Comments about IST Pro Ear Two Window Mask:

I have been able to do repetitive dives without sinus issues. Now I can dive with comfort.

Comments about IST Pro Ear Two Window Mask:

I've always had trouble equalizing my ears, and on my first Scuba certification dive I perforated both eardrums. I discovered this mask when I was doing research on what I needed to do in order to dive, and whether I'd be able to dive at all with perforated eardrums. This is an incredible mask, and let me dive alongside everyone I was traveling with despite my ear problems.

This is a high quality mask to begin with: I never had trouble with the glass fogging up (I did with my previous mask) and the front seals perfectly to my face. The "ear cups" are attached to the strap on either side of your head, and feel a little strange at first. The ear cups are adjustable independently of the mask strap, so most wearers should be able to tweak the settings and make it fit them well. Once you have the whole mask on, you can check the seal by inhaling: for me, the front mask sealed perfectly, but I could hear a whistling noise as air leaked into the ear cups. At first, I was very concerned about this; however, once the mask is wet and you're actually in the water, the seal is much better. When testing out the mask at home, and even when putting it on before a dive, be sure the entire mask is wet - this is the only way the ear cups will seal against your head.

As you descend on a dive, the mask will compress against your face as any mask does. When you breathe air into the mask through your nose, air flows directly into the ear cups as well. The pressure on your ears is the same as it would be with any other mask, but the adjustment happens more slowly and your ears stay dry, decreasing risk of infection. I clear my ears as I descend the same way with this mask as with any other. Because I have ear problems, I sometimes have to descend more slowly than others in my group - but this only sets me back by a minute or so, and once I get to the maximum dive depth I have no more trouble with my ears. I've taken this mask down to 100 feet with no trouble.

The seal around the ears is not perfect; I'd say it sealed completely about 80% of the time for me. The other 20% of the time, small amounts of water seep in over the course of a dive. Out of 30 dives I've used the mask on, I've never had either ear cap fill completely - the leaks are very slow when they exist. When water leaked in, it was enough to notice but not enough to bother me - I never aborted a dive due to water in the ears.

Clearing the mask: If water manages to get in, you can actually clear the entire mask, including ear cups. The main mask clears the same way a standard mask does - if you let water in and exhale through your nose to clear, no water will travel backwards through the tubes to the ears. If you want to clear the ear cups, it's a little tricky but very effective: using both hands, press the mask tightly against your face and the ear you do not want to clear tightly against the side of your head. Press the TOP of the ear cup you do want to clear against your head - then exhale slowly. You should hear air bubbling out the bottom of the ear cup you're trying to clear! I did this successfully quite a few times, as deep as about 75 feet.

This is a great mask, and I probably wouldn't have been able to dive without it. Highly recommended for anyone with ear troubles!

Comments about IST Pro Ear Two Window Mask:

At home I may make 2-3 dives in a day and then not dive again for 3-4 weeks, at that rate I have no use for this mask. When I am on a dive vacation, I like to dive 2-5 dives a day for 2-3 weeks and I simply could not do that without this mask. In the past I had to dive 2-3 days then stay out of the water for 2 days and baby my ears along till the end of my trip when at that point I could no longer dive period. The ear cups do flood sometimes but its managable. They are extremley noisy but at least I'm still able to dive.

Comments about IST Pro Ear Two Window Mask:

I always have pain and equilizing issues, and I know that nothing will solve that completely. This mask, however, reduced the amount of trouble to such a degree I feel it must be closer to the norm. I did, in six dives, have two occassions where there was a drip from the upper left tube connecting the front of the mask to the ear covers, but, clearing the mask helped and I think it was just due to dolphin-roll type antics.

I would absolutely recommend this mask to people who have trouble with equilization.

Comments about IST Pro Ear Two Window Mask:

I got this mask because of all of the reviews that say it will make clearing easier. I popped an ear drum on a shallow dive last year, and I wanted to do everything possible to keep from doing that again. Plus I always had at least one ear that would remain plugged with water. I just dove at the Denver Downtown Aquarium. I loved the fact my ears were completely dry. It did seem to me it was easier to clear. Can't wait to use it on three two tank dives in the Caribbean in January.