SDI Full Face Mask

Specialty Course · Full Face Masks · For Certified Divers

Breathe with your whole face. A full face mask seals around your face, builds the regulator in, and lets you breathe naturally through your nose and mouth, with no mouthpiece to hold. The SDI Full Face Mask course trains you to dive one safely, covering the real advantages, the honest tradeoffs, and the emergency skills this gear needs. Masks are provided, and it counts as a specialty toward your Advanced Diver rating. You'll need your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel, and the rest of the rental gear is included.

Veterans can put their GI Bill toward their training, and families can use ESA or ClassWallet funds. See if you qualify.

Starting from

$199.00

Availability: In Stock

Starts : Sat, Aug 22, 2026 : SDI Full Face Mask OTS Guardian (Price: $199.00) (Dive Arizona)

Lake Dives: Sat, Aug 22, 2026 at 8:30 am to 10:00 am

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Additional Information

SDI Full Face Mask Diver Course

Specialty Course · Full Face Masks · For Certified Divers

A standard mask covers your eyes and nose and leaves you holding a regulator. A full face mask seals around your whole face, puts the regulator inside the mask, and lets you breathe naturally through your nose and mouth, with no mouthpiece to hold, no bite to keep, and a clear, protected view. The SDI Full Face Mask course trains you to dive one correctly: how they work, the real tradeoffs, how to pick the right mask, and the emergency procedures this gear needs. It counts as a specialty toward your SDI Advanced Diver rating.

What a full face mask gives you

A full face mask changes the experience in a few real ways:

Breathe naturally through your nose and mouth, with no regulator to hold
More safety: an unconscious diver keeps breathing as long as the air is on
Underwater communication, with comms that integrate right into the mask
Room for prescription lens inserts if you need vision correction

The tradeoffs worth knowing

A full face mask isn't a straight upgrade, and knowing the downsides is part of diving one safely:

Air consumption runs a bit higher, thanks to the larger dead space inside the mask
Buoyancy and trim change, since the mask is bulkier and adds float at your face
They're larger and more complex, so they need more care and are harder to travel with

What you'll learn

The knowledge side gets you ready to choose, don, and care for a full face mask.

The main mask types and how to pick the right one
Proper donning and switching from open to closed on the surface
Equalization techniques specific to a full face mask
Care, maintenance, and servicing intervals

In-water skills you'll build

Full face masks bring emergencies a standard mask doesn't, and you'll practice each one.

Weighting, buoyancy, and equalization with the mask
Clearing a partially flooded mask
Removing and replacing the mask underwater
Managing a free-flow, switching to a backup, and alternate-air-source ascents

Who can enroll

The course is open to certified Open Water divers, and includes a hands-on in-water component at a local lake.

Certified Open Water divers, or equivalent
Minimum age 18, or 15 with parental consent
Divers curious about comms, added safety, or a clearer field of view
Anyone drawn to public-safety-style diving

✓ What's included

Instruction and your full face mask dives with an instructor
A full face mask for the course: OTS Guardian, OTS Spectrum, or Ocean Reef
Rental gear: BCD, regulator, computer, tank, weights, and wetsuit
Your SDI Full Face Mask certification, plus a credit toward your Advanced Diver rating

What to bring

Your own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel (required, we don't rent these)
Your own full face mask if you have one (optional, welcome)
Your Open Water certification card
A swimsuit and a towel

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a full face mask?

A diving mask that seals around your whole face instead of just your eyes and nose. The regulator is built into the mask, so you breathe through the mask itself, through your nose and mouth, without holding a mouthpiece. They're used in recreational diving, public safety diving, and surface-supplied work.

What are the advantages?

Three big ones: more safety, since an unconscious diver keeps breathing without holding a regulator; underwater communication through comms that integrate into the mask; and room for prescription lens inserts for divers who need vision correction.

Is it harder than regular diving?

The main adjustments are buoyancy and air consumption, since the mask is bulkier and has more internal volume. Donning is more involved, and emergency skills like mask removal and switching air sources take practice. The course covers all of it directly.

Which masks will I use?

Dive Arizona provides OTS Guardian and Spectrum masks and Ocean Reef masks for the course. If you own a full face mask, you're welcome to bring it.

Can I use it if I wear glasses or contacts?

Many full face masks take prescription lens inserts, which is one of their advantages. Contacts work under a standard mask too, but inserts can give a clearer view for stronger prescriptions. Call us before the course and we'll talk through the options for your prescription.

Does it count toward the Advanced Diver rating?

Yes, it counts as one specialty credit toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating.

Let's. Go. Diving.

Curious what it's like to breathe with your whole face? Call the shop and we'll get you scheduled.

📞 Call the shop (480) 881-4013

A specialty course that counts toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating. Full face masks are provided, or bring your own. Prerequisite: an SDI Open Water certification (or equivalent).

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