OXAIR full-face mask: snorkel the reef, then breathe from the tank when you dive down

Snorkelling over a reef, you see the best of it from the surface and then have to come up after one breath hold. The OXAIR mask changes that. At the surface it is a full-face snorkel mask. When you dive down, it switches to the air in your OXSEA tank through a dedicated connector, and you keep breathing normally while you look.

How it works

The mask covers your whole face, so you breathe through your nose and mouth with a wide field of view and no mouthpiece.

• On the surface: you breathe through the snorkel on top. The tank is not in use.
• Going down: the air from the tank comes in through the connector.
• Back up: the snorkel takes over again.

Because you only draw on the tank while you are below, it goes a lot further over a session than if you breathed from it the whole time.

Which tank it fits

All four: the OX500, the OX500Plus, the OX1000 and the OX2000. For snorkelling, the tanks you wear on your back are the most comfortable: the weight sits between your shoulders and your hands stay free.

Where to use it in Australia

Clear, sheltered, shallow water, where what you want to see is a few metres down. Some of the places our guides cover:

• Perth and Rottnest: the Parker Point and Little Salmon Bay snorkel trails, Mettam's Pool and the Marmion trail. See Perth and Rottnest with a mini tank.
• Sydney: Cabbage Tree Bay, Gordons Bay, Clovelly and Bare Island. See Sydney shore spots.
• The Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo: diving and snorkelling are allowed in most zones, but anchoring is another story. See marine park zones.

Never stand on or touch coral, and from K'gari north, in the Top End and down the WA coast to Exmouth, wear a full stinger suit: the mask protects your face, not the rest of you. Our stinger season guide explains the risk.

One more rule: under Australian fishing rules a mini tank counts as underwater breathing apparatus. Leave the speargun at home, or read what each state allows.

Fit and care

One size, with adjustable straps. Tighten them evenly so the seal sits flat all round your face, then try it at the surface before going down. A beard can stop it sealing properly.

After each swim, rinse it in fresh water and dry it in the shade. Salt and sun left on the mask age the seal and the straps.

How to get it

The OXAIR mask is added on the pack page on oxsea.shop: choose your pack, then add the mask just above the buy button. Every pack in the range offers it.

The rules that come with it

Breathing normally behind a mask makes it easy to forget you are on compressed air. Never hold your breath on the way up, ascend slowly and stay shallow. The safety guide on oxsea.shop is worth reading before your first swim.