Reviews

Some travel related items reviewed

Wildhorn Seaview 180

When I first heard of this snorkel mask, I was skeptical about it. I usually check reviews about stuff and consider what others have to say about it before I invest.

There were mixed reviews. Some said that it was awkward and uncomfortable, others said it fogged up, and still others mentioned its plain ol’ ugliness!

I had previously snorkeled using the traditional eye mask and mouth bit, but I had difficulty just breathing through my mouth. I wanted to breathe through my nose – somehow I’m more at home with that!

I relented and purchased one just to try it out. I tested it in a swimming pool first, to get the hang of it. It was not too bad! It fogged a little once, but on other tries, it seemed great. I could see very clearly through the water all the way to the other end of the 30 foot pool. Crystal clear. I will add video of it when I get a chance.

Best of all, I could breathe through my nose! Of course, I didn’t try going deeper underwater – electing to just stay at the surface, as that’s mostly what I want to do.

Another neat thing about it is it has the fixture for adding a camera so you can record that beautiful underwater fish and coral. I used the Naxa cam, that is reviewed on this page, and it worked great!

So, if you don’t mind it’s ugliness, and want to breathe through your nose, it’s a pretty nifty thing. Of course, get the right size for your face (they have markers on the outside of the box that help you choose the right size for your face.)

Update Aug 2022: This mask has been used all over the place and in all kinds of water. It has held up well, and I have found it to be be pretty good! No leaks – I just have to make sure it fits snug on my face before going underwater. I have to add that if you are buying such masks, please get one that fits the shape of your face. I used another similar mask, but it didn’t quite fit my triangular bone structure, as it was more rounded. That tended to let in a little bit of water from the sides. This mask fits well and I have been happy with it. Great mask!

I also want to add that I somehow find it easier to use a hand held wand to put my camera on, as opposed to attaching the camera to the top of the mask. But that’s just a personal preference. 

Naxa waterproof action cam

When I looked around for action cameras, of course, the GoPro was all over the place. For quality and performance, there’s few cameras that can match it. But for those looking for a cheaper alternative, there’s some hope. Enter the Naxa NDC 404.

Now, I have also seen reviews for this cam, and folks who have had bad experiences with it. But I decided not to opt straight away for a GoPro, and instead try out this cam first. I was not disappointed.

This little baby has worked like a charm for me. I have used it as a normal video cam, as a dash board cam on my car, and also tried it out underwater on the Wildhorn Seaview 180 snorkel mask that I have reviewed on this page. The results have been nothing short of amazing in all those scenarios!

I will, of course include video footage so you can see for yourself (see below). Even underwater, this cam has great high def footage, and has never once leaked or given trouble. 

There is one con that I would like to point out though. Although the camera screen is easily readable indoors, when you get out in bright sunlight, it is kinda hard to see what’s on the display, unless you make a tent with your hands and squint. But even then it’s not that easy. The camera does have an audible, albeit soft,  beep when you press record, but if you miss that, then you are going to find it hard to tell that it’s recording (or not). If you know how to handle it after a while, you should be okay, but I had trouble with that at first.

At any rate, I simply wanted a cam to capture footage in good quality and I got what I wanted without spending  the $$!

Update Aug 2022: Well, after having used the Naxa for a couple years, I have come across some issues. First, the camera, still takes great quality videos, but the hardware seems to have degenerated. I had taken some footage and saved it, but found that the next files I recorded somehow erased, or recorded over the previous files, so I lost that footage. I’m still experimenting with it and will keep this updated, but I was disappointed with that. It made me invest in my first GoPro – a Hero 10 Black. I shall be looking forward to seeing how well this camera performs. Will keep this updated if I come across anything interesting.

Testing out the Wildhorn Seaview 180 mask in the pool, along with the Naxa cam.

This snorkel mask worked well enough. I was able to breathe through both nose and mouth, but I did not dive down lower.

While the mounted camera is great for hands free swimming, one must remember that the angle at which the cam is positioned on the mask is crucial to getting proper footage. You have got to keep your head pointed down so that the camera stays underwater, or else, you will get snippets of over water footage, which can be quite annoying when watching it later. (The video shows me starting off ok, but my chin lifted up towards the end.)

I eventually purchased a hand held camera grip that took better pictures! Read the review on the right hand column here. I’m still learning how to handle both tools.

I also got a second full face mask on board a Carnival cruise ship and in comparison, the Seaview 180 has a better face fit (for me, that is). The second mask had a rounder shape to the silicone, which didn’t cling well enough to my face and that it let water in! Not good.

Filmed in Jan 2020 using the Naxa cam on a handheld wand.

The Naxa cam does deliver great quality video as you can see. Watch the video in full screen to actually see the detail, distance captured, and clarity. I know I didn’t hold the cam steady for any considerable length of time (that’s an art in itself, btw!), but you can tell it produces a fairly decent picture. 

The seal has held good and never leaked. That’s a big thing in such a product. Also, as you can see, the colors are pretty true and vivid enough for me. Looks great on a HDTV set as well!

I am quite happy with this camera and have used it for a few years now, with no problems at all.

Ignore the date on the video, I had forgotten to set the clock on it before I went out into the water. This shot was filmed in Maya Key, Honduras in Jan 2020.