Certification Snorkeling Set

[danvolker]

Freediving fins? At least you will be efficient at silting out the area. Should be fun gearing up on a boat too...

You will know you have a good mask fit when you draw in a breath, the mask sucks to your face, you gag and your eyes bulge leading to the clerk screaming for the O2 bottle.
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I AGREE that a poorly trained scuba diver in Freedive fins, swimming in the head up and feet down posture that THE MAJORITY of Dive Instructors have their Open Water 1 people doing....would be very bad for the bottom and silting......But.... I think it is important to point out that fins don't silt the bottom up.....divers that are CLUELESS about trim and what kicks they should use near the bottom, are the ones that silt the bottom up....much like guns don't kill people--people kill people.

I use the longest freediving fins you will ever see, and do not silt because I use the ideas of cave diving in my approach to finning near the bottom, and with trim--it applies easily to DiveR freedive fins...the frog kicks, the modified flutter...the decision to swim flat instead of feet down and head up.....

[video=youtube_share;xKUgKhvcELk]http://youtu.be/xKUgKhvcELk[/video]
I am using DiveR Freediving fins in this wreck penetration, over an extremely silty bottom....You can see zero silt from my hovering, but after a few minutes, you can see some divers entering the wreck with traditional scuba fins, and they begin silting--because they were not trained NOT to silt.....It gets very easy for freedivers, because they are not in the habit of diving so heavy that their fins are being driven into the bottom--they tend to swim flat....they tend NOT to stand on the bottom

 

[tracydr]

I'll just echo what has already been said. Fit is king. I'm using a $20 snorkel pro mask because so far it fits better than any other mask I've tried including much more expensive ones. Depending on the diving you do, you may or may not end up diving with a snorkel after class. Fins.. well, I went for the $180 pair the dive shop girl recommended, and so I haven't really tried any others. I suspect I wasted a little money based on my experience with other dive gear. Not that I dislike my fins, but many people seem to be perfectly happy with much cheaper scubapro jetfins etc.

I highly recommend one of those neoprene mask straps. Vastly superior to the regular rubber straps unless you're bald... although in my case it cost almost as much as my mask!

I agree about the mask strap. This is especially true for girls with longer hair. The neoprene straps can really help make all the mask on/off skills easier.
I have an expensive mask, the Atomic Aquatics, which is beautifully clear and I love it. I've never had such a good mask. However, I bought it because I loved the fit. I recommend any low volume mask, because low volume helps make mask clearing easier.
Snorkels are really unimportant. I actually snorkel when we're on vacation but I'm still not picky about my snorkel. Just about any modern snorkel will do. Whatever you buy, don't buy a snorkel with a heavy, "dry" valve on top. It will just get in the way.

 

[Kharon]

I have to put in my $.02.

First, I've been using the same mask (replaced when worn out with the exact same model) for 40 years. It's exactly what I need/want even though most divers poo-poo it. Get something that fits (as others have posted) feels right and that gives you a good range of vision. There are a lot of styles - single lens, two lens, three lens, low volume, different color skirts, different skirt material - after fit, comfort and finding the style you really like is prime.

Snorkeling fins are too short? Free-diving fins? Total Bushwah!!! I used my Velocity 3X's for snorkeling and have now retired them for the new Aeris Accel which is also excellent for both diving and snorkeling. The Accel is nearly 5" shorter but still gives the same push. They are also 3 pounds lighter. Think about where you are going to dive. If it's only local then length and weight aren't so important (though as pointed out, real long fins are a PITA on a crowded dive boat. If you are going to be flying to do your diving I would highly recommend the Accel. The performance is great, they are short and light, and they are inexpensive at $89 including shipping.

Third, I use a semi-dry snorkel with a purge. I replaced the mouthpiece on both snorkel and regulator with the Comfo-Bite (Aqua Lung Comfo-Bite Mouthpiece, Black | LeisurePro). It's an inexpensive upgrade that makes a lot of difference.