Cressi F1 - Review 2023

Review

The Cressi F1 is a great dive snorkel mask for those who want high quality without the high price tag. Despite being cheaper, you get a lot for your money with this mask, which is constructed of high-quality materials.

The tempered glass lens provides a distortion-free view of the water around you and is extremely unlikely to break even if it falls. The silicone skirt is flexible and comfortable, allowing you to wear this mask for hours at a time without experiencing any discomfort. The micrometric adjustable buckle allows you to easily fine tune the strap length so that it fits perfectly around your head. You have probably seen a micrometric buckle on your bike or ski helmet, it has a small hard plastic strap with teeth on one side that easily grabs onto and adjusts to the other side. The low profile design (when the lens sits closer to your face) provides less drag in the water which means less effort is needed when swimming and therefore a longer dive!

A special feature of this mask is that, as the silicon is bonded to the lens without a rigid frame, the dive mask can be folded flat for easy carrying, even in your back pocket! The Cressi F1 is an excellent choice for beginner divers and snorkellers who want quality without breaking the bank.

Features

Adjustable Straps with Buckles

The Cressi F1 has an easily adjustable strap buckle system molded directly into the skirt. The patented 360° rotatable Micrometric Adjustable Buckle allows users to fine tune their fit by tightening or loosening their strap as needed simply by pressing the easy-to-find buttons above and below the buckle and pulling the teeth through the strap. This is particularly useful for beginner divers who need to ensure their comfort is not an issue so they can focus on learning all their new skills!

Frameless and Flexible Silicone Skirt

The silicone skirt on this mask is flexible and conforms to your face comfortably without pinching or digging into your skin. We tested this mask on a few of our divers to various depths between 5-25m and no one reported a leak. Therefore, as it’s also leak proof, you don’t have to worry about water getting into your mask when you dive down deep or the subsequent mask clearing, which can be an uncomfortable experience for beginner scuba divers.

The flexible silicone skirt is comfortable to wear and does not cause any irritation during a dive. Cressi also makes the F1 Mini/Small for kids.  Finally, the silicon skirt is neatly bonded around the lens without a rigid frame in between which gives rise to the low profile of this mask. Our divers agree that the frameless design also enhances the comfort of your diving or snorkelling activities as you are far less likely to experience ‘mask squeeze’.

Tempered Glass One-Piece Lens

This dive mask is made from tempered glass, which gives it extra strength and durability. One of our divers has been using this mask every day for the last few months and the lens still looks as good as new, despite it being lugged around in their kit bag to around 50 dives.

In addition, the manufacturer claims that the tempered glass lens on this mask offers superior optical clarity and allow for more light transmission compared to traditional plastic lenses while still providing a protective layer from scratches. Our divers unanimously agree that this is the case after trying out the mask at all visibilities from 5 to 30m. On a recent mask testing trip, from our team of divers, the one wearing the Cressi Frameless F1 Mask was the only person able to make out the faint shadow of a large school of herring swimming around them; a testament to the clever design of this lens.

Check out our Snorkel and Scuba Mask Guides to make sure you choose the right make for you!

Price/ Quality Ratio

The Cressi F1 Dive Snorkel Mask is the perfect choice for beginners looking for a high quality snorkel mask with a great price. Its durable construction, comfortable fit, adjustability and clever tempered glass lens technology ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy it for years to come.

If this reviewer is being honest, for under $50, this mask is drastically underpriced for the value you’re getting!

Do we recommend it?

The Cressi F1 Mask is an excellent choice if you’re new to diving or snorkelling and want an affordable mask that will last you for years. For such a low price, the quality is incredible! A newcomer to scuba diving would be well-advised to try out this mask.

The price is low for what it’s worth so it’s affordable for beginners who aren’t sure if they’ll stick to this brilliant hobby. However, this reviewer believes it’s highly unlikely that a beginner won’t follow through since this mask will provide an optimum start to diving.