dive toward Advanced Open Water Diver.

If you are working toward both certifications, tell me before we start so we can make sure the training is structured and documented correctly.