Snorkel Advice: good cheap beginner set to buy?

[jinduy]

i've noticed some brands like US Divers and dolphinus or something... i visited other snorkel related forums and they all recommend these crazy $50-80 sets which is way outta my range. i was thinking about renting them but these sets have been through too many mouths... no thanks.

any recommendation on a good cheap snorkel set?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Whatever else you do, DO NOT TRY TO BUY A MASK WITHOUT TRYING IT ON. Comfort and fit are the most important characteristics in a mask. I tend to think you should just pony up - $50-80 is not that much money, and if you go too cheap you will just end up replacing whatever you buy if you ever want to go SCUBA diving. In any case, make sure you buy a mask that will seal well against your face comfortably.

 

[Ticks]

There is a US Divers pack with a mask, fins and snorkel at Costco for < $40

 

[jinduy]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
Whatever else you do, DO NOT TRY TO BUY A MASK WITHOUT TRYING IT ON. Comfort and fit are the most important characteristics in a mask. I tend to think you should just pony up - $50-80 is not that much money, and if you go too cheap you will just end up replacing whatever you buy if you ever want to go SCUBA diving. In any case, make sure you buy a mask that will seal well against your face comfortably.

yeah i read up on that being the most important. it's going to be a problem since the packages are all sealed up. but i can always return them right after i buy them and try them on.

 

[Kelemvor]

I'd go to at least a sporting goods store over a place like KMart.

Check out SportMart, Dunhams, etc. The people that work there might be able to actually give you some valid information.

 

[jinduy]

i just purchased a dolfino snorkel/goggle set...

are snorkels supposed to leak in water? like i submerged the middle portion of the snorkel in water to see if twould leak and it leaked a fairly good amount. i read one person's review on the net about how his leaked...

it's not supposed to leak ANY water right?

 

[shiner]

Hmmm...let's see....this is the device you are counting on to deliver oxygen to you while you are underwater. You need oxygen in order to NOT DIE. Hmmmm......cheap or expensive? Cheap or expensive. Gee that's a tough one. :roll:

 

[jinduy]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
Hmmm...let's see....this is the device you are counting on to deliver oxygen to you while you are underwater. You need oxygen in order to NOT DIE. Hmmmm......cheap or expensive? Cheap or expensive. Gee that's a tough one. :roll:

i think that the more expensive snorkels just have higher levels of comfort and better "dryness" to them maybe, but i'm willing to sacrifice the comfort and am a pretty good swimmer. but having water leaking in from the midsection of the snorkel sounds ridiculous. i'm going to return it and want to make sure that snorkels aren't supposed to be like this...