TUSA Paragon Scuba Mask Review

Paragon Features

TUSA has been manufacturing some of the world’s top dive gear since 1952, when the company began by hand-making dive masks out of a garage. Since then, TUSA has gone on to create high-quality dive gear for both professional and recreational divers. The TUSA Paragon mask is a great example of TUSA’s innovation.

This mask features TUSA’s Anti-Reflective (A/R) Lens Treatment to decrease reflected light and CrystalView Optical Glass lenses, which improve both clarity and color while diving. By transmitting up to 95% of available light, the Paragon mask gives its divers a crisp view of colorful marine life, corals, and sponges.

In addition to its sleek design, the TUSA Paragon was created to be durable. The Tri-Mix Frame, consisting of a protective bumper and metal frame, increases the toughness of this mask, which will help it last for years.

See the World in High Definition 

The TUSA Paragon is considered a treated-lens mask, meaning that it has a protective coating that reduces glare and shields the eyes from harmful light. Because of this coating, the Paragon’s lenses are reflective—which makes this mask look super sleek and professional on any diver.

The Paragon protects the eyes from harmful light through a UV 420 protective treatment. Unlike other treated masks, which only protect against UV light, the Paragon protects against UV-A, UV-B, and High-Energy Visible (HEV) Light. Pair this protection with the anti-reflective treatment and you’ll no longer be squinting while diving in full sun.

As divers, we learn that water absorbs light, making colors appear muted as depth increases. TUSA designed the Paragon to take full advantage of available light, increasing the clarity of colors while diving. The TUSA’s CrystalView Optical Glass transmits up to 95% of available light whereas traditional glass lenses lose up to 15% of available light.

One downside of this mask is that it did not come pre-treated, as compared to the Cressi A1 anti-fog mask, which is ready-to-dive right out of the box. Prior to diving, make sure that the inside of the Paragon has been sufficiently scrubbed and use mask defog to ensure a fog-free dive.

Mask Comfort and Fit

Fit is one of the most important features to look for when purchasing a new mask. TUSA’s Freedom Technology enhances fit and performance in their masks by using a dimpled skirt with varied silicone thickness to create a better seal on a diver’s face.

The Paragon features the Freedom Fit Technology as well as a Round Edge Skirt design to ensure a soft fit and better seal. While the skirt’s silicone is very soft and comfortable, the skirt on the Paragon extends farther from the mask’s frame than other mask brands, such as Cressi and Scubapro. Therefore, this mask may not provide the best fit for divers with a smaller face or low hairline.

While testing this mask, minor leaking occurred near the hairline, which caused a small amount of flooding. While the Paragon’s skirt form was designed to be easily cleared, our reviewer found the mask not as easy to clear as the Cressi A1 due to the shape of the Paragon’s lenses. However, every mask and diver is different, so it is important to try on a mask for proper fit before buying.

Sleek Design

The TUSA Paragon mask has a double lens design surrounded by a Tri-Mix frame. The Tri-Mix frame is composed of three distinct layers—a polyurethane bumper, a cross-beam metal frame, and polycarbonate frame—to increase the toughness of this mask. This not only increases the durability of the mask, but also creates a sleek design.

Price/quality ratio: 

The Paragon is available in eight different color options, all of which feature the chrome metal and a black skirt. Options include black, orange, blue, yellow, red, pink, white, and green. There is also an all-white version of this mask that includes not only a white frame but also a white skirt. This allows divers to coordinate with their other dive gear to create a more personalized gear setup.

While DIVEIN tested the double lens TUSA Paragon M2001S, TUSA also makes a single lens version, the TUSA Paragon M1007S. The advantage to the double lens M2001S version is that double lenses are able to accommodate corrective lenses, which makes it a DIVEIN favorite feature of the Paragon for divers who don’t want to wear contact lenses while diving.

TUSA makes high-quality, professional dive gear and the Paragon mask is an example of their higher-end designs. The TUSA Paragon falls at a higher price point for treated-lens masks  compared to similar masks such as the Aqualung Mistique DS Mask. So is it worth the extra money?

In short, the TUSA Paragon is a great choice for divers who want a mask that has treated lenses and a durable design, or for those who need corrective lenses. However, there are other comparable products out there at a lower price point (e.g., Cressi A1) that may be better suited to the budget of most divers. It all comes down to your needs, finding a mask that fits, and what you’re willing to spend.

Do we recommend it:

Due to the high price point, we recommend this mask for professional divers, underwater photographers, or divers who need corrective lenses. The mask is durable, stylish, and has many great features to provide greater clarity underwater. However, the TUSA Paragon may not be the best fit for divers with a narrow face or those with a low hairline due to the design of the skirt. For recreational or casual diving, there are other great mask options available at a lower price point. Check out our list of top masks to find your perfect fit!