Cressi Supernova Dry snorkel review

[jadairiii]

I'll start of with my bias, I dive a standard J type snorkel, matter of fact, mine is pushing 50 years old, Farallon. On Thursday I did a quick early morning free dive before work and while out there came across a mask with a Cressi Supernova dry snorkel attached. As I always do, it came home with me (actually, found another mask that I left at the shore).

Saturday I tried it in my pool, after spending an hour freediving again off the beach with the Farallon. Yikes! The Work of Breathing (WOB) was significant. I actually thought it was adjusted wrong and it was "deeper" in the water then it should have been. Nope, it was just hard breathing. Way too much bends and valves and covers in that snorkel. I would hate to give that snorkel to anyone, especially someone new to snorkeling.

Anyone else ever try one and disagree?

Scuba Snorkels-Supernova Dry

 

[Wallowa]

After lots and lots of time freediving....slightly curved [slight wrap around head], appropriate dia for you lung capacity and NO gimmick [valves etc] on end of bore is best [increases breathing effort/resistance] ....also ditch any snorkel with a flex section like one in photo, flex will flex and reduce bore dia.....clearing a snorkel is elemental skill and if retained on dive [not spearfishing when snorkel is out of mouth during dive until last of ascent] learn to clear on last of ascent by putting in a single bubble of air when snorkel is titled back/down then just as surfacing roll snorkel opening to surface and bore will clear...no blast needed.

 

[dmaziuk]

meh. I have two: Phelps "focus" that I actually use (swimming laps at least once a week)

and an IST SN-60 that usually stays in the bag on the boat

The latter looks quite similar to the Cressi one except is has a simple splash shield, not that "dry top" crap, and the purge valve is in the down-facing elbow. I could never get used to the "dry" snorkels: I always feel suffocated just as OP did. However the flex sections and purge valves are fine. Purge valves take a little getting used to, esp. in the top one where there is no elbow, and then they works just fine. The flex section simply means it doesn't tug and pull on your mask strap as much, and if you feel it restricts your breathing -- you might want to get in the pool and swim some laps.

 

[justspacelover_]

Nic e probably might try this!

 

[johndiver999]

After lots and lots of time freediving....slightly curved [slight wrap around head], appropriate dia for you lung capacity and NO gimmick [valves etc] on end of bore is best [increases breathing effort/resistance] ....also ditch any snorkel with a flex section like one in photo, flex will flex and reduce bore dia.....clearing a snorkel is elemental skill and if retained on dive [not spearfishing when snorkel is out of mouth during dive until last of ascent] learn to clear on last of ascent by putting in a single bubble of air when snorkel is titled back/down then just as surfacing roll snorkel opening to surface and bore will clear...no blast needed.

Yhat method will not work with the snorkel pictured.
I generally remove the top valve on snorkels like that, but I always like having a snorkel with a purge valve.

 

[Wallowa]

Yhat method will not work with the snorkel pictured.
I generally remove the top valve on snorkels like that, but I always like having a snorkel with a purge valve.

You are correct, with any purge valve..........I never use a snorkel with a purge, no need and failure point, nor the severe bend shown in photo....flex section may work in pool but in open ocean in waves or current the flex will distort and reduce bore dia and increase breathing resistance'....

 

[jadairiii]

My snorkel, Farallon with moldable bites. I've used that snorkel almost exclusively. Used a Scuba Pro Swivel Tip Jet for a few year after I lost the Farallon (and before ebay), that was awesome, big bore, but you could turn half the tube in any direction, super dry! (its the one in the center), but alas, it cracked with age, did not hold up like the Farallons.

 

[dcvf2]

No. 1 is used by my wife.

I used No. 2 on an AIDA freediving club trip in flooded quarries.

I use No. 3 during my vacation (my hobby is filming marine life in the Red Sea, the Maldives, Raja Ampat, etc.).
No. 3 is very comfortable and very useful in rough seas.

No snorkel in your mouth underwater (AIDA safety rule, etc.).

 

[Wallowa]

My snorkel, Farallon with moldable bites. I've used that snorkel almost exclusively. Used a Scuba Pro Swivel Tip Jet for a few year after I lost the Farallon (and before ebay), that was awesome, big bore, but you could turn half the tube in any direction, super dry! (its the one in the center), but alas, it cracked with age, did not hold up like the Farallons.

View attachment 899788
View attachment 899789

In my opinion Farallon one of the best....ample bore clean and clear and bends where they should be.. big fan of Farallon....that snorkel great and that mask was a winner for SCUBA but too high volume for freediving....

 

[Wallowa]

View attachment 899796


No. 1 is used by my wife.

I used No. 2 on an AIDA freediving club trip in flooded quarries.

I use No. 3 during my vacation (my hobby is filming marine life in the Red Sea, the Maldives, Raja Ampat, etc.).
No. 3 is very comfortable and very useful in rough seas.

No snorkel in your mouth underwater (AIDA safety rule, etc.).


View attachment 899795

Wow...tiny bore on #3 and a lot of hydrodynamic/wind drag, plus failure point at valve #1....leaking valve or failed valve, forget snorkel...do not understand why removal of snorkel before freedive is a 'safety issue'...when spearfishing you do it to eliminate bubbles escaping snorkel on descent that could spoke fish.....also, just me, but all freedives are solo and to time your ascent while 'accompanied' with 'buddy' is, well, absurd in the real world of freediving for food or photos...look I understand 'shallow water blackout' but being positively buoyant at 30 feet is also a none starter unless you are planning really deep [100fsw+] dives and wearing a lot of neoprene. ...piking or finning hard against positive buoyancy to get past 30ft consumes a lot of oxygen....FYI SWB usual occurs within 10 ft of surface not at 30ft.

The other recommendations are sound....with one exception: 'grabbing hold of something as you reach surface' denotes a weak diver who is poorly trained and if they need to hang onto surface support after a freedive, they should not be freediving....signature of a competent freediver is when only back of head and top of snorkel break surface on ascent to surface...no drama and in control.

Remembering that SWB gives almost zero or zero warning....I knew of freedivers [none I would dive with] that went deep for abalone and if in doubt of exertion expended or distance to surface would release wt belt and hold with one hand with the idea that if SWB occurred they would release wts and float unconscious to surface...unconscious and floating at surface almost always means drowning...again in my world this is not what competent or prudent freedivers would practice. Nothing is important enough on a freedive to jeopardize your survival.

Just my experiences and opinions; not for everyone and I could be wrong!