Should I wear a snorkel or not

[roadrunner0318]

Our instructor said they don’t use one personally but we should at least try it or at worst keep it in a pocket in case we ever want it since we are newly certified

 

[Subcooled]

Just like the title says, do I wear one or not? Thanks so much all and HNY

A snorkel is beneficial during long surface swims: you do not need to use valuable breathing gas while swimming to the dive spot and back. Under water it is just a nuisance, of course. There are also snorkels that you can roll up in your BCD pocket. It may help.

A snorkel is a tool and should be used as one - not always, but only as needed.

 

[divingdayz]

If you use a long hose setup for your regulators (like I do), never.

With a standard regulator configuration, totally up to you. I would say it's better to have one when you're starting out in diving and building confidence in the water. You can swim face-down without needing to use your tank supply for example. It's also useful when it's a little choppy on the surface to get air from a little higher up than your face which might get splashed often. Later, you can weigh the pros and cons of whether you want to keep the snorkel or not.

At higher levels of diving (tech, wreck, cave) you'll find that it is considered an entanglement hazard and forbidden in training. The long hose setup normally used in these types of diving can catch the snorkel when you share gas with your buddy and dislodge your mask. The location of the snorkel by your chin can also hinder deploying your necklace regulator.

At these levels, you're not typically going to swim long distances on the surface face down, but rather on your back, so a snorkel isn't much use and may actually dig into the water and give you a mouthful when you don't want it.

I also keep my regulator in my mouth at all times in the water, so I'm ready to take a clear breath of air with no risk of inhaling water accidentally from a snorkel.

Agencies like PADI require recreational instructors and students to have a snorkel during training, so if you see your instructor with one, it might not be their personal choice.

This is a very sensible answer. Thank you.

 

[jellycatsdad]

I was trained to always carry one. I’ve went on a few dives involving a boat drop without it. I’ll have a snorkel if starting from shore.

 

[Angelo Farina]

I was trained to always carry one. I’ve went on a few dives involving a boat drop without it. I’ll have a snorkel if starting from shore.

"carry" and 'wear" are not the same.
I often carry a snorkel stuffed away, I never wear it permanently on my mask.

 

[doctormike]

"carry" and 'wear" are not the same.
I often carry a snorkel stuffed away, I never wear it permanently on my mask.

Exactly. I always carry two cutting devices. I don't attach them to my face.

And even though this is a recently reanimated zombie thread, it's just a great reminder that you can spill 52 pages of digital ink with people just talking past each other, saying the same things over and over again. Yeah, a snorkel is a fine tool in certain situations. Implying that "wearing a snorkel" is some sort of universally mandated bedrock scuba principle like situational awareness or knowing your gas supply is just silly.

But I guess it does drive up the SB engagement metrics, and that's fine with me!

 

[Tribal]

Exactly. I always carry two cutting devices. I don't attach them to my face.

That’s would look silly…


I’m pretty sure you attach them to your loop, next to your snorkel.

 

[MidOH]

Snorkel is my touchstone.

First dive of a vacation, I make sure I'm one of the first off the boat, and spend time waiting by swimming with the snorkel.

It relaxes me, and my breathing will be better for the rest of the week. But on all the other dives, I'll likely leave it in my gear bag.

 

[MacDuyver]

 

[buddhasummer]

Until moving to Australia I had never used a snorkel whilst diving, however where I dive has long surface swims. I've resisted until my last dive, surface swim killed me on my back. I'm as I type simultaneously looking for a snorkel, good but not one that will break the bank. I used to own an AA Sv1 snorkel, used it a couple of times snorkeling but then sold it, it was nothing special and IMO not worth the price.