Good snorkel recommendation?

[Poseidon8118]

I have 6 different snorkels from the past 20 years: Aqua-Lung (2 Impulse), Scubapro, Sherwood, Tekna, and Tusa. The best snorkel ever no matter what the cost (imho) is Aqua-Lungs Impulse or Impulse 2. This will cost you $25.95 at Leisurepro.com.

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I have 6 different snorkels from the past 20 years: Aqua-Lung (2 Impulse), Scubapro, Sherwood, Tekna, and Tusa. The best snorkel ever no matter what the cost (imho) is Aqua-Lungs Impulse or Impulse 2. This will cost you $25.95 at Leisurepro.com.

Yeah that's a great one...not the dry one, but the one with the nuclear cooling tower on top. I like the one with the flexy part that the mouthpiece is on, too.

This one:
http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.a...dex=2&CategoryID=959&Context=954&Filter=1=100

 

[Hank49]

There are lots of fancy snorkels out there. I found a nice one, I thought, near the shipwreck at CCV Roatan. Hooked it to my mask later and it fell off within two minutes. It looked great but....I snorkel more than dive now, hunting mostly and I just use a simple tube type. The key for me is a figure 8 fairly stiff attachent to my mask strap so it doesn't flop around when you're moving fast.

 

[menemsha43]

After 10 years I finally decided to upgrade my snorkel and got the Impulse 2 based upon a recommendation of a dive instructor I really trust. When this guys says "buy such-and-such" I tend to listen.

 

[6Gill]

I have 6 different snorkels from the past 20 years: Aqua-Lung (2 Impulse), Scubapro, Sherwood, Tekna, and Tusa. The best snorkel ever no matter what the cost (imho) is Aqua-Lungs Impulse or Impulse 2. This will cost you $25.95 at Leisurepro.com.

I concur with you!

 

[DennisS]

I like the ones that have two pivots, one vertical at the base of the tube and one horizontal at the mouth piece. It makes it easy to adjust for comfort and you never get that hooked fish feeling. I pivot it on the vertical and the mouthpiece is somewhere near my ear, out of the way. I like a straight tube, one blow and it's clear. The one I'm using now is a voit, about 15 years old and holding up fine.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Thank you all for the quick responses! What a great board!!

Where will you be snorkeling?

 

[mdsd]

I was using a plain rigid tube with a purge valve at bottom, simple.

Got tired of surf/chop filling it. Bought an Aqualung Flex Impulse 2. Not crazy about the flex portion, but love the way it sheds water. No flapper, no moving parts, simple.

 

[spectrum]

Did a lot of ocean skin diving and going from a "J tube" to a mohave dry snorkel was a definite improvement. If you're scuba diving and it's going to spend most of the time stowed it's probably not a big deal.
The purge valve at the bottom makes clearing easier. Not a requirement but it does make life nicer.
Make sure the purge valve is sheltered in a little cage. The valve is a very delicate disc and if you turn your head fast it can open when you're inhaling. The cage mutes the force of the water when you move.
The tube leading to the mouthpiece wants to be flexible. It may not seem like much but after an hour or 2 it matters. It also helps of the business end can rotate on the hose for a custom fit.
The snorkel tops really have 2 features. First there is a baffle arangement that does a pretty good job of shedding water that washes over you. This feature IMHO is a "gotta have" unless you stay in placid waters. The second feature is some sort of valve. They work on combinations of floatation and pressure and do keep the tube dry most of the time. You still want to surface like it's not here with a good puff and cautious first breath but it usually is clear and dry.

When going to the mojave I did notice different things going on with pressure. Since the valve was closed I didn't get the same sort of pressue equalization through my mouth and that took some getting used to.

That's my experience, hope it helps.

Pete

 

[raya]

Scubapro do good snorkels..although if I were you,I wouldn´t spend an awful lot of money on one,they are constantly changing and at the end of the day a basic snorkel will do the job.