HELP me PLEASE

[DiverKY321]

My son and my wife and I are taking a cruise and we are going to Marco Island,FL and Cozumel Mexico, we plan to snorkle, my son is 13 and i am 37, we don't know what kind of mask, snorkle, and wet suit to buy, could someone help me? thanks

 

[ColdH20diving]

I would suggest visiting your local dive shop to try on various masks. It's hard to recommend a particular brand or style of mask as fit will vary from person to person. Try on several masks to see which ones fit best and don't leak, your dive shop should be able to help you. I wouldn't imagine you would need to spend more that $40-50 for a mask. As far as a snorkel, there's not much to them, don't spend a lot if your only going to use it a couple times a year. You should be able to rent a mask, snorkel, and wet suit from your LDS. I'd rent the gear unless I planned on using it on a regular basis. I don't know what the water temps are like in Cozumel, I would imagine a 3mm shorty would meet your needs.

 

[RICHinNC]

I agree with renting if this is like a once or twice in a life time thing...but then you can rent all the stuff you mentioned. A 3mm shorty wont be real cheap.

but if you are like me and dont like sticking things in your mouth you have no idea where they have been....and hate looking ...or trying to look...through old very scratched up masks....do the following.....

Select the snorkle you want first. Then place snorkle in mouth...(it makes your face take up its final FORM)....then take the mask you think you like and without pulling the strap over your head, hold the mask up to your face....and....breath in through your nose. Dont let air lead out your snorkle....if the mask fits right...you should create a vacumn and be able to let go of the mask with out it falling. If it leaks air like a screen door in a sub...then it will leak on you when you are in the water.

one more thing about your snorkle...make sure it has a purge at the bottom...and you dont have to blow water all the way up the pipe.

yell if ya need more.....good diving

 

[DiverKY321]

We do plan to start doing this a bunch, then my son is going to get a junior divers liscence, i am already padi certified, just don't have a mask, use my friends when he doesn't dive,

 

[RICHinNC]

Well if you plan to start doing this a lot...get your own gear and get the best you can afford. As far as snorkling goes...I think it is safe to say most use closed foot stye fins. You dont need booties, but for me...i like my booties because you can walk around and step on almost anything and not pay for it for days of pain,,,, so i use regular open foot fins. My dive mask and snorkle is the same.
I wont make the assumption because you are certified that you know how controlled the dive industry is. By that i mean....if an lds handles one brand...likely they are not allowed to handle anything else. What does that mean to you?? If you dont find a mask that fits using the method i described...then you will have to go to another store to try different brands. I love Cressi masks but they are not sold in my town anywhere. Good luck hunting....

 

[Texan]

You can rent gear at just about any hotel on the beach, you will not get a purge valve on the snorkel and the masks are not very good either. Go to a dive shop and get a snorkel package for him. Ask the shop owner to open the package and check for mask fit. This is what I did with my son. We do not normally use a wet suit for snorkeling in Cozumel. When we were there last week the water was 82F at depth. I guess the surface may be a little warmer.

Oh and booties... my son did not have any last week but i wished he did. Most of the swimming areas have a lot of iron stone shore. We were there for a week and his feet were bleeding...didn't slow him down a bit though...lol

Have a great time.

Texan

 

[DiverKY321]

Texan how old is your son? my son is 12, he said he would love to snorkel, maybe because i scuba dive, but could you just buy those booties at kmart for the kids? thanks again.

 

[DiverKY321]

Texan how old is your son? my son is 12 and he said he would love to snorkel, would a 12 year old need and adult snorkel set, or should we buy the mask and snorkel separete, and booties, could i just get those at kmart for the kid? Thanks again.

Tim

 

[RICHinNC]

go to an lds or Sports Emporium...for the booties...
they are not expensive...30 to 45 at the most.