Your favorite "dry" snokel?

[kidspot]

I have a couple of snorkels for snorkeling (as others have mentioned - if you need to carry a snorkel for scuba, keep it a simple one) one of them is a dry snorkel I got for my neighbor's kids to use. It is a true dry snorkel in that it closes off the airway at the top when submerged... everyone that has tried it hates it because any wave that hits your snorkel closes off your airway completely (a semi dry with a splash guard would keep most of the water out, but still let you breath) so I finally pulled it off and turned it into a "J"-tube style snorkel - now they like it...

By the way - even a dry snorkel only the top seals against water entry, so it will still fill up with water from the other end while diving (you don't want to breathe off of your snorkel at depth do you? )

have fun, and remember a little water in the mouth or splashed on your face is easily spit out or ignored - Enjoy your class!

Aloha, Tim

 

[Stirling]

My husband and I are going to start scuba classes in a couple of weeks, and we are looking into snorkels. We are interested in a "dry" snorkel, ie, one that seals up when you go under water. The only model we've seen so far like this is the Oceanic Ultra Dry. We are going to buy new, but trying to conserve our $.
Any reviews? Other product recs?
Thanks in advance!
Chantal

I have an Oceanic Sonora "dry" snorkel with a flapper contraption to keep water out. In more than 30 years, it is one of the very few things that I almost immediately regretted buying. I admit the dry contraption works very well when snorkeling, but it is too bulky and caused a lot of drag pulling on my mask strap (the few times I used it).

I don't think it is exactly a "myth" that the "dry" snorkels stay dry. The "dry" snorkels seal up to keep water out of the barrel when you are snorkeling on the surface (or skin diving) - when you submerge and keep the snorkel in your mouth, the top slaps shut and the tube stays mostly dry until you resurface, when any little bit of water that might be in the tube drains out through the purge. But for the drag when the snorkel is submerged, which I thought was excessive, I would consider it a pretty good invention for snorkeling and paddling around mostly on the surface.

Under water, I thought it was a pain in the butt. I went back to an old plain "J" snorkel, and to another Oceanic "Response" snorkel with a plain tube but a purge valve below the mouthpiece. I prefer the latter because it has a more comfortable mouthpiece than my old Scubapro "J" snorkel; the purge took a little getting used to but I think is still a useful improvement.

In any case, and especially if money is a concern, I would suggest spending as little as possible on a snorkel - all you really want is a comfortable mouthpiece and as simple a design as possible - either a plain "J" or a plain tube snorkel with a purge valve - and when it comes to a plastic tube, they're all pretty much the same thing. I think the "dry" snorkel is a waste of money and even a little bit of a nuisance - after spending the money for one of those, I went back and spent even more to get the "Response" because it *didn't* have that "dry" contraption.

Any money you can save on the snorkel (which you probably won't use very much) can be better spent on other stuff. Unlike the snorkel, you will be using your mask and fins all the time, and mask fit is really a critical issue. If you can free up some money to give yourself a wider range of mask choices for a better fit, I would do that.

 

[spectrum]

I like my Mojave dry snorkel, I got it last summer when I was doing a lot of skin diving. I got it mainly to avoid surface floods, clearing after a dive down is part of the fun.

Is it dry? most of the tine it is, even when coming up from a dive. You can fool it if a wave hits the right way at the wrong time or you twist a certain way when you pike down. That being said you should always clear it as you surface, just in case. The purge/drain valve makes it an easy blow when it does flood.

Also realize that since it effecively closes off your airway your equalization needs will change when diving down.

Pete

 

[Tanked Monkey]

<...snip> one of them is a dry snorkel I got for my neighbor's kids to use. <snip...>

Tim,

You buy equipment for your neighbor's kids?!? That's awesome. Can I move in next door? I really need a drysuit

Mike

 

[kidspot]

Tim,

You buy equipment for your neighbor's kids?!? That's awesome. Can I move in next door? I really need a drysuit

Mike

It was a snorkel...not a drysuit ... though I do have a suit at home.. and it's dry... until you put it in the water.. then it's wet... including the tie

Aloha, Tim

 

[archman]

If it's dry snorkels you're after, I third (or fourth) the Oceanmaster 2000. I have THREE of these suckers. The "flex" model is better for diving as it is less obtrusive on scuba. They're good for freediving, but you have to get used to the fact that the tube retains air when submerged. Most hardcore users learn to plug the mouthpiece with their tongue to avoid squeeze issues.

The mouthpieces are also removable, which is a rare touch. You can replace them with standard mouthpieces.

Oceanmaster's are still just about the bulkiest snorkels around. If you've been scuba diving for a while sans snorkel or with a simple model, there may a period of cussing and swearing involved with breaking in the Oceanmaster.

 

[Fly N Dive]

I like my Mojave dry snorkel, I got it last summer when I was doing a lot of skin diving. I got it mainly to avoid surface floods, clearing after a dive down is part of the fun.

Is it dry? most of the tine it is, even when coming up from a dive. You can fool it if a wave hits the right way at the wrong time or you twist a certain way when you pike down. That being said you should always clear it as you surface, just in case. The purge/drain valve makes it an easy blow when it does flood.

Also realize that since it effecively closes off your airway your equalization needs will change when diving down.

Pete

I have the same one and think its great for bot snorkeling and diving. when skin diving it stays bone dry. i disagree with people saying to just get a simple j one. if your going to ever jump in the water with mask, fins, and snorkel get one thats dry. it makes a huge difference.

 

[The Kraken]

I have to echo the sentiments regarding the Ocean Master dry snorkel.
I've used one extensively for snorkeling and love it.
When ocean diving I now keep a collapsible snorkel in my utility pocket just in case.
If the ocean chop is significant, then I'll take my dry snorkel.
Just fit the kit to match the conditions.

The Ocean Master dry snorkel is a good one.

 

[Walter]

I disagree with people saying to just get a simple j one. if your going to ever jump in the water with mask, fins, and snorkel get one thats dry. it makes a huge difference.

I don't think it's ever a good idea to get equipment designed to compensate for poor technique. Learn good technique and you'll discover the simple J is actually easier to use than a dry snorkel. If you are skin diving with good technique, you'll be droppinf the snorkel from your mouth as you begin your descent and it will flood through the mouth piece anyway. Purge valves on snorkels prevent the use of the most effective and easiest method of clearing a snorkel - displacement.

 

[Damselfish]

Purge valves on snorkels prevent the use of the most effective and easiest method of clearing a snorkel - displacement.

My dry snorkel has a purge, and I have no trouble clearing it using displacement.