Contributor: Dave Gleeson
Gear Review
Hammerhead MV3 Action Mask (GoPro Mount Mask)
The number one requirement of any mask is of course, to not
leak. I’ve been diving since I was 15, and have never been able to get a mask
to seal well on top of facial hair. I
expected more of the same from the Hammerhead MV3, but was pleasantly surprised
when I logged an entire day of diving and didn’t experience a single leak! The
soft silicone skirt is comfortable and conforms to the face extremely well.
In addition to a great seal, the MV3 sports an integrated
GoPro mount that’s perfect for spearos who like to record the day’s dive
(that’s most of us, really). Prior to using the Hammerhead, I used a head strap
to hold my GoPro in place while diving. I sometimes missed out on footage
because the camera was tilted too high or too low, and more than once I’ve lost
a camera off my head after the strap slipped off due to waves. Neither of these
things are a problem with the MV3, as the mount takes all the guesswork out of
recording spearfishing footage. This is
arguably the best feature of this piece of gear, and is reason enough to try it
out.
The MV3 is a low volume mask, and I had no trouble
equalizing the small air space on my deeper dives this past weekend. I did
notice that the lens profile seems to be wider than other masks I’ve used,
which allowed for a wider field of view. I liked this, because it eliminated
the “tunnel vision” effect that other ultra-low volume masks can produce.
Another super feature is that HammerHead also offers an LED light that mounts directly to the GoPro type mount on the MV3 Action Mask. Excellent feature for those hole hunting fish and lobsters in rocks and caves. The LED light features 3 brightness settings, strobe and the housing utilizes GoPro style battery and hardware... a big + ! Comes with battery, charging cord, mounting screw and clip in mount for piggy backing GoPro on top of light if desired (although it would be rather tall).
My overall impression is that the Hammerhead MV3 is an
excellent piece of gear, and is something that should improve the comfort and
ease of your dive. If you’re in the market for a new mask, or want a more
secure way to record your footage, give it a try.
Dive Safe,
Dave Gleeson
www.davegleeson.com
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