Most absorbing icy weather I learned Aqua Lung had launched a brand original model of the earlier Sphera conceal. The assumption of an improved model of my fav freediving conceal was fairly thrilling.
A Transient History of the Aqualung Sphera
The Sphera traces is lineage motivate to the Aqualung Falco. Arguably one in every of the principle dedicated freediving masks, the Falco was named after Albert Falco; Avid freediver, very long time companion of legendary sea explorer Jaques Cousteau and chief diver and eventual captain of Cousteau’s ship; the Calypso.
The Falco resembles the Sphera but has flat, glass lenses embedded in a rigid plastic frame. It was a pioneering invent, combining low quantity with a huge visible view and a shrimp profile.
The Sphera
The Sphera replaced glass lenses with bent polycarbonate – expanding the area of vision, making the conceal extra compressible, and reducing the profile worthy extra.
Low quantity has long been a precedence in freediving masks. Needing less air to equalize formula extra dive time. What’s outlandish referring to the Sphera invent is how with out considerations it changes shape under stress, remaining jubilant to elevated depths earlier than it ought to be equalized. This aggregate of low quantity and compressibility outcomes in a conceal that requires very little equalization, making deep dives probably with minimal air expended.
The Sphera X
First Influence: In the end The Legendary Bob, owner of my local dive shop, the worthy extra Legendary Scuba North, generously presented me with a stamp-original blue Sphera X. My first thought was ‘advantageous field’. Critically, Aqualung has surely gone all-in on the conceal field voice.
It’s the vogue of field one might per chance presumably if truth be told exercise. It has a zipper and a little bit clip so you may per chance well presumably protect it on your float. (or with you at all occasions, clipped to a belt loop..) It’s fuzzy inside of, virtually adore a musical instrument case, and big adequate to take care of my Doc’s educated-plugs and a bottle of de-fogger (extra on that later) alongside with the conceal.
The Sphera X is chilly taking a look. It’s readily accessible within the awesome colour of blue pictured above, to boot to dusky, determined, and white (with utterly different shiny choices).
Puny but per chance important changes
First study about reveals some added texture on the nostril pocket, which is a little bit extra squared-off, and shiny patches of flat-assemble on the conceal body. The strap has been redesigned with extra surface residence – making it less fiddly to put on.
The silicone of the conceal body appears to be like a little bit thinner and extra pliable than on the older model – presumably making for a closer seal.
As soon as More Unto The Seaside!
We headed out into West Huge Traverse Bay (a bay off Lake Michigan here in Northern Michigan). The air was warmth and humid, the water worthy cooler. I was unconcerned about condensation because it says correct there on the little guarantee paper that the Sphera X comes with a fog-proof coating. HA! No. Evidently, mine disregarded that section, because this mistaken boy fogged up so utterly in under 5 minutes that I virtually collided with a northern pike. I was in a space to fix it with some anti-fog I introduced alongside upright in case (within the aforementioned svelt and exact field), and I don’t depend that towards the conceal – because it was likely upright a one-off.
As soon as the fog grief was sorted I practiced making faces underwater to examine my idea about thinner silicone bettering the seal. The Sphera X did certainly seal higher than the earlier model. In all utterly other ways it carries on the virtues of its predecessor; a exact area of look, jubilant, not wanting worthy in one of the vital best ways of equalization.
For our next dive, I handed it to my daughter to get her impressions.
She eminent that the nostril pocket, under limited compression, successfully pinches your nostril extra than the older model. When you occur to protect your conceal a little bit detrimental, this makes equalizing palms-free more straightforward.
Conclusions
- Comfort, Compressibility, Quantity, and Survey: The Sphera line of masks is outlandish in a horizontal area of look (virtually 180 levels) and compressibility. Glass lensed masks require elevated tension since the lenses ought to be stored within the the same airplane. In low quantity masks, this would per chance consequence in a frame that presses uncomfortably towards the browridge, and even very low quantity masks can require earlier equalization to pause jubilant (for quantity comparability of the Sphera with a few utterly different freediving masks look my review of the XS Scuba Apnos). The Sphera X has the flexibility to compare a huge sequence of faces very with out problems, and to pause jubilant under stress at depth with minimal air spent equalizing the conceal.
- Polycarbonate vs glass lenses: The Plexisol Polycarbonate lenses on the Sphera X possess the the same index of refraction as water. They assemble not amplify adore glass lenses, nor assemble they distort or intervene with binocular vision when the conceal flexes under stress.
A Few Drawbacks
- Durability: Polycarbonate lenses scratch with out considerations. Right here’s no big deal if the scratches are on the outside – they’ll have with water and switch out to be invisible – but you may per chance possess to quiet utilize care to take care of away from getting sand within the conceal – or rubbing the lenses. With these masks, it’s greatest to exercise an anti-fogging agent fairly than the ‘spit and polish’ formula.
- Self-discipline of vision: The Sphera X has shiny upward and horizontal fields of look. Trying down is where it falls short, which might also furthermore be traumatic for checking scuba gauges or wrangling fish.
Summary
The Aqualung Sphera X continues the Sphera lineage as an prominent and outlandish freediving conceal. It improves incrementally upon the earlier generation of Spheras – with stylistic updates, thinner and extra pliable silicone, and a closer strap. The zippered conceal field might per chance be very precious and with out considerations attaches to a dive float.
Formulation
- Readily accessible in 6 colours: Black, Navy Blue, Clair Glacier, White/Black, White/Raspberry, White/Tropic
- 180° distortion-free panoramic vision due to the the novel Bent Lens Expertise
Plexisol® lenses with special anti-fog and anti-scratch benefits - UVA/UVB protection
- Evolved Match Expertise (AFT) enhancing the sealing sides of the silicone skirt, bettering match, consolation, and feel
- Without voice adjustable buckle system
- An innovatively formed strap higher styles to the diver’s head, increasing consolation and affords a extra receive match
- Mild heavy-accountability EVA field with corrosion-free zipper.
Heed
- Sphera X Freediving Conceal – $75 USD
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