Pathos Falco is the frameless freediving and deep spearfishing mask, indicated as having extremely low inner volume and excellent visibility. Ultra soft anti-allergic silicon material provides durability, comfort and long life.
The chassis
Pathos Falco mask, has the advanced frameless design, which glues together lenses, chassis and facial. The Pathos Falco though differs from other frameless masks, as it does not have a rigid structure that connects the two lenses, but has actually a reinforcement of the facial, thickened in the central area, between the eyes in the upper part of the nose. This determines the possibility of the mask to flex centrally.
In general, the frameless solution gives advantages for internal volume reduction and field of view, as the system reduces distance between lenses and the eyes. Still, it can generate more fog production on the lenses, as the manufacturing system determines silicone particle of the facial depositing on the lenses, and sometimes even being absorbed by the warm glass of the lenses, that expands and whose “pores” are more receptive to silicone particles. Also, such solution requires, for those spearos who need corrective lenses and do not use contact lenses, for a special treatement of glueing the prescription lenses inside the main lenses, a quite expensive solution. So, in general, frameless masks, as indicated also by Pathos, are more indicated for deep freediving and spearfishing. For deep spearfishing but a traditional dismountable design Pathos offers the Micro Mask, while for lower depths Pathos indicates the Med Mask.
The lenses
The lenses of the Pathos Falco mask are not particularly big in dimensions, this to have a compact design which helps minimize internal volume. Precisely lens have dimensions of 50.1 x 52.7 mm, externally, while internally these value decrease slightly (48.1 x 50.7 mm) as the internal border of the facial is thicker internally. Still this should work fine with a view that from the eyes extends radially forward in a perspective view.
The facial
The facial of the Pathos Falco mask is a soft silicone solution, matt externally and polished internally, available black, brown and green. As anticipated, the facial has a special design as the central part in the upper area of the nose is definately thickened, generating a tougher structure, that somehow substitutes the single chassis in connecting the two lenses, still determing a mask that can flex centrally.
Pathos Falco mask facial has good dimensions of the profile (12.0 x 9.9 mm), even though maintaning compact design, so to better adapt to the face of the spearo.
Buckle to facial connection
The buckle is linked to the facial with a soft connection integrated with the facial itself. This connection is soft and best adapts to a structure, as explained, that is not particularly rigid centrally. Still, this solution in time may be a little weak. Anyway, in general, the Pathos Falco mask should not be tightened too much when worn.
The buckle has a light structure, still with a double band design. The regulation is micrometric, with a fast and easy system for setup based on two buttons one on top and one under the system.
Measure of internal volume
Once more we have proceeded, as for the previous masks tested, with the measure of the internal volume of the mask, using the standard head of a polystyrene dummy and a 60 ml graduated siringe. With two measures made, the average value of the internal volume of the Pathos Falco has been relatively good, but not among the very best, and equal to 108 ml (108 cc). In such measures one must consider that the error margin can be anyway of +-2 ml.
Field of view
Pathos Falco mask has indeed a good field of view considering the small lenses used, maybe with just a small limit on the lower external direction of the lenses (South-West for the left eye in the image). Values are as follows – North: 70, North-East: 75, East: 65, South-East: 65, South: 55, South-West: 50, West: 65, North-West: 75, for the best value among all masks measure until now, with a final value equal to 520.
Conclusions
Pathos Falco is a very compact mask, with good balance between internal volume reduction and field of view, without though reaching excellence in any of the two. The flexible central part of the mask is quite unique and could adapt to one’s face better or worse than rigid chassis masks, so it could be an important test to do when checking out the best mask for our own face. By the way, as we always say, adaptation of the mask to our face is the key element above all these measurement and analysis we propose in the Super Test. Only among masks that fit us well the parameters we are here indicating could be the reason for choosing one mask istead of another.
