Snorkeling Kits.

[carrust]

Can anyone recommend a snorkel & mask kit around the £60-00 mark. My daughter & hubby are off to Egypt in Jan & they want them for Xmas.

[Zacs-Master]

TechniSub are very good.

[dustypuss]

I know it might not be for xmass. But if they’re not too bothered and might only use them once. Wait while they get to Egypt and buy them from a local store you can pickup touristy type ones dirt cheap £10.00 or less.

~~~~~~~
~~>)))))):>
~~~~~~~

[Prudie]

We use Cressi, they are very good and not quite that much. As a seasoned snorkeller I wouldn't advise the cheap ones that are available in resorts if they are going to be worn for a while and quality is important (which out there it would be). The cheap ones are often uncomfortable and steam up quickly due to poor fitting and adjustment options.

[dustypuss]

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4210828800/hB2CA097E/

[carrust]

Thank you for your answers. I should have added that they don't want to buy them in the resort as they have been told that the equipment is cheap & nasty.

[EcclesCake]

If either of them have long(ish) hair be sure to get a strap cover for the mask. It makes things much more comfortable.

[237SJ]

If they go to a local dive shop - they will be able to get advice as to which ones will be best for them.

[carrust]

I'll remember that eccles.

[mrs_overall]

Some important things to remember:

1. Buy a mask that has the words "tempered glass" on it. If it is not tempered glass, it WILL shatter.
2. Buy a mask with the smallest area of glass you can.
3. The way to tell if a mask fits is to hold all hair off your face with one hand and then hold the mask to the face with the other. Breathe in through the nose. If the mask stays put, it is a good fit. If it falls off the face it is a bad fit and will leak.
4. When buying a snorkel buy a simple, cheap J tube. DO NOT buy one with anything covering the top of the snorkel and don't waste your money on fancy snorkels with drain valves.

[SlackAlice]

I bought a Cressi Mask and snorkel set in a dive shop in Koh Phangan, Thailand for a good price and recommended by my son who is a scuba addict.

Several years later I've still got them and they remain leak and problem free. Use them any time I'm abroad which is about 3-4 times a year.

[mrs_overall]

I have a mask which is probably older than most people on AB :-(

[jake-the-peg]

I'd agree with pretty much everything MrsO has said - Although most of my kit is over 20 years too!

Are you stretching to fins too? they make a lot of difference to the efforft you expend in the water

[Zacs-Master]

Would slightly disagree with you Mrs O (brave, I know) on the snorkel not having anything on the top. An open topped snorkel can get weed or paper trapped across the top whereas with this type (Technisub) the vent is vertical with louvres, preventing that:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=technisub+snorkel&rlz=1C1GGGE_enGB474GB474&;espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&;tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=xOyhUuihNcnxhQfvkYHADw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Em3AE8gjA5YYyM%3A%3ByZw3_DL3-1I2xM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn2.sulitstatic.com%252Fimages%252F2013%252F0223%252F104022626_2327549922321082499a0f36042b4d81b726e0c64bccdcd086a7979e2f.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.sulit.com.ph%252Findex.php%252Fview%252Bclassifieds%252Fid%252F8236937%252FTechnisub%252BAIR%252BDRY%252BSnorkel%3B800%3B600

[mrs_overall]

Zacs (you brave man), I agree with you. I was referring to the type which you still see in seaside shops with a ping pong ball on top

[Zacs-Master]

I think that was 1977 Mrs O ;-)

[jake-the-peg]

Well I'll disagree with you zacs

It's a bit personal of course - I spent many years teaching diving as a hobby and I'd always go with a simple straight tube with nothing much to leak or get damaged but I know enough people who love these auto-draining snorkles

[Zacs-Master]

Oh no Jake, not the draining ones, never got on with them myself. I'm talking about the top design (I know my image had a silly drain thing at the bottom but my technisub one doesn't).

[carrust]

I've found a local diving shop. I think I'll go & ask their advice. BTW, thanks again for your answers.