Cressi Big Eyes

As if being a dive snob, a wine snob, a book snob and a movie snob weren't enough, I have to add being a dive mask snob to the list. For me, the single most important piece of equipment you own is a mask. No matter how cool your computer, your BC, your wetsuit or regulator are, they are completely useless unless you have a mask — one that fits well and you don't have to think about when you're exploring your favorite dive sites. For me, that mask is a Cressi Big Eyes. I've tried nearly every other mask on the market, and for my face, this is the one. I like the black silicone skirt for photography, and the lip of it is as leakproof as a mask can be on my mug. I like that I can look down at my gauges because of the teardrop shape of the dual lenses, and how the low volume of the air space keeps it from riding up my face and making the underside of my nose sore at the end of a dive trip. And it's rugged. I have to admit, I'm hell on my gear. And the current Cressi I have has been abused for about four years and it's still not causing me any trouble. Now, if I could just get all the other aspects of my life to line up so perfectly as this mask, I'd be in heaven.