A commercial diving helmet or full face mask delivers breathing gas, carries the diver’s communications and protects the head during surface-supplied work. We supply helmets and masks for sale, shipped worldwide door to door.
Our range centres on the Drass D-ONE, a modular lightweight CE approved helmet, supported by a full spares and consumables line: neck dams, side blocks, second stage regulators, pod assemblies, soft goods, anode and annual repair kits, welding lenses and shields, cameras and helmet lights. Alongside it we stock Divator, Odyssey, OTS Guardian and OTS Spectrum full face masks.
Specifying starts with the work. Helmets suit long surface-supplied shifts and hot work, where head protection and a stable gas supply matter most; full face masks suit shorter inshore tasks and bailout duties, where weight and stowage count. Check the headgear matches the comms system and umbilical connections already on your spread, and plan the spares holding at the same time, since a helmet out of service for a seal or a regulator kit stops the dive.
Tell us the dive mode, the comms in use and the duty cycle, and we will specify headgear and spares and quote for supply or hire.
What is the operational difference between a full-face mask and a commercial diving helmet?
The choice between a full-face mask (like the OTS Guardian or Divator) and a heavy-duty helmet (like the Drass D-One) depends entirely on the task and environment. Full-face masks are lightweight, highly manoeuvrable, and generally used for rapid-response shallow-water tasks, search and recovery, or light scientific diving. Commercial helmets are significantly heavier, rigidly clamp to the diver’s drysuit via a neck dam, and offer superior impact protection. Helmets are the mandatory standard for heavy underwater construction, deep saturation dives, and environments with high physical hazards.
Why is an oral-nasal cup critical inside commercial dive headgear?
An oral-nasal cup is a small silicone mask located inside the main helmet or full-face mask that covers the diver’s nose and mouth. Its primary function is to drastically reduce “dead space.” If a diver breathed directly into the large open cavity of a helmet, exhaled carbon dioxide CO2 would pool inside. The oral-nasal cup forces the exhaled CO2 directly out through the exhaust valve. Preventing CO2 buildup is a critical life-support mechanism, as excessive levels rapidly lead to hypercapnia, severe confusion, and unconsciousness underwater.
How do hard-wire communications integrate into diving helmets and masks?
Commercial headgear is engineered specifically for integrated communication. Inside a high-quality helmet or full-face mask, there are waterproof earphones positioned near the diver’s ears and a specialised microphone, often mounted directly inside the oral-nasal cup to capture clear speech while minimising breathing noise. These internal components wire directly to a waterproof, multi-pin connector on the exterior shell of the helmet. The communication line from the diver’s surface umbilical plugs directly into this connector, ensuring a completely sealed, hard-wired link to the dive supervisor.
Can a diver use a demand valve regulator on a commercial helmet?
Yes, most modern commercial diving helmets and high-end full-face masks utilise a demand valve regulator system, very similar to standard scuba gear. The regulator provides breathing gas only when the diver inhales, which drastically conserves the surface air supply compared to older “free-flow” helmet designs. However, commercial helmets also feature a separate “free-flow” or defogger valve. The diver can manually crack this valve open to provide a continuous rush of air to clear a foggy faceplate or provide an emergency rush of breathing gas if the demand regulator fails.
What maintenance is required to ensure a diving helmet remains safe for use?
Diving helmets are complex pieces of primary life-support equipment and require meticulous, documented maintenance. Before every single dive, the diver and supervisor must perform a rigorous pre-dive checklist, testing the demand regulator, the emergency bailout valve, and the communications. Post-dive, the helmet must be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water to prevent salt crystal buildup in the moving valves. Helmets must undergo a comprehensive annual tear-down and rebuild by a certified technician, where all dynamic O-rings, exhaust diaphragms, and neck dam seals are replaced to maintain strict safety certifications.