Snorkels
Purpose
A snorkel allows you to breathe while your face is in the water looking at the beautiful reef and marine life. For snorkeling, it is a required piece of gear. For scuba diving, it is nice to have when you're bobbing on the surface waiting for your dive buddy, the dive boat, or for doing a surface swim out to the dive site.
Features
Mouthpiece
A soft, silicone mouthpiece will provide a more comfortable fit in your mouth. The bite tabs should be soft and sized to fit comfortably without requiring you to clench your jaw. All snorkels come with a standard size mouthpiece, but are easily changed for other types of mouthpieces. For most good-quality snorkels, the mouthpiece can simply be pulled off and replaced with another mouthpiece when needed.
Flexible Tube
The flexible tube that connects the top part of the snorkel with the bottom mouthpiece is flexible and easily bent. This is to allow for a more comfortable fit while in your mouth and allows the mouthpiece to drop away from your face when not in use. This is more comfortable than a snorkel with a rigid, non-flexing tube.
Purge Valve
A one-way purge valve located at the base of the mouthpiece lets you blast water out of the snorkel with a single sharp exhale — much easier than blowing water all the way out the top. Look for a valve made of quality silicone so it seals properly and doesn't fail with age.
Snorkel Top
The top on your snorkel can be an open-end, semi-dry top, or dry top. The open-end snorkel is fully open at the top. The semi-dry top will usually include a wave-guard that prevents splashes and waves from entering the snorkel, but will still allow water to enter if you dive down below the surface. A dry-top will not only prevent waves and splashes from entering the snorkel on the surface, but will also prevent water from entering the tube when you dive down below the surface. Dry-top snorkels are the most popular choice for casual snorkelers and beginners.
Snorkel Keeper
The snorkel keeper is what keeps your snorkel attached to your mask. The snorkel keeper should be included with the snorkel when you purchase the snorkel. A basic "figure 8" keeper that is made of either rubber or silicone and looks like the number 8 will work well with most sizes and shapes of snorkels. A plastic keeper is usually a better option and is easier to clip on and off of the mask strap. Some types are a two-part "quick-release" style. The one part stays attached to the mask strap and the other stays on the snorkel. The two parts clip together easily when you need the snorkel attached to the mask.
Care & Maintenance
Even taking the best care of your snorkel, you may find that over time parts of your snorkel wear out or get broken. Prior to heading out on your next snorkeling excursion, check out your snorkel to ensure that it's in good working order. Check that the mouthpiece is still good and that the bite tabs aren't missing. Check the bottom purge valve to ensure the one-way valve is still in place and not missing. Ensure the snorkel is clean and free of encrusted salt and sand that may be left from your last snorkeling adventure.
If you find the clip that attaches your snorkel to your mask (snorkel keeper) or mouthpiece is missing or broken, you can find some replacement parts on our website. Email us a photo of your snorkel and a close-up of the broken part and we'll see if we can source out a replacement part for you.
After using your snorkel, especially in salt water or chlorine, be sure to wash with mild soap and rinse well with clean, fresh water to rid the snorkel of chlorine and salty residue. Air-dry, then store out of direct sunlight.