When you take scuba lessons, you must purchase specific equipment before class, including snorkeling gear. The snorkeling gear comprises fins, boots, a snorkel, and a mask. You should choose your mask with care, as a well-fitted mask increases your chances for success.
Snorkel
I did not know snorkels come in more than one type. My choice was a semi-dry snorkel, which has a splash guard at the top of the snorkel to minimize water coming down the tube while you’re using it. I chose the Atomic Aquatics SV2 Snorkel.
You might be thinking, “I thought this was about scuba diving. Why would you need a snorkel?” I thought the same thing at first. You will find at least two common scenarios to use a snorkel.
The first scenario involves you waiting on the surface to exit the water or to dive. If the water has waves, you might struggle to breathe clearly. You aim to conserve your air at the start of a dive, as you might not have much left by the end, so you do not want to use your regulator. Using a snorkel helps by positioning the air intake higher, making breathing easier and less problematic.
You may want to swim out to a spot before diving to conserve air in your tank. You’ll want to save air for more time seeing the underwater sites. If you snorkel out to the dive spot, you conserve air. I’ve done this a few times on shore entry dives.
Boots
I snorkeled in high school without using boots, wearing fins directly on my bare feet. Wearing a boot makes it much more comfortable. These boots, unlike cowboy, winter, or hiking boots, are essentially the foot section of a wetsuit. They make them from neoprene, which is incredibly difficult to put on. Neoprene sticks to your skin if there’s the slightest bit of moisture present.
I quickly found out that you’ll need a pair of Lycra socks. Slip them on, and the boots will easily slide on and off, no matter how soaked they get. I chose Aqualung Superzip 5mm Dive Boots. By the way, Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan started Aqualung. Cousteau, known to me from childhood for his amazing educational shows, co-invented the first demand regulator, which revolutionized modern scuba diving.
Fins
You must size fins while wearing your diving boots. You will have a lot of options in fins for various use cases and how much propulsion you want for the effort. Knowing my current physical condition, I chose a pair that were supposed to help with that so I wouldn’t be as likely to hold the divers around me behind waiting for me. My choice was the Scubapro Seawing Nova Fins.
Review: These fins are huge, so out of the water, they are quite awkward. But that’s true for all fins. In the water, I absolutely love them. My inexperience, not the fins themselves, have caused any issues I’ve had.
Mask
I saved the mask for last because I believe this is the single most important piece of the snorkeling system for a new diver. A mask will cause the most frustration if it’s not right for you. A mask can also make the entire process a lot more pleasant if you have the right one. You’re supposed to be able to put the mask on without the strap, inhale slightly through the nose, and have it basically stuck on your face. I found the Hollis M1 Mask worked best for me.
