Fins And Stuff

[stuartv]

Is yours a flap or is it a big piece? Mine is a big piece that comes down to seal the opening.. Mine is probably closer to this one...I got it as part of a set before I learned how to dive so I may have misspoke on the specific one I have. Sorry to have steered you wrong! Now I feel bad! US Divers - Azul LX Purge + Tucson LX

Do not sweat it for a moment! It was my bad for not reading better! Plus, it was only $12, with free Prime shipping! Compared to the total amount of money I've spent on scuba gear in the last year, the cost of 2 good beers is nothing! Seriously, do not feel bad at all!

 

[Buliwyf]

After I saw your post, I bought this snorkel. It arrived a couple of days ago.

It's my bad. I didn't pay close enough attention. This snorkel has some kind of flapper valve thing at the top to keep water out when you submerge. If I had realized that, I would not have bought it. Anything that could stick and keep me from being able to breathe in is not something I really want to use. Admittedly, it's not a huge deal. But, like I said, IF I had paid better attention and realized this before I bought it, I would not have gotten it.



If you treated your mask so it didn't fog, this wouldn't be an issue. I mix up Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo about 1/3 to 2/3 water, then squirt some of that in my mask before I dive. My masks never fog. OTOH, if my mask leaks, even very slowly, it's dang annoying. Especially if I'm doing something where I am trying to constantly look down, instead of forward. Then the water that leaks in run around the inside of my lens and makes it hard to see, and I can't just exhale to clear it. I have to tilt my head up and usually get a little bit of positive angle on my body to get the water to wear it will blow out.



I'm not very experienced. But, most of my dives have been from a boat with 10+ people aboard or training dives in a class with multiple people plus an instructor and assistant instructor. I can't remember ever seeing anyone diving with a snorkel except for people doing an Open Water class. I'm not saying it's not a good idea to carry one in a pocket, for just in case. But, do you really need to actually wear one when you dive?

I did treat my mask. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it fails after a while. The more often I flood my mask, the less time the anti-fog lasts. I think I warm up more than the average diver when I start moving.

I'm always the 1st in the water on boat dives. Since I don't have my mask/fins on. I'm big and clumsy, it's easier for everyone if I put them on when I'm weightless in the water. Since I'm 1st in, I can toss my snorkel on and look around while I'm waiting. I pocket it ASAP, and don't dive with it on.

 

[stuartv]

Since I'm 1st in, I can toss my snorkel on and look around while I'm waiting.

Are you talking about putting your face down in the water to look around under the water? If so, why not just breathe from your reg? The amount of gas you consume when breathing on the surface is pretty minimal. Breathing on the surface for 5 minutes only uses 1/2 as much gas as breathing 5 minutes at 33 feet, and 1/3 as much as breathing 5 minutes at 66 feet.

The amount of gas you "save" by using your snorkel while you wait on the surface for everyone else to get in is totally not worth it (to ME) to hassle with a snorkel. I would use my reg, or just float with my head out of the water. Or stick my face in the water to look around and just hold my breath while I'm doing it.

 

[Buliwyf]

Can be more like an extra 20 min. And I'm paddling about as fast as I can for the fun of it, chugging air.

I have no idea why divers with 100 time more experience than me can't seem to get their fins on. LOL.

If the entry point is deepish, I don't bother, nothing to look at. I have a XS Scuba cargo (i think that's the model) it's just a silicone rubber tube that can get rolled up and stuffed in my pocket (if I bring my pocket). My Oceanic Ultra dry is for snorkeling only.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I did treat my mask. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it fails after a while. The more often I flood my mask, the less time the anti-fog lasts. I think I warm up more than the average diver when I start moving.

Have you scrubbed your mask thoroughly with basic toothpaste (non-whitening, just fluoridated)? I scrubbed my new mask until it didn't fog when I put it over my face for a minute or two. Then before every dive, just a drop of baby shampoo spread on the entire inside surface, a splash of water and I am good to go fog-free for the entire dive.

 

[Buliwyf]

Toothpaste and lighter.

It could also be my suntan lotion. I'm lightskinned and can't dive without it. So far a flood and a purge are my only options. Antifog is only good for 30min, unless it's clear water. Then i have better luck.

 

[Colliam7]

It could also be my suntan lotion.

That's a real possibility. I have worn the same mask for years. I have no trouble with fogging, except when I put sunscreen (Blue Lizard) on before diving. So, I now usually put it on my neck and lower / side face, but not my nose, forehead etc.

 

[kelpqwest]

I have seen nice masks, fin and snorkel sets at Walmart's website for about $60, Mares is the brand.
An online retailer I have used is Leisurepro. Omer Alien is $35. This is a nice low volume mask for snorkeling or scuba. I have a plain Cressi snorkel from them that was $12.

For fins, I found excellent ones on Ebay which were new. Example: Beuchat contact fins for $35. See Ebay for fins before you spend a ton of dough at a dive shop for them. I have found Scubapro jetfins at Goodwill.

I have an RX on land (nearsighted) and splurged on an RX mask. For reading gauges, I got a magnifying glass and drilled a hole in the handle so I could install a "keeper" on the magnifying glass and have on my wrist.

I saw that I can still read the gauges OK without the magnifying glass, so I don't use it. The magnifying glass was probably $5 at Walmart.
Craigslist is a great place to look for gear also; many people quit diving soon after they begin for whatever reason.

 

[2airishuman]

Snorkel- simple j tube. No gimmicks like dry or semi dry. I sell a j tube for 15 bucks and it is what I recommend to all my students.

I think it's worth acknowledging that there are three schools of thought:
1) J tube
2) Dry snorkel
3) Something that will fold up in a pocket

Fins - for scuba in general forget the full foot fins. You can't walk around in them. On boat dives they may be ok until the first time you kick a 5lb lead weight with an unprotected toe or accidentally stub it on a bench or door sill. Shore diving they are just about worthless. You may need to walk into water where you can't see the bottom. Want to do that in bare feet? Not me.

Again two schools of thought but in this case, some instructors will require open heel fins, so check with them.

I have open heel and full foot fins and find that each has its advantages. Tropical shore diving from a beach, I prefer full foot fins. Cold water diving, open heel fins. High quality full foot fins provide somewhat better propulsion. Some people have a style of diving where that never matters. Others deal with current or have to cover distance underwater.

But, most of my dives have been from a boat with 10+ people aboard or training dives in a class with multiple people plus an instructor and assistant instructor. I can't remember ever seeing anyone diving with a snorkel except for people doing an Open Water class. I'm not saying it's not a good idea to carry one in a pocket, for just in case. But, do you really need to actually wear one when you dive?

There are multiple schools of thought.

I see a snorkel as being an important piece of safety gear on any dive where there is the possibility of having to wait for rescue at the surface.

Have you scrubbed your mask thoroughly with basic toothpaste (non-whitening, just fluoridated)? I scrubbed my new mask until it didn't fog when I put it over my face for a minute or two. Then before every dive, just a drop of baby shampoo spread on the entire inside surface, a splash of water and I am good to go fog-free for the entire dive.

Toothpaste and lighter.

DGX, possibly among others, no longer recommends this.

 

[Buliwyf]

DGX doesn't sell Atomic masks that have a metric ton of something or other on the inside of the lens, either.

I'm about to order one of the DGX or Dive Rite -3.0 prescription masks to try. It's a dorky old twin lens setup, but might be ok.