Introduction
Beuchat masks line is very interesting, as it does not have a huge number of models, but indeed they cover all the necessities. The wonderful and extremely compact Beuchat Shark frameless mask is the most extreme one for deep dives. There are though also traditional dismountable solutions with frame, like the new Beuchat Remora. The solution with camera support is the GP1, while the Maxlux S is the monolens solution. The traditional dismountable Mundial and Stratos are also in the Beuchat masks line, just like the Super masks, which reminds us of the old days, but these will not be part of the “best masks dossier”.
Shark
Among the Beuchat masks, we have already presented the Beuchat Shark mask in an X-Rays article some time ago. Click this link or use the search function on Apneapassion.com to read the article. It is definitely a great design effort by the French company. The design is extremely compact and cool looking, putting together a great number of high level functionalities and aesthetics.
Remora
Construction and compactness
The new mask among the Beuchat masks line is the Remora. The name clearly refers to the slender marine fish which attaches itself to large fish by means of a sucker on top of the head. Nice idea… The design is the traditional dismountable one, with frame, which is offered in cyan and light red. The shape of the Beuchat Remora is quite compact, with good dimension lenses. Beuchat indicates the internal volume equal to 125 cm3 (we will measure that). The general feeling is of a compact mask which is not extreme, to adapt to the needs of beginners and expert divers. The design of the skirt and of the entire mask has been focused on the best comfort and water tightness adapting to the most various different faces.
The skirt
The skirt is designed with externally matt and internally glossy silicone. This solution avoids light reflexes outside. At the same time, it gives the best sucking effect internally, which is the first objective of the Beuchat Remora. The internal part of the skirt around the lenses shows a step of some millimetres deriving from the dismountable solution. This inevitably generates more distance between the lenses and the eye. It will determine slight loss of field of view and increase in internal volume. On the other hand, it insures great comfort, with not risk of eyelashes touching the lenses or the rigid frame pressing on the nose and forehead. So for sure the Beuchat Remora, even though not extreme in some values, has probably its strength in comfort and adaptation to all faces. This is additionally true thanks to a nose profile going up all the way from the tip to the forehead with a good angle, There is no need of steps to adapt to an internal chassis, as it happens instead on the Shark.
Rear strap adjustment and design
The rear strap of the Beuchat Remora is a simple double band solution in glossy silicone. The connection through the buckles is direct on the silicone skirt with the possibility of a three-dimensional movement. The side buckles are extremely compact, with the micrometric adjustment activated lifting a lever. Such solution does not seem to be as intuitive as others. This, when one is already in the water with the mask on the face.
Dimensions and weight
The weight we measured of the Beuchat Remora mask is 155 grams, just as indicated by Beuchat. The lenses are designed with a careful external profile. The upper part follows a curved line with variable radius, while the sides and lower part have three straight sides. The lenses are 55 mm wide and 60 mm high. The rigid frame is 14.9 cm wide and 7.5 cm high. The skirt is 12 cm wide and 9.8 cm high in the center.
GP1
Frame and skirt
The GP1 is actually extremely similar to the Remora, in all its parts. Starting from the lenses and the skirt which are, we could say, almost identical between the two masks. Of course the frame differs due to the fact that the GP1 has an additional part to support the camera. The rear strap is more refined and with two thicker bands compared to the one of the Remora. This could be needed to keep the mask more still considering the presence of the camera.
Dimensions and weight
The frame of the GP1 will have the same width of the Remora, 14.9 cm. The height instead will increase to 9 cm. The lenses will have identical dimensions. The weight of the GP1 will increase to 170 grams. The GP1 is also only offered in black color.
Maxlux S
Construction and compactness
The Maxlux S is the monolens frameless solution by Beuchat. It offers great field of view and amazing luminosity thanks to the wide lenses being also very close to the eyes. The monolens also works as chassis. The elements fused together in the manufacturing process are only the skirt and the lens. The design is very neat and the finishes practically perfect.
The skirt
The skirt is in externally matt and internally glossy silicone. The colors available are black, dark grey, light grey, orange, red, green, cyan, blue and brown. The base of the nose presents two protuberances to fill the internal volume and reduce it.
Rear strap adjustment and design
The rear strap is the same as the GP1, but of course offered in the 9 different colors. The adjustment system is always the same one offered by Beuchat. The connection of the buckles is direct to the skirt with a vertical pin, just as for the Shark. It differs from the horizontal one of the Remora ans GP1.
Dimensions and weight
The weight of the Beuchat Maxlux S is 185 grams, evidently quite heavy due to the wide monolens. The latter is 14.7 cm wide and 8.1 cm high, definitely big numbers that insure great field of view. The skirt is 9.8 cm high in the center and 11.6 cm wide. The maximum width of the chassis is 15.8 cm, and the height 9.3 cm. The internal volume of course cannot be the level of the Shark (indicated by Beuchat equal to 99 cm3). Still, indeed it is quite good, 127 cm3 (Beuchat indication), and similar to the Remora.
