It’s no fun diving with a mask that keeps filling with water every few seconds. So the first consideration when buying a mask is how well its skirt seals against your face. Despite claims to the contrary, no one mask fits all.

What's new in the world of dive gear for August 2012.

On Scubapro’s Spectra Trufit, narrow ribs molded into the ultra-soft silicone create a pliable skirt that molds to facial contours, creating an excellent seal on a variety of face shapes.

Seasoft’s frameless Visionmaster Super Mask features lenses made of H-G-G glass with Crystal ARC anti-reflective coatings that virtually eliminate glare. HGG glass and Crystal ARC coatings are found on the optics of leading riflescopes and camera lenses and allow up to 20% more light to reach your eyes.

Cressi’s popular raked-glass single-window Piuma mask is now available with Cressi’s exclusive crystal-clear silicone. This silicone creates a mask skirt that is so close to total transparency, it simply has to be seen to be believed.

Fit is always top priority when selecting a dive mask. The new M-211 Freedom One from TUSA offers the company’s latest Freedom Fit and Freedom Dry technologies intended to maximize comfort and minimize leakage.

The New Mantis 5 has the same frame as our standard Mantis mask with a new low volume skirt offering 20 degrees more visibility. Fits medium to wide face shapes. Optical lenses available upon request.

The Marea Dry Combo features all the same technical benefits as other masks and snorkels in Cressi’s line, but with a brand-new style for 2012.

In this month's Back of the Boat interview, we spoke with longtime scuba-gear designer and Sherwood's Director of Product Development Bill Oliver