CO2 buildup in snorkel

[Lawman]

I've had several snorkels. I've noticed some CO2 problems
with buildup after a long surface swim. Other than breathing
in through the snorkel and out through your mouth, does anyone
have any ideas to avoid getting a snorkel full of CO2? Any good
brands that address that problem?

 

[ShakaZulu]

This is funny, sorry.........I just had to laugh.

 

[Daner]

I think you might have to stop breathing altogether. Otherwise, I think by definition breathing requires you to exhale CO2.

Be careful because apparently after a little while of not breathing you may have trouble with your bouyancy,

 

[redacted]

I swim for exercise with a mask and snorkel. I believe I am experiencing the effects (shortness of breath & dizzyness) of slightly elevated CO2 level thru the first 300 to 400 meters. After 500 meters, I believe my body gets used to it and I no linger feel the effects. I don't notice any further effects thru a 2k swim. If I switch from my Scubapro snorkel with lots of dead space to a more streamlined snorkel with less deadspace, the effect is not as noticable. Also, the effect was much more pronounced last spring when I first started this exercise than it is now.

I believe there are snorkels made just for exercise swimming that have seperate inhale and exhale channels. But the price will take your breath away.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I've modified how I use my snorkel so that NO CO2 retention takes place. How, you ask? Ah, young grasshopper. It is simple.

Leave the snorkel in the gear bag.

Or, failing that, take full breaths when you breathe through it, and deal with it.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

You need to modify your breathing to make better use of the snorkel. When you first start, you are probably breathing very shallow breaths. If not enough air is exhaled, then on the inhale you are simply re-breathing what is in the snorkel. If you make the effort to breath deeply, then you get through that bit of "dead space" in the snorkel, and breath fresh air.

Another thing you can do is to cut down the snorkel. For my 16 mile finswim in the Umpqua River in the 1980s, I used a ScubaPro Shotgun snorkel (at the time the driest breathing snorkel out there), but cut off the upper 3 inches. This reduced that volume.

Finswimmers use a racing snorkel, but it is not a duel-channel snorkel. It is simply one which comes over the forehead, instead of to the side, of the swimmer. Up until about 10 years ago, most were home-made. Now, at least one is on the market (Finnis) which has an exhaust valve below the swimmer's chin. If you want to see it, google "Finnis snorkel". If you want more information on finswimming (a good cardiovascular exercise program with a monofin, goggles, a nose plug and a racing snorkel), google "finswimming".

Finswimmers compete in distances of 100, 200, 400 and 800 meters in pools like competitive swimmers, and they use a snorkel, so you cannot blame the snorkel on CO2 buildup. You need to work on your breathing technique.

SeaRat

 

[DA Aquamaster]

As inidcated above, a snorkel increases the dead air volume that already exists in your trachea and mouth where no O2 exchange can occur. So the greater the colume of the snorkel, the greater the increase in dead air space.

Snorkel design is a compromise. A longer tube neams more dead space as does a larger diameter tube. So lenght and diameter involve trade offs. You want the end to stay above water, but anymore than that increases dead space. A narrow diameter tube has less airspace but also increases inhalation and exhalation resistance, so tube diameter is compromise between ease of breathing and greater dead air space. The valves requires in dual channel snorkels are again a trade off as they create resistance. There is no free lunch with a snorkel

Also as indicated above, breathing as deep as possible to decrease the ratio of dead to active airspace is your approach to reducing CO2 build up what ever snorkel you use.

 

[spectrum]

Like they said, get those deep long breaths going so that the dead volume of the snorkel is less significant. When you have this going you will be able to swim hard and be surprised by your slow respiration. The good news is that when you have this down to habit and return to scuba your consumption will make you smile.

Pete

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Go to lesiurepro and ask for their no co2 snorkle. It's amazing.

 

[Azza]

Go to lesiurepro and ask for their no co2 snorkle. It's amazing.

Classic!!

Ditto on all those that said big breaths but you can also breathe out your nose occasionally to slow the buildup of CO2.

Personally I only use a snorkel for freediving when I am spearfishing but I can spend a good 5-6 hours breathing through it with no worries