How To Buy Snorkeling Gear
By Colin Zylka, Thu Dec 8th

How to Buy Basic Snorkeling Gear

Not all masks are created equal! There are marked differenceswhen it comes to the quality of mask construction and materials.There are two types of materials used to construct most maskskirts on the market today. The first is plastic and the secondis silicone. Plastic mask skirts are generally very inexpensive,and are fine for kids' use in swimming pools, etc. Plastic maskskirts (or vinyl, or PVC) will not last as long as a siliconemask will, due to the nature of the plastic material. Plasticwill crack after repeated use in the sun or in chlorinated water(swimming pools).

Silicone masks, on the other hand, will last the user upwards often years, if cared for properly. Silicone mask skirts willalways fit better, and give a better seal than other materials.This is because silicone has more elasticity, and can withstandrepeated use in any type of water conditions. Silicone maskskirts come in two colors, clear and black, with the choicebeing a matter of personal preference. Clear skirts will allowmore light to enter the mask, and give a brighter view of theenvironment. Black skirted masks, however, are very popular withphotographers who prefer not to have any extraneous lightentering their camera's viewfinder.

How should a mask fit? This is a question that has lots ofanswers. First, try the mask on without the strap. Place themask on your face and inhale through your nose very lightly. Youshould feel an even seal around the perimeter of the mask, withno air leaking through the mask at any point. Be especiallycautious of the areas next to your eyes and under your nose,where lots of folks have some little lines or creases that canprevent a mask from sealing properly. Once you're satisfied themask fit without the strap, go ahead and place the mask on withthe strap. Is there any discomfort......do you feel any airleaking when you try to inhale?

Let's talk about styles now. There a lots of different styles onthe market today....single lens designs, twin lens, three lensand even four lens designs. As you move up in the number oflenses, the internal volume of the mask (the amount of air spaceinside the mask) tends to increase. This has both advantages anddisadvantages. The advantage is that you will get betterperipheral vision from a multi-window mask. The downside is thatif the mask leaks somewhat it requires more effort to clear thewater out of the mask. A great feature for snorkelers is a purgevalve mask. This type of mask has a small one-way valve thatwill allow the wearer to purge or remove the water from the maskwithout lifting the face from the water. All that is required isto hold the entire mask firmly against your face, and blowthrough your nose, keeping the purge valve at the lowest pointof ther mask. This design saves energy and allows the wearer tokeep their face in the water.

In it's most basic form, a snorkel is nothing more than a tubethat allows you to breathe with your face underwater. The thingsto look for in a snorkel are a large diameter tube, allowing airto pass freely through the snorkel, and some type of purge valvesystem, which lets you use the force of gravity to help you movewater down through the snorkel, rather than up against the forceof gravity. The purge valve on better snorkels operates the sameway as those on masks.....keep the snorkel bottom in the water,and blow forcefully to move the water through the purge valve,take a cautious breath, and you're back to snorkeling! Snorkelscannot be more than about 17 inches long, because your lungs donot have the strength to fully move against the water pressure.Some snorkels are curved to fit the side of your head better,making the snorkel less resistant to water, causing less drag.Other models have "dry tops" on them, meaning they have specialone-way valves that will close off the top of the snorkel whenthe user dips their head under water or if a wave comes over thetop of the user's head. These valves work great for those thathave had a less than desirable previous experience, or for thosethat can't purge their snorkel completely of water when itfills. The best snorkels have special mouthpieces designed by anorthodontist, to alleviate the jaw and mouth discomfort somefolks have when snorkeling for extended periods.

Like masks and snorkels there are lots of different fins on themarket today. Some fins are better utilized for Scuba Diving,rather than snorkeling. There are really two types of fins used,and these are full-foot or adjustable heel models. Again, eachhas it's own advantages. For example, the full-foot fins, whichare designed to be worn barefoot, are better for travel, as theyweigh less, and are generally shorter and narrower than theadjustable heel style. The full-foot fins come in a variety ofprice ranges and materials, with thermoplastic blades and rubberfoot pockets being most common for snorkeling fins. Adjustableheel fins require the use of neoprene booties to protect yourfeet from the rather stiff foot pocket. The booties will,however, make rocky or coral shoreline entries much morecomfortable, as well as warmer in cooler local waters. Thedownside to strap fins is their bulk...they tend to be heavierand more cumbersome for snorkeling than full-foot styles,consequently you'll see more Wisconsin divers using this type offin for local diving. They also provide more proulsion withscuba gear than full-foot styles can. Strap style fins may beused in both warm and cooler waters, with many folks simplychanging the thickness of booties they wear when traveling towarmer waters. When selecting fins, most manufacturers maketheir full-foot fins in regular men's shoe sizes. Womengenerally have to order one size smaller than a man's size forbest fit. Full-foot fins should be worn comfortably, but nottight, as this can cause irritation on the top of the foot andcan also cause blisters in the toe area. Adjustable heel finsgenerally come in three sizes...small, regular, and extra large.The small sizes generally fit shoe sizes 7 through 8, while theregular sizes fit sizes 9 thru 10, and the extra large size fits11 and up. Some things to consider when trying adjustable heelfins: make sure you try them with booties. Next, be sure thereare no tight areas; the fins should be comfortable across allparts of your foot. Extend your foot outwards to see if thereare any tight spots across the top of your foot. Next, trywiggling your toes, so you'll have good circulation. Lastly, trywiggling the entire fin side-to-side, to see how much play thereis in the toe area. A little is OK, but too much will cause legcramps. Either style of fins should feel like they're anextension of your leg.

Some of the most popular accessories for scuba and snorkelinginclude lights, slates, and marine life identification cards orbooks. Lights are a great way to explore the marine world atnight or early in the morning. Some of the most colorful andinteresting

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life can be found once the sun goes down. Lightsalso help bring out the natural colors in corals and fish,because as the light passes through water, some colors like redget absorbed, and a light will bring out the true colors. Havinga waterproof writing slate with you can be helpful when tryingto describe a fish you saw, or when recording data about youradventure. Even the most experienced snorkeler sometimes has adifficult time remembering all the names of fish they see, sohaving fish ID cards with you or a set of fish ID books at homewill make the job of identifyng fish and corals much easier.

Because today's equipment is made from better materials, theneed for special care is practically eliminated. There is reallyno other requirement other than to rinse all your gear well infresh water as soon as possible to avoid odors or bacteriaforming in your gear. There are special cleaners available fordeeper cleaning; these cleaners contain enzymes that will attackthe odor causing bacteria and eliminate them, while giving yourgear a fresh scent. Mask skirts sometimes can have a buildup ofsuntan lotion on them....this is easily removed by milddetergent and warm water. Some folks use dish soap as a generalpurpose cleaner, as it cuts through grease and rinses awayeasily. Before each outing or trip, inspect all your gear forany tears, cuts, or breaks. Most locations will have spare maskstraps and snorkel keepers, but why bother? Keep one of each inwith your gear and you'll never have to postpone or cancel anouting because you can't get a replacement part.

About the author:Colin is an Scuba Instructor Trainer, published underwaterphotographer, and store manager for The Underwater Connection, aScuba Diving Center located in Delafield, Wisconsin.