Atomic Aquatics Venom Scuba Masks Review

By
Andrew Goad
ByAndrew Goad
Staff writer at DIVEIN.com
Andy has been an avid diver for many years, honing his skills and passion for the underwater world. As an instructor, scientific diver, and technical diver,...
Rebecca Strauss
ByRebecca Strauss
Editor at DIVEIN.com
Rebecca has been an avid traveler and scuba diver for many years. She began her editorial career by updating travel guides, which took her all over...

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Content

Atomic Aquatics is known for its top-of-the-line equipment, from regulators to BCDs and everything in between. The Venom is no exception. Built with divers in mind, the Atomic Aquatics Venom features a “Gummy Bear UltraSoft” face seal. That, in combination with the co-molded skirt, made from two separate types of silicone that form to your face, makes the Venom virtually leakproof.

Coming in two colors, the mask looks almost as good from the outside as it looks from the inside. Insert Schott Superwhite tempered glass, and the view you get is crystal-clear.

Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the Atomic Aquatics Venom frameless mask.

About this review

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Recommended in: Scuba Masks

Pros

  • Low volume
  • Good seal
  • “Gummy Bear UltraSoft” face seal

Cons

  • Nose bridge sits low
  • High price point

High Speed, Low Drag

You generally won’t find a lot of students in your introductory scuba class wearing the Atomic Aquatics Venom mask. It’s a bit cost prohibitive for new divers trying to build their first set of gear, but I feel as though they are missing out on a quality piece of equipment.

The divers I generally see wearing the Venom are sidemount divers, cave divers, and technical divers—those who seek out the best equipment that they can trust to perform every time they use it. If they trust the Venom that much, you can too.

I dived with the Atomic Aquatics Venom mask on a handful of occasions both in the pool and in open water. The things I liked about it were the “Gummy Bear UltraSoft” face seal and the co-molded silicone skirt.

The face seal was extremely comfortable and pliable to all the contours of my face, while the co-molded silicone skirt, which is bonded directly to the glass, makes a traditional frame obsolete and provides a larger field of vision.

I also really liked the extremely wide field of vision and the extremely low volume. With the co-molded silicone, the skirt is rigid where it needs to be. For me, that makes the Venom the perfect back-up pocket mask that won’t collapse, distort, or fold.

The one thing I didn’t like about the Venom—and I saved this until the end because it is more personal than anything—is the nose bridge. It makes the Venom feel like a framed mask.

This portion of the mask, where the hard silicone meets the nose pocket, tended to really dig into my brow ridge between my eyes. This is not so much a knock against the Venom, just a precautionary tale for those who may have the same face shape as I do.

Spec Breakdown & Features

Measuring 8 x 5 x 4 inches  and weighing 8 oz., the Venom frameless has a nice, wide field of vision and is nice and light. Made with Ultraclear Schott Superwite tempered glass, the view is crystal clear.

Made as a frameless, single-lens mask, the Venom offers unobstructed views. A low volume mask, with a double-feathered silicone skirt and a “Gummy Bear UltraSoft” face seal, the Venom Frameless is virtually leak-proof.

Accessories

Atomic Aquatics manufactures all sorts of diving equipment, from BCDs to fins, masks, and regulators, including the high-end TFX. They also produce three different snorkels to go with the Venom frameless.

One of the accessories divers often forget about is a good cutting instrument. Atomic Aquatics’ Titanium Ti6 dive knife is the perfect combination of craftsmanship and reliability.

Price/Quality Ratio

The Atomic Aquatics Venom frameless mask is one of the more expensive masks we tested. It would fall into our high-end/luxury category. With that said, the Venom is a top-notch mask with some great technologies.

Between the co-molded silicone skirt, the “Gummy Bear UltraSoft” face seal, and the Ultraclear Schott Superwite glass, you get what you pay for. All of the combined upgrades make it more than worth the money you’ll spend

Do We Recommend the Atomic Aquatics Venom?

We do recommend the Atomic Aquatics Venom frameless mask. This is a top-notch piece of equipment, just like all of those we’ve come to expect from the engineers at Atomic Aquatics. The “Gummy Bear UltraSoft” face seal is one of the softest face seals on the market, making the Venom one of the most comfortable masks available.

The co-molded silicone skirt does a great job of keeping water out, but its rigid design might make it less than ideal for some users. The Ultraclear Schott Superwite glass and extremely wide field of vision make wearing the Venom seem like you’re watching an underwater movie.

Specs & Features

Dimensions 8 x 5 x 4 inches (8 oz.)
Framed or frameless Frameless
Lens (dual or single) Single
Skirt Double-rigid feather silicone skirt
Lens treatment Schott superwite glass
Volume Low
Corrective lens compatible Yes
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