Best Dry Snorkel

[CompuDude]

Re dry snorkels and scuba:

You're trapping a column of air, tying it to your mask strap, and bringing it down to depth with you.

How is that a good idea?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

We have had good luck with my Genesis Mojave.

We got them in our skin-diving days and it made a big difference when the surface was sub-optimal. The dry feature is OK but to me the bigger bang is the baffle system that makes it pretty splash resistant. I can clear a plain tube just fine but I get tired of constantly blowing splash out sometimes.

We do mostly shore dives and with a snorkel we can save air on the way out while enjoying the bottom view.

Two observations...

1. When diving without a hood or beanie the top cage bugs the heck out of me as it grates on my balding head. Never noticed it was there with hoods or beanies. I'm getting a simple J tube for our upcoming warm water trips.

2. If you catch a heavy wind the wrong way the valve will close off when you try to inhale. I have only had this happen when winds we such that I would not be out skin-diving anyhow.

Enjoy your skin-diving. It's your ticket to a big part of what we enjoy as scuba divers and you couldn't ask for a better foundation should you ever seek to become certified.

Pete

The genesis mojave and the scubamax dry are the same item. They are made by the same manufacturer. The only difference is the lettering and the color choices. Genesis/Sherwood come in mostly solid colors. Scubamax are available in solid black, clear and then about 5 others with a candy semitransparent look to them. I have a black one but never use it anymore. It's strictly a back up to my Oceanic pocket snorkel.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Re dry snorkels and scuba:

You're trapping a column of air, tying it to your mask strap, and bringing it down to depth with you.

How is that a good idea?

It does not trap the air unless it's in your mouth. Take it under and it fills right up. It is nice when the chop is high or when skin diving it's very easy to clear.

 

[CompuDude]

Ah, ok, I misunderstood. Still don't like 'em. I've been doing this long enough that I do just fine with a J, tho I prefer my Tusa (or Oceanic pocket snork).

 

[ams511]

I have an Aqualung Impulse, one of the older models and it is not completely dry. Personally I prefer the older Scubapro shotgun. Either model is ok if the waves are not too high. A J snorkle is good for free diving but I would not recommend it for just crusing along on the surface.

 

[miketsp]

From reading posts looking for advice on dry snorkels, I know most of you do not like using a snorkel.
..snip..

I really doubt that this is true.
We just happen to have a very vociferous minority that think it's cool to dive without a snorkel. I do agree a snorkel on mask and long hose configuration are incompatible but that just isn't the configuration of the majority of rec divers.
If you go back to the older threads opinions were much more in favour of snorkel use.
Nowadays whenever the word snorkel comes up the minority is there to repeatedly declare that their snorkel stays in their dive bag. The majority just can't be bothered to flog a dead horse, myself included.
The vast majority of divers that I see on dive boats doing open water diving on my many trips do have a snorkel fixed to their mask and consider it a part of their basic safety equipment.

..snip..
The problem with a "dry" snorkel is that it won't stay dry in all conditions. So, to be sure that you are going to take in air and not water, you will still have to use the standard technique of blowing air out when you break the surface to clear the tube.
..snip..

Not exactly true, my "dry" snorkel drains itself the moment I break the surface. I only need to blow if my mouth doesn't momentarily reach surface level

..snip..
In the long run, you won't even be using a snorkel for diving anyway, except in some limited situations. I still keep one in my dive bag and one in my spare bag, but even though I dive in a variety of different conditions, I haven't actually used one for about 4 or 5 years now.

What good is a snorkel in your dive bag if one of these "limited situations" crops up?

 

[Wisnu]

my 7 years girl loves Aeris cuda; she'll fight w/ her sister to get it.
I'll need to buy one more.

 

[Web Monkey]

Interesting, I don't notice and drag at all from the Aries that I dive with, and I do tend to dive some strong currents. I have seen some bulkier models that might have some drag associated with them.

Different for different people I guess.

John

It depends on how "dry" the snorkel is.

The OM is has a big valve at the top that actually seals underwater. It's very dry but also very big and heavy underwater.

It's excellent for snorkeling, though.

Terry

 

[trigfunctions]

For snorkeling in waves, a dry snorkel is well worth the extra $. They make snorkeling much more enjoyable. We have been very happy with our Ocean Master dry snorkels, but I recommend the kind with the flexable bottom over the ones with the solid bottom.