IST Pro Ear ME-80CB Diving Mask

When the item arrived, it came packaged in a sturdy box. The mask came, as pictured, with a blue tint to the plastic. It also came with a neoprene over the head strap which attaches onto the mask with adjustable velcro fastening. Only slight criticism with the product is that it does not come with a carry case/box once out of the packaging as the mask is not particularly easy to transport/store.I was worried that, due to the size of my head (relatively small for an adult) and this mask being a one size fits all, the mask would not fit tightly enough onto my head to produce any kind of seal around the front let alone the ears but a quick try on before packing for our trip showed me that it could be done up even tighter than I needed which reassured me.I bought this Diving Mask on a whim just before heading off to Thailand. Having had surgery/perforated ear drums as a child, I have suffered continuously with my ears, if I get them wet for too long whilst swimming, I will generally end up with an ear infection. I have therefore never been able to enjoy snorkelling and/or diving. I knew how amazing Thailand was meant to be for snorkelling (and diving) and I really wanted to be able to enjoy my time in the water.I tried the mask for the first time in Thailand (snorkelling) as I ordered the mask very late. The first attempt was ok but not great and I did get some water end up in the ear pockets and I was trying to get to grips with how the tubes worked to remove water. The second attempt was better, I managed to snorkel for a long time before the bits of water in the ear pieces forced me to stop again. I realised that the problem was the hair around my ears and I also have a pretty narrow head/face so the ear pieces were struggling to get a good seal. I purchased some vaseline before going on a days snorkelling trip and from then on the mask worked perfectly! I enjoyed every moment of that day and was able to fully immerse myself in the sea without worry over my ears. One more thing to note here: With my first use I had forgotten about the neoprene strap that fits over the head, adding this on with subsequent attempts made the mask fit better and stay in place and not slip down.I am looking forward to any future snorkelling we are able to as we continue to travel the world!

I have owned two of these masks for several years and have probably done 150 dives with them.I really appreciate the attempt at innovation and I think if IST went a step further then this could be an incredible product. When held properly, the mask has never come off on entry, even doing backward rolls and step ins. Equalising is much, much easier. Often the ears leak a little during the dive and I'll often get one ear a bit wet, but I've never gotten an ear infection while using the mask, whereas I was previously guaranteed an ear infection on a dive trip, and this speaks volumes for me. I've found it less effective at keeping out water while surface snorkeling, perhaps because there is less pressure holding the ear cup on, but it is still valuable if you're prone to ear infections. It is particularly good for free diving because of the ease of equalisation.I have a significant concern, though. DAN states that no research has been done on any kind of ear blocking/covering product and its safety and therefore they do not recommend them. I have acquired tinnitus over these years while diving with this mask and I hope that it has been caused by factors other than this mask. I would like for this mask to go through a rigorous testing process and for the results to be shared and explained given the potential danger the product could cause if not functioning correctly. I am especially concerned about what would happen in the case a tube is blocked or not functioning, which is now the case with one of my masks. Perhaps some grain of sand is stuck in there. Would diving with this block without realising cause ear trauma? Having two tubes per ear, with one as a back up, or being able to service and clean the tubes, would be an enormous help.I value IST's attempt at innovation here, so I hope they can further improve on the product.

Over the last few years I’ve suffered from frequent ear infections after being in water, and have avoided snorkelling and scuba as a result. This summer I used this mask to snorkel several times while on holiday in minorca. My ears stayed dry, so no ear infections! The seal around my ears was good despite the hair over my ears. I am so pleased that I can snorkel again :)Next step is to try the mask on a dive. It would be so good to be able to scuba again!

It took me a dive or two to get used to this mask but once you get used to need to equalise the ear "cups" it works reasonably easy. You will need to get a very good seal - I could only achieve it with shaving my hair around ears ... When jumping into water you need to hold the ear cups not your mask... Would be good if the mask would come with pouch or plastic box as its not easy to store it.

This is a great and somewhat rare product that solves the dreaded water& unequal pressure damaging the eardrum... one of the worst nuisances I experienced when swimming in an indoor swimming pool.Needs a lot of adjustment and perhaps a "funny"(large ear clearance) haircut around the ears to get a "perfect" vacuum.Personally I found that even a less than "perfect" vacuum lets me do rolls and flips in/under the water without the ears, nose and eyes getting punished. All this is good news and lets me swim continuously.Good product

I have done a few scuba dives with this mask to 30 mtr. Do not dive with existing ear trauma! i experienced ear barotrauma (otitis media) and when this was all clear I used this to keep my ears dry. It works so long as the seal/mask is tightened well. I have observed that I still need to do some equalising anyway, so the mask does not fully equalise itself with its pseudo Eustachian tube.