How to Buy Basic Snorkeling GearNot all masks are created equal! There are marked differences when it comes to
quality of mask construction and materials. There are two types of materials used to construct most mask skirts on market today. The first is plastic and second is silicone. Plastic mask skirts are generally very inexpensive, and are fine for kids' use in swimming pools, etc. Plastic mask skirts (or vinyl, or PVC) will not last as long as a silicone mask will, due to nature of plastic material. Plastic will crack after repeated use in sun or in chlorinated water (swimming pools).
Silicone masks, on other hand, will last user upwards of ten years, if cared for properly. Silicone mask skirts will always fit better, and give a better seal than other materials. This is because silicone has more elasticity, and can withstand repeated use in any type of water conditions. Silicone mask skirts come in two colors, clear and black, with choice being a matter of personal preference. Clear skirts will allow more light to enter mask, and give a brighter view of environment. Black skirted masks, however, are very popular with photographers who prefer not to have any extraneous light entering their camera's viewfinder.
How should a mask fit? This is a question that has lots of answers. First, try mask on without strap. Place mask on your face and inhale through your nose very lightly. You should feel an even seal around perimeter of mask, with no air leaking through mask at any point. Be especially cautious of areas next to your eyes and under your nose, where lots of folks have some little lines or creases that can prevent a mask from sealing properly. Once you're satisfied mask fit without strap, go ahead and place mask on with strap. Is there any discomfort......do you feel any air leaking when you try to inhale?
Let's talk about styles now. There a lots of different styles on market today....single lens designs, twin lens, three lens and even four lens designs. As you move up in number of lenses, internal volume of mask (the amount of air space inside mask) tends to increase. This has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that you will get better peripheral vision from a multi-window mask. The downside is that if mask leaks somewhat it requires more effort to clear water out of mask. A great feature for snorkelers is a purge valve mask. This type of mask has a small one-way valve that will allow wearer to purge or remove water from mask without lifting face from water. All that is required is to hold entire mask firmly against your face, and blow through your nose, keeping purge valve at lowest point of ther mask. This design saves energy and allows wearer to keep their face in water.
In it's most basic form, a snorkel is nothing more than a tube that allows you to breathe with your face underwater. The things to look for in a snorkel are a large diameter tube, allowing air to pass freely through snorkel, and some type of purge valve system, which lets you use force of gravity to help you move water down through snorkel, rather than up against force of gravity. The purge valve on better snorkels operates same way as those on masks.....keep snorkel bottom in water, and blow forcefully to move water through purge valve, take a cautious breath, and you're back to snorkeling! Snorkels cannot be more than about 17 inches long, because your lungs do not have strength to fully move against water pressure. Some snorkels are curved to fit side of your head better, making snorkel less resistant to water, causing less drag. Other models have "dry tops" on them, meaning they have special one-way valves that will close off top of snorkel when user dips their head under water or if a wave comes over top of user's head. These valves work great for those that have had a less than desirable previous experience, or for those that can't purge their snorkel completely of water when it fills. The best snorkels have special mouthpieces designed by an orthodontist, to alleviate jaw and mouth discomfort some folks have when snorkeling for extended periods.
