Most people have no idea how many problems a bad mouthpiece can cause.
They think that all mouthpieces are the same and they buy the cheapest one they can find or they leave the one that came with their regulator on.
That’s when they realize that the mouthpiece they bought cost $1.50 for a reason – it’s a piece of junk.
Have you ever been diving and surfaced with a headache? Has your jaw ever felt like you ate two whole bags of beef jerky? Both of those conditions can be caused by a poor mouthpiece.
The fact is that all regulators will pull at your mouth to some degree and you’ll have to use your jaw muscles to keep it in place. This effort causes fatigue and for one in three divers, that fatigue is enough to manifest itself into physical symptoms.
Mares has the cure with their Jax mouthpiece.
Mares have a reputation for innovation and the Jax mouthpiece is no exception to that tradition. This mouthpiece is larger than most other mouthpieces which makes it easier to hold in your mouth.
Larger mouthpieces have more surface area which means that friction can do more of the work to hold the mouthpiece in place and your muscles can work less.
The Jax mouthpiece also has the perfect thickness for a human mouth. Most mouthpiece manufactures base the thickness of their product on the cost, but Mares bases the thickness of the Jax on physiological observation.
When we’re at rest, our jaw will naturally open 2mm. When you consider that a diver is breathing as well, the perfect gap becomes 4mm. Guess how thick the Jax is.
Mares attention to detail wouldn’t be complete unless they made their mouthpiece completely customizable for each individual diver. That’s why the Jax can be molded to fit your mouth.
All you have to do is dip the mouthpiece in boiling water for 15 seconds and bite down on it. The mouthpiece will mold to fit your mouth.
Most other mouthpieces require you to bite down to keep it in place. Some mouthpieces require you to bite down lightly while others require you to bite down hard. The harder you have to bite, the faster your jaw will fatigue and the more physical symptoms you’ll experience.
Benefits of Mares Jax Mouthpiece
The main benefit of a molded mouthpiece is that it maximizes the surface area. Every millimeter of the mouthpiece will be in contact with your teeth and that will create a lot of friction; enough to keep your mouthpiece in place without having to use your muscles at all.
”Is the Mares Jax really worth $30?” I get asked that question every time I recommend it to a new diver. People are used to seeing mouthpieces sold for a couple of bucks, so they’re naturally skeptical when they see something that costs significantly more.
My response is always the same. “Anything that makes diving easier and more enjoyable is worth the price.”
If you enjoy headaches and jaw fatigue, feel free to keep using your old mouthpiece. But if you want your regulator to rest in your mouth effortlessly, get the Mares Jax.
Mares attention to detail wouldn’t be complete unless they made their mouthpiece completely customizable for each individual diver. That’s why the Jax can be molded to fit your mouth.