For people who feel a little claustrophobic in deep-water sports like scuba diving, snorkeling is the perfect way to glimpse the color and beauty of the ocean floor. You don’t have to take any courses to certify for snorkeling and you’re never far away from an abundance of essential oxygen. As simple as the activity can be, you still need a few pieces of essential snorkeling gear though.
Although some snorkelers go all out with wet suits, underwater cameras and other accessories, the most essential parts of snorkeling gear include a mask, some fins, and a snorkel. I also like to have a lie jacket to keep me floating so that all my attention can go to watching rather than treading water.
When you select a mask, make sure that it fits snugly on your face. If you are serious about snorkeling and you are buying rather than renting equipment, always choose silicone rather than rubber skirted masks because the silicone lets in more light and resists dry rot and cracking longer than rubber. If you need corrective lenses, some manufacturers can actually fuse your prescription lenses on the inside of your snorkel mask or contacts can eliminate that need.
When you buy fins, one of the most important factors to consider is the way that they fit your foot. In the past, people with wide feet or high arches had a really hard time fitting into full foot fins. Today, adjustable straps make t easier to accommodate different feet types though. Flexibility is another important factor to consider when you buy a pair of fins. Stiff fins equal more propulsion with each kick, but they also require stronger muscles. Consequently, if you don’t have developed calf muscles, it might be wiser to stick with a flexible pair of fins.
And finally, let’s review a few rules for buying your snorkel. One of the most important considerations is size. For example, children and adults should definitely use different size snorkels because they have very different lung capacities. If an adult tries using a child size snorkel, they will get some air, but it will feel like breathing through a soda straw. On the other hand, children will be able to draw in enough oxygen with an adult snorkel, but they might not be able to expel all the carbon dioxide they produce. This means they are essentially breathing in the air they just exhaled. That is why size is so important.
Once you have size down, the rest is really a matter of personal preference. For example, you can choose between flexible snorkels, dry snorkels, snorkels with a purge valve and more. The more complicated your snorkel becomes, the more it will cost though.
Hopefully, with these guidelines, it should be a little easier for a new snorkeler to buy their own equipment.