Study: Full-Face Snorkeling Masks May Increase Risk … Experts say more research is needed along with increased government oversight.
Duke University researchers have found that many full-face snorkeling masks do not work as advertised and in some cases may increase the risk to snorkelers.
Rachel Lance, one of the leaders of the study, presented her findings during a Thursday webinar series, saying that while some of these masks provided “accessible breathing pressures,” others did not and allowed water to leak through.
The study raises more questions — and perhaps doubt — for consumers who don’t have a way of knowing which brands are safe to use, and there’s no real oversight to help guide them. There have been attempts from ocean safety experts and state and county officials over the past several years to find out if the full-face design is inherently more dangerous but so far those have been inconclusive.
