If snorkeling is a window into a watery world, it's not much good if that window is too small or fogs up all the time. Wildhorn Outfitters is aiming to address those problems with the second iteration of its Seaview 180 full-face snorkel mask, sporting a wide field of vision, an action camera mount and two separate breathing chambers to reduce fogging and let you breathe easier.
The overall design is fairly similar to the original Seaview 180, but that's definitely not a bad thing. Rather than having to clench the pipe in your mouth like a cheap K-Mart snorkel, the SV2 is built to cover the entire face. As the name suggests, the large lens is designed to provide a 180-degree view of the seascape in front of you, and the well-ventilated breathing chamber is separated from the eyes to keep it from fogging up.
A durable silicone insert forms a watertight seal around your face, and if any water does slip past the defenses, it automatically drains out via the one-way chin valve when you lift your head out of the water. There's also a removable mount for action cameras on the side, since nobody's really going to believe you came that close to a sea turtle without video proof.
Where the SV2 improves on its predecessor is in the all-important area of breathing. The tube has a new arched design that supposedly provides an "optimal surface breathing angle," and thanks to what Wildhorn calls the "Flowtech System," air is cycled through the mask better. The snorkel tube has two separate passageways to the outside world, so one specializes in bringing air in while the other acts as exhaust. Along with reducing fog, this system keeps CO2 from building up.
Wildhorn is currently looking to fund the Seaview 180 SV2 on Kickstarter, where the mask has smashed its goal of US$20,000, raising almost $120,000. Pledges start at $79 for the mask, with discounts for bulk buys, and if all goes to plan, the company expects shipping to begin in June.
Source: Kickstarter
