2airishuman
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Are snorkeling vests thought to be a useful piece of safety equipment (while snorkeling)? When is it prudent to use one? If setting out to purchase one, what features to look for?
Snorkeling vests
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if you sink like a brick and can't float, then yeah they might be worth looking at, otherwise, not really. Not much to look at, oral inflator/deflator, and some straps. I sink, but I still don't use one even when I'm doing a lot of snorkeling. If you're going to buy and plan on being on a lot of boats, then I'd get an inflatable PFD and remove the auto-inflate cartridge or modify it so it doesn't auto-inflate when it hits the water. Same basic thing, but a lot more useful and usually much higher quality.
I'm not buoyant at all and when I first started snorkeling (without fins) I almost convinced myself I needed some type of flotation to snorkel for any period of time as a precautionary measure and was looking at vests and flotation belts.
Once I started using fins all thoughts of needing buoyancy went away, it was like night and day, couldn't believe the difference...
Looking back its hard to imagine snorkeling without fins, you may already have figured that out though.
Once I started using fins all thoughts of needing buoyancy went away, it was like night and day, couldn't believe the difference...
Looking back its hard to imagine snorkeling without fins, you may already have figured that out though.
dumpsterDiver
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Safer to wear a thin or partial wetsuit and the appropriate weight belt...assuming you have decent watermanship
OP
2airishuman
Contributor
Thanks for the replies. I wore one once when snorkeling from a boat -- they required it. I didn't feel much safer.
On our upcoming Keys trip, I've booked a snorkeling trip on a two-masted schooner. They don't offer SCUBA dives, I suspect because the historical vessel can't accommodate either the extra gear or a practical means to exit the water. I understand that one exits the water by climbing a rope ladder over the gunwales. May also get some snorkeling in the day we return to the airport. I'll have a 2/3mm wetsuit and a rubber weight belt with me so I'll leave the inflatable vest off my shopping list.
On our upcoming Keys trip, I've booked a snorkeling trip on a two-masted schooner. They don't offer SCUBA dives, I suspect because the historical vessel can't accommodate either the extra gear or a practical means to exit the water. I understand that one exits the water by climbing a rope ladder over the gunwales. May also get some snorkeling in the day we return to the airport. I'll have a 2/3mm wetsuit and a rubber weight belt with me so I'll leave the inflatable vest off my shopping list.
Most operators in the keys will make you wear a vest while in the water. I would assume that most divers don't have a need to wear a vest when snorkeling. When I take my 7 year old son out I have him wear it.
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