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Top 6 Best Snorkeling Gear Reviews 2018
A snorkel is basically a plastic tube used during snorkeling and scuba diving. Good snorkel gear allows the person to breathe a few inches under water. It is considered as a safety gear, even among the experienced scuba divers.
The best snorkeling set will help anyone create remarkable moments with the water, unlike with leaky and foggy masks, or snorkels that flood easily. Snorkel gear that fits perfectly also gives way to complete relaxation, ensuring that the entire gear fits your mouth, feet, and face all at the same time.
With that said, getting the best snorkeling gear is always preferred by many, compared to renting one. Having the top rated snorkel gear will last for years, considering the minimal care and maintenance that the whole kit requires.
Review of 5 Best Snorkeling Gear Under 50, 100 And 200 Dollars
Cressi Scuba Diving Snorkeling Freediving Mask Snorkel Set
Top-rated Cressi snorkel set is the Cressi Scuba Diving Snorkeling Freediving Mask Snorkel Set with an average rating of 4.5-Stars. It features a no-frame design, reducing the overall weight, while providing a large field-of-view. It is also designed with low volume, along with swiveling through its easy adjustable buckles.
In fact, this kit is the very first submersible snorkel set from the Cressi collection. This makes it perfect for underwater photographers and hunters because it has a back-up mask that folds easily and fits easily as well. Similar to other quality snorkeling kits today, this Cressi gear has a dry top, eliminating water entry during submersion, plus a flex tub and a soft silicone mouthpiece.
Among Cressi’s reasonable snorkel packages, the mask in this kit is constructed from all-liquid silicone skirt, which is attached to the glass lens directly. The no-frame design provides an outstanding vision field, making it great for kids and adults alike, especially for children that require additional safety gears during snorkeling.
Based on snorkel gear reviews, this lineup of Cressi has the clearest mask, making it incredible for distance navigation, following the sun’s position, even without looking up or out of the water. The clip-on attachment in this travel snorkel set can surely keep the mask in its position, despite strong waves.
The convenience of the carry bag also impresses a lot of owners, allowing them to carry more accessories such as small bottles of shampoo because of the added pouch. Overall, the Cressi Scuba Diving Snorkeling Freediving Mask Snorkel Set is very lightweight, practical, and comfortable dry snorkel set packed in one.
U.S. Divers Adult Cozumel Mask/Seabreeze II Snorkel
When it comes to the snorkeling gear reviews, the U.S. Divers Adult Cozumel Mask/Seabreeze II Snorkel U.S. Divers Adult Cozumel Mask/Seabreeze II Snorkel tops the list. It garners an average rating of 4.5-Stars on Amazon due to its many selling points. This is the best snorkel gear for many divers as it features a 2-window mask, fins with complete-foot pocket, 3-way adjustable buckles, and splash top with patented Hydro-Adhesion Technology.
This snorkeling kit also comes with a gear bag that boasts mesh panel, which allows easy storage and drying simultaneously. The Splash Guard top design prevents water splashing from going in the snorkel barrel. The full-length fins also feature vented blades, setting it apart from other snorkeling gear out there.
Indeed, the whole package is top-notch quality, considering the manufacturer – the U.S. Divers, which has a long and rich history of producing premium diving and snorkeling gear for the past 70 years. In 1942, the company has invented the well-known Aqua Lung, and has become the world leader of commercial, military, and personal snorkel equipment since.
Outdoor aquatic enthusiasts can certainly rely on the durability and efficiency of quality snorkel gear from U.S. Divers as it continually sets the standards by which all other factors are measured. Hence, it has created satisfied customers worldwide, saying that the Adult Cozumel Mask’s fin’s foot pockets have been the most satisfying feature, including the accessories that come with the entire kit.
All in all, the U.S. Divers Adult Cozumel Mask/Seabreeze II Snorkel U.S. Divers Adult Cozumel Mask/Seabreeze II Snorkel is a top rated snorkeling gear with decent quality and design that lives up to its purpose.
Seavenger Adult and Junior Diving Snorkel Set
Many reviewers also consider the Seavenger Adult and Junior Diving Snorkel Set as the best snorkel set today, although the kit garners an average rating of 4-Stars on Amazon, compared to other packages.
Consumers consider the Seavenger as the best snorkling gear because of its dry top snorkel design, as they claim it is the best for snorkeling. It features a splash guard, which allows a full head mobility and reduces water entry. The Purge Valve design allows fast water clearance. The angle of the mouthpiece is also perfect, resulting in an easy breathing and more relaxed jaw muscles.
It also features trek fin that is perfect for the same purpose. Although short, trek fin is powerful and agile enough as a body boarding fin. This snorkel set review will also clarify that the trek fin has a comfortable foot pocket, while the fins have vented blades, jetting water downward or backward, while promoting optimal propulsion.
Of course, the single lens mask is from the own line of Seavenger. It is a specially developed mask that provides a panoramic view, with top-notch features, not to mention a high-end silicone skirt and tempered glass lens. All the more, this snorkeling set comes with a gear bag made of fast-drying plastic for comfortable storage and transport.
Indeed, the Seavenger Adult and Junior Diving Snorkel Set is on time for the snorkeling season, giving a complete, high quality, color-coordinated, and the best cheap snorkel set for the underwater enthusiasts, but with an affordable price tag.
Phantom Aquatics Cancun Mask Snorkel Combo
On the top lists of the best snorkeling sets is the Phantom Aquatics Cancun Mask Snorkel Combo with a 4.5-Star as an average rating on Amazon. Snorkeling set reviews attest to this item’s impressive features, indicating that it is ideal for different snorkeling skill levels, including the swim enthusiasts.
It features Semi Dry Snorkel, reducing the entry of water at the surface, while preventing wind chop as well as spray from entering the breathing tube. It also boasts silicone 2-window mask with comfortable fit and a quick adjustable buckle, allowing flawless strap adjustments. This best rated snorkel gear set also includes a mesh bag for easy transport.
The Phantom is the best snorkeling equipment, based on different product reviews and ratings because its 2-window mask is constructed from tempered glass, allowing optimum clarity. The mask is also perfect for underwater exploration, aside from simple snorkeling. It features an interlocking technology that offers ultimate rigidity and support, while the comfort-fit silicone skirt provides watertight seal.
Meanwhile, Phantom’s splash semi-dry snorkel boasts a removable silicone mouthpiece and a semi-dry valve on the top that prevents water entry. For added comfort, the snorkel has a flexible section and a quick-connect clip for attaching to the mask strap. This best snorkel kit also comes with a carry bag, which is perfect for keeping the mask, snorkel, and other accessories all together. Hence, it offers a convenient transport and storage at the same time.
All in all, the Phantom Aquatics Cancun Mask Snorkel Combo is the best snorkel and mask set with quick-adjust clip buckles, comfort-fit and low internal volume mask, a double feathered edge skirt, and a semi-dry top valve, packed in one, to meet the needs and requirements of an underwater enthusiast.
Cressi Palau Mask Fin Snorkel Set with Snorkeling Gear Bag
Snorkel gear ratings will attest to the impressive features of what the Cressi Palau Mask Fin Snorkel Set with Snorkeling Gear has to offer. Garnering an average rating of 4.5-Stars, the kit includes a silicone 2-window mask, Palau short fins, a 100% dry snorkel, and a carry bag.
The 100% dry snorkel features an authentic anti-splash end, along with a special automatic closing valve, which seals the tube during diving. In addition to that, the gear has an ergonomic shape, allowing maximum comfort. This is considered as the best snorkel kit, considering its skirt edge, which adapts to many face sizes, together with a little inner volume.
The carry mesh bag has a strong rapid-action buckle design, allowing you to adjust the bag strap very easily. Hence, even the first-time buyer will be very pleased with this very good snorkeling gear purchase.
The Cressi Palau Mask Fin Snorkel Set is ideal for rough conditions along reefs, protected coves, and in calm water near shores. While longer fins are perceived to facilitate greater power, the Palau short fins perform great as well, especially when you’re avoiding touching the coral and other living things under water. Furthermore, this top snorkeling gear and the whole kit is very easy to transport, even without the carry mesh bag as the parts can fit perfectly in a backpack.
The Cressi swim fins are most loved by many owners, using them for comfort and protection at the same time. Overall, the Cressi Palau Mask Fin Snorkel Set is a top snorkel gear you can find on the market today – cheap snorkel gear, yet a real champion.
PROMATE Snorkeling Mask Fins DRY Snorkel Set Gear Bag
This best snorkeling gear review will also reveal about the selling points and benefits of the PROMATE Snorkeling Mask Fins DRY Snorkel Set Gear Bag. With a 4.5-Star Rating, the set includes adjustable and open-heel fins, dry snorkel, silicone single-window mask, and a nylon mesh bag with a cord drawstring.
Considered by many as the best snorkeling gear package, the Promate’s open-heel fins boast a drag-reducing jet and vented design. It also has an easy-adjustable strap, plus quick-release buttons. The snorkeling fins are constructed from high quality materials, but never compromising the stylish look. It is lightweight, giving way to convenience, while the entire design fits wide ranges of sizes. The fins’ soft foot pockets allow comfortable fit, whether you’re wearing it with socks or barefoot.
The single lens mask offers a panoramic view that features adjustable buckle and attaching skirt that provides a better fit. While the mask is perfect for medium faces, it features a double-edged comfort seal, with low volume and adjustable buckles. This dry snorkel set has one-window mask that is made of tempered glass, ensuring optimum safety.
Of course, the dry top snorkel is the most sought after by many enthusiasts. It is created with 100% dry design, plus patented upper valve, keeping water from going in the snorkel. It allows the easy entrance of air, resulting in a clean and flawless breathing. This snorkel gear will likewise reveal about the special cover guard design of this apparatus, which prevents splashing and keeping the snorkel dry under water at the same time.
Snorkeling Gear Buying Guide
Asking the question about what is the best snorkel gear is surrounded by many factors. Below is a complete buying guide if you really want to get the best of this gear out of the market today. There are several snorkel equipment essentials that you must keep in mind, including the major ones like the mask, fins, and the snorkel.
Types of Masks and Fit
The snorkeling mask comes in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and materials. Different providers of this gear offer from one-window up to four-window masks, while some manufacturers develop plastic skirts, although the 100% silicone is most preferred and highly recommended.
- The best snorkelling kit should fit you perfectly.
- Consider if you’re wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses so that you can get a mask, which allows you to see clearly with your glasses on.
- A leaky, hurting in any way, or too tight mask is not sensible at all.
- Previously, mask skirt materials are made of neoprene, but today plastic and silicone are the most commonly used. Plastics are less flexible, while the silicone is more durable.
- Mask skirts that are made of silicone also vary, ranging from liquid silicone to crystal silicone, and so on. Make sure to identify the advantage of one over the other.
Types of Mask Lenses or Windows
Cheap snorkels do not always mean poor quality as there are many manufacturers today that offer very affordable gear with top-notch quality. You just have to do your proper homework. High quality snorkeling gear should have a mask lens constructed from premium impact resistant glass, instead of plastic. The number of lenses also affects a lot of things, especially the fit, and less importantly the unobstructed vision, peripheral vision, and the air volume inside the mask.
Classic – This type of mask lens involves just one big lens, while positioning your nose inside. The classic type has high volume, and with poor sealing capacity.
One Lens Mask – This has a pocket for the nose, allowing unobstructed views forward. But, the issue with this type of mask lens is that it tends to provide less room for the nose bridge, requiring you a split mask eventually.
Split or Two Lens Mask – This type of mask lens or window provides more room for bigger noses and nose bridge. It allows lower volume or lesser air inside the mask.
Three to Four Lens Mask – Others consider the best mask and snorkel set with three to four windows because this type allows a better peripheral vision with more light, thus, resulting in a less claustrophobic feeling. However, focus becomes the issue with this type, thereby, keeping in mind that the windows will only allow you to observe motion. Side windows also have the tendency in increasing the air volume.
Frameless Mask – This type of lens mask eliminates the hard plastic frame, which most snorkel and goggles are made of. Rather, frameless masks make use of glue, sticking the silicone skirt to the single lens in front. This type is known to be lightweight with low volume, and is more flexible than its counterparts.
Snorkel Options
The snorkel options also come in wide ranges of sizes, types and styles. But, the most basic include the classic, flexible with purge, semi dry, and the dry snorkel.
- Classic – A good snorkeling also largely depends on your snorkel options. The classic snorkel is simply a solid tube that comes with a mouthpiece. It is oftentimes bendable to a certain shape, although not as comfortable compared to a flexible tube part. The classic type does not have splash prevention and purge valves.
- Flexible with Purge – This option, on the other hand, has a flexible tube part made of silicone, and often has a purge valve. It is more comfortable than the classic type as you can rotate its top as well as the mouthpiece to various angles, allowing a better fit.
- Semi Dry – Semi dry snorkel usually comes with splash guard. It has a flexible tube, plus a purge valve as well. The splash guard prevents splash water from going in the tube. Meanwhile, every manufacturer has its own technique in protecting the opening. Remember that this feature does not entirely prevent water from entering, but only reduces the possibility.
- Dry Snorkel – So, what is a dry snorkel? This type of snorkel features a special valve, which completely seals out air and water, while underwater or when waves come over. This is considered by many underwater enthusiasts as the best feature when it comes to the best snorkeling gear because there’s no need to clear the air and water once they resurface.
Fin Options
This snorkeling equipment guide will tell you that the fin choices largely depend on your skill and strength levels. This aspect is likewise broad as you can buy the open or closed foot, and the split or the paddle fins.
Closed Foot Versus Open Foot
There are advantages of the closed foot over the open foot, and vice versa. Many manufacturers have unique mask snorkel and fins, but many enthusiasts would prefer the open foot over the closed foot because the open foot fins allow them to wear boots for insulation purposes or having to walk over rocky shores. On the other hand, closed foot snorkel fin set is a lot cheaper than its counterpart without the necessity of buying boots. Closed foot fins also weigh less, allowing the snorkeler to move easier.
Split Fins Versus Paddle Fins
Similar to the open and closed fins, split fins have its distinct benefits over the paddle fins. Primarily, paddle fins work great in different conditions, allowing plenty of quick thrust or a fast accelerating speed. Paddle fins also provide the snorkeler with control as well as the maneuverability when close to underwater creatures and coral reefs. This type of fins from mask fin snorkel packages also allow the user to make kicking strokes as it is a paddle fin, although these fins are not believed to be as effective as the split fins for a long swimming time.
Meanwhile, the split fins, based on several user reports and testing, its overall design directs the force of the water directly behind the split fins better, compared to the paddle fins. Thus, the design tends to propel the snorkeler forward in a very easy manner, with a little amount of energy. Therefore, split fins are considered more efficient during long swimming periods, allowing the user to save more energy, as long as it is used properly.
Bottom Line
Over and above, it is always best to do your careful research and comparison among the fins and snorkel set, the snorkeling gear bag, mask, and all other accessories that come with the kit. By all means, purchase the one that you like the most, but, ensuring the perfect fit so as to maximize the gear’s efficiency. Also, going for a trusted brand such as the Cressi Palau snorkel set, the US Diver snorkel, the Promate snorkel, and the other above mentioned products will always be sensible, guaranteeing the quality and durability of the product to last you a lifetime.
Nonetheless, read about the best snorkeling gear reviews to help you narrow down the choices and arrive at the most reliable product possible. Finally, make your purchase through a reliable dealer of the best snorkels, whether you’re a beginner, a seasoned swimmer, or a professional, getting the value of your money in exchange of original, top-notch quality, and no less than the best snorkel sets on the market.
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