Tiny Mask, Big Design
Although the Spyder didn’t fit me very well and I didn’t get a great seal while I was testing it, this does not diminish the quality of the mask—I just have a little wider face. My son, however, did play with it in the pool, and he reported that it fit great and didn’t leak for him. Basically, the Spyder is designed with such a low volume that it might not be the best fit for everybody.
I’ve never let a little bit of a leak stop me from diving, though, so that’s what I did. I just had to clear the mask more often. All of the literature and online descriptions describe the Spyder as a spearfishing or freediving mask, so that’s the way I initially approached my testing.
I swam in a straight line, facing directly toward where I was heading. My goal was to see if there was any movement or I felt any additional resistance. There was none. I felt, at least when it came to the Spyder and its position, that there was no added drag and there was no movement.
I also wanted to test it as a “diver.” I swam around, just as I would on a typical dive, looking around me, at my buddies, and the scenery. The Spyder’s field of vision, by nature, is smaller, but not to the point where you must go out of your way to see in your periphery.
Spec Breakdown & Features
Measuring 8 x 4 x 4 inches, with no listed weight from the manufacturer, the Mares Spyder is one of the smallest masks on the market. A dual lens, framed, very low-volume mask, the Spyder is great for small faces. Tempered glass, featuring a matte finish with anti-reflective properties, makes the Spyder a great find spearfishing since the glass won’t shine back at the fish.
The vented frame portion that sits at the bridge of the nose is designed to reduce drag by allowing water to flow through. Thus, all the water a diver is swimming against doesn’t need to go around the outside of the mask.
The anatomical facepiece is made from a mesh-like rubber that properly positions the mask on your face. Ergonomic buckles that are easy to adjust quickly with wet or dry hands add to the low-profile, hydrodynamic nature of the Spyder.
Accessories
Mares manufactures almost every piece of scuba equipment you could need. They specialize in BCDs, regulators, spears, and fins. But it’s not just equipment, they produce some high-quality wetsuits, boots, and gloves too.
Price/Quality Ratio
The Mares Spyder would fall in the middle of the market’s price range for masks. It’s not overly expensive, but you also won’t find it in the bargain bin. You get what you pay for with this mask though— a quality spearfishing/freediving mask that looks sharp and has the added feature of an anatomical face piece. Just remember that the Spyder is a smaller mask, so check the fit before you take the plunge.
Do We Recommend the Mares Spyder?
We do recommend the Mares Spyder mask. It is above-average quality at a reasonable price and does exactly what it claims to do as a spearfishing/freediving mask. It has such a small volume and the glass is so close to your face, your sightline is crystal clear. Note that the buckles are small and harder to loosen once you are wearing the mask.
This is definitely one of the smaller masks we’ve tested, and we definitely recommend it for those with a smaller/narrower face. It has the potential to work on a variety of face shapes due to the skirt design, which features grooves with a unique hydrodynamic shape, making it more pliable—just make sure you trust the fit before jumping in.
Specs & Features
| Dimensions | 8 x 4 x 4 inches |
|---|---|
| Framed or frameless | Framed |
| Lens (dual or single) | Dual |
| Skirt | Silicone |
| Lens treatment | None |
| Volume | Very low |
| Corrective lens compatible | Yes |
