kai839•24d ago

I still think the old Kirby Morgan hat is better than the new full face masks

For years I worked with a KM 37 helmet and got used to the feel and weight. Last spring my company switched us all to the Ocean Reef Neptune full face mask for a job in Seattle harbor. I know everyone says the new gear is lighter and has better vision, but I miss the solid feel and the way the old hat handled strong currents. Has anyone else gone back to their old helmet after trying something new?

4 comments

4 Comments

abbyhall24d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, isn't it weird how we call gear that fights us "solid"? Like the old hat needing a neck workout just to look around, or that heavy chin press feeling like it was holding you in place. We start to think wrestling with our equipment is part of doing the job right. Tbh, that's just getting tricked into liking a struggle.

the_hayden24d ago

You actually preferred the weight of that old tank?

the_shane24d ago

Preferred the weight" is exactly the kind of thing @the_hayden would say, and it shows how we get used to bad design. You start to think the extra effort is normal, even a sign of quality. It's wild what we'll defend just because it's familiar.

wells.evan7d ago

Ever notice how the gear we struggle with the most ends up feeling like a badge of honor? It's like we tie our own skill to how much punishment we can take from our equipment. That old helmet wasn't just heavy, it was a test you had to pass every dive. Makes you wonder what other junk we're putting up with just because we learned to fight it first.