Boo!

The mask and snorkel adorning our first Halloween pumpkin is typical of what divers used 30 years ago. The narrow, metal-rimmed mask offers virtually no peripheral vision. The similarly narrow snorkel lacked the self-draining valve that is standard on almost every snorkel today. (It also sold for around $25 — that’s like the cheapest snorkel you can buy today selling for $100,)

One thing about the black neoprene used to make masks, snorkels and fins in the mid-1970s was that, not only did it not look very good, it didn’t last very long, either. After three years, most neoprene rubber masks began to oxidize, leaving a black ring around users’ faces.

In 1977, Farallon introduce the Prismatic mask — the first, plastic-rimmed, low-profile dive mask with side windows, and the forerunner of all modern masks. By 1980, manufacturers were making masks from clear silicone, relegating ugly, black neoprene models to the history books.

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