We often get asked what our most popular snorkeling package is. Do we go by sales? Or should we go by the snorkelers who used the snorkel gear… lets go read a few reviews. The U.S. Divers Sideview Mask, Paradise Dry Snorkel, the Trek Fins and it comes with a neoprene strap, fish food and the Coast bag so lets read a few reviews….

We bought the U.S. Divers Sideview Mask, Paradise Dry Snorkel, Trek Travel Fins, Strap & Bag for a trip to the Caribbean so we would not have to rent equipment. Glad we did since this is very nice quality gear. Comes in travel bag that is ventilated so equipment can dry out even when stowed in the bag. Mask is nice (better viewing under water), snorkel is terrific and does not let in water if you dive below water level, and fins are compact for travel, but work very well. Highly recommend purchasing this equipment rather than renting junk if you go on vacation!
Catherine W, Ohio

I used the U.S. Divers Sideview Mask, Paradise Dry Snorkel, Trek Travel Fins, Strap & Bag on an 8 day trip to Aruba and it was excellent. The snorkel was the best part. I like to dive down and the snorkel doesn’t let any water in so you don’t have to blow out any water when you come back up. Also in rough water, you don’t have to worry about choking when the waves go over your snorkel. The Trek Travel Fins are also a lot easier to use than the full sized ones and they propel you plenty fast.
Shane D, Colorado

I bought my husband this for Christmas and we went Snorkeling the next day. It was REALLY nice! The bag was really handy and nice. I bought a cheaper set for myself and was disappointed. He really liked the set and the fins were comfortable made with soft rubber around the feet and the mask and snorkel were excellent quality. I wish I would have bought this set for myself.
Anne M, Hawaii

In New York, a theif was not dressed in a ski hood or even a pair of pantyhose but a snorkel mask. On April 29th, a person was wearing a gray hooded jacket and a snorkel mask and snatched a persons iPhone who was just walking down the street, states The Brooklyn Paper.  Now how original is that?

I used to have one as a kid but they quit making them for a couple of reasons, the main one being that the user ended up re-breathing their exhalation due to the large “dead” air space of the mask in addition to the snorkels coming out the top of the mask. The user just did not have the lung capacity to breathe past these dead air spaces. The second reason they stopped making them was that they used either a spongy rubber ball or a ping pong ball housed in a birdcage type device that would close off the top of the snorkels. This kept the water out when the snorkeler went below the waterline but the balls compressed the deeper the snorkeler went which either compromised the seal (the ping pong ball) or ended up clogging the tubes (the foam rubber ball).

The snorkeling industry went without “dry” snorkel for close to twenty five years but was finally able to come up with designs that addressed the sealing problems like this snorkel, the Oceanic Ultra Dry Snorkel.

If your health issue is an allergic reaction to rubber, most of the snorkels use a hypoallergenic silicone mouthpiece to overcome this issue.

If you are suffering from TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome) you could opt for a mold-able bite for the mouthpiece or a smaller mouthpiece to help with that.

Being in this industry for many years, I have found that the manufacturers offer good gear but some offer more gear with “bells & whistles” than others.

We at SnorkelingOnline do not offer the cheap snorkel gear. Comfort and fit is the main priority. Stay away from plastic lenses as they have a tendency to scratch quite easily and tempered glass lenses are the best.

The skirting of the mask (the part that actually comes into contact with the face) should have a double seal and be made of hypoallergenic soft silicone rather than rubber which degrades faster. Read Snorkeling Masks – Select the Right One, which will help you make an educated decision as far as what you would like you mask to do for you.

There are many different styles of snorkels; open tube, semi dry and dry snorkel. The open tube are the least expensive but do not keep the water from entering the bore from splashed water or should it go beneath the surface of the water. The semi dry snorkel will deflect splashed water from entering the the snorkel bore while in use but will still fill with water when the unit is syubmerged completely below the water’s surface. The dry snorkel incorporates a flapper or a float valve (or combination) which will close the snorkel bore when the entire unit is submerged.

I snorkel as well as scuba dive and personally prefer the benefits of the dry snorkel above all others. They are more expensive but make for a more enjoyable snorkeling experience. My favorite is the Ultra Dry Snorkel by Oceanic.

Do you want more information on the different types of snorkels, read Snorkels – Select the Right One. Or read this for a quick Snorkel Comparison Chart.

The snorkeling fins that are becoming more and more popular with snorkelers these days are what are called “travel ready or travel fins” which take up less room in suitcases while traveling. Fantastic for snorkeling but not so good for scuba diving. I prefer the strap style fins in the travel ready styles personally. And again, to be more educated with snorkeling fins, read Snorkeling Fins – Select the Right Pair.

If you are looking for a complete snorkeling package, we have a nice selection to choose from.