OTS Spectrum Full-Face Mask: ScubaLab Testers Choice

We tested the OTS Spectrum full-face mask. It was our Testers Choice for full-face masks.

We measured full-face masks’ ability to deliver air at a range of depths and breathing rates on the breathing simulator at Dive Lab in Panama City Beach, Florida.

We also tested full-face masks at Blue Grotto Dive Resort in Williston, Florida with a team of test divers who scored masks in several categories including ease of breathing, effectiveness and comfort of the mask seal .

“Feels natural, like a regular mask/reg combo,” is how one test diver described this lightweight mask, which is compatible with most standard regulators. An internal plastic frame in the oral/nasal cavity provides support for the reg and accessories such as communication systems and a surface breathing valve.

The pliable skirt can be tricky to seat quickly—improper donning can put the lens right on the bridge of the nose—but provides an extremely dry and comfortable seal, even on divers with smaller faces. Test divers loved the soft nose pocket, which allows for easy, effortless equalization.

Outfitted with a high-performance regulator, the mask earned excellent and very good scores for breathing on the simulator and in the field. However, some testers could feel the soft skirt suck in and out while breathing hard.

The large glass lens—available in clear or tinted—requires defog. It scored very good for field of view. The mask doesn’t have a dewatering valve, but a pull tab on the bottom of the skirt helps expel residual water after clearing.

A favorite of test divers offering comfort with an easy, effective seal and no-fuss equalization, the Spectrum is our Testers Choice for full-face masks.