Snorkel Vests question

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Hello all, I was wondering about how the horseshoe collar snorkel vests work. Do they have a lot of buoyancy like life jackets, or do they have enough buoyancy to keep you floating but also allow you to comfortably put your head underwater to snorkel?

Also, do they allow you to dive a bit deeper if you wanted to? or do they inhibit movement like ordinary vests?
Thanks in advance.
 
The buoyancy depends on how much air you put in it. A normal person should need just a little air in the vest to stay on the surface. When snorkeling with my wife, who is not a diver, I had no air in the vest and would swim down when I wanted a closer look.

I had to look up other vests to see what you were talking about, and I can see how it would be more confining, and harder to deflate completly with the jacket vest. I think you would like the horse collar for what you are trying to do.
 
The buoyancy depends on how much air you put in it. A normal person should need just a little air in the vest to stay on the surface. When snorkeling with my wife, who is not a diver, I had no air in the vest and would swim down when I wanted a closer look.

I had to look up other vests to see what you were talking about, and I can see how it would be more confining, and harder to deflate completly with the jacket vest. I think you would like the horse collar for what you are trying to do.
Thanks. So with just enough air to stay on the surface, it shouldn't take much effort to swim down a bit to take a closer look I'm guessing?
 
As a former lifeguard, I'm going to recommend that if you are that unsure of your swimming ability you should be wearing an actual USCG approved PFD. A tired and stressed swimmer trying to inflate a horseshoe vest is a recipe for panic. OTOH, a decent Type III neoprene waterski vest allows flexibility and isn't very bulky. The drawback is you won't be able to get very far underwater.

Most of my rescues were marginal swimmers who were relying on some sort of flotation that got away from them. Now that I have kids, I've been happy to see that it's become normal for pools and aquatic centers to ban all the floaties except for USCG approved PFDs.

If you want just a little flotation, then maybe a neoprene vest? Keeps you warmer too.
 
As a former lifeguard, I'm going to recommend that if you are that unsure of your swimming ability you should be wearing an actual USCG approved PFD. A tired and stressed swimmer trying to inflate a horseshoe vest is a recipe for panic. OTOH, a decent Type III neoprene waterski vest allows flexibility and isn't very bulky. The drawback is you won't be able to get very far underwater.

Most of my rescues were marginal swimmers who were relying on some sort of flotation that got away from them. Now that I have kids, I've been happy to see that it's become normal for pools and aquatic centers to ban all the floaties except for USCG approved PFDs.

If you want just a little flotation, then maybe a neoprene vest? Keeps you warmer too.
I'd like to second lowwall's post, as the so-called snorkeling vests have changed over the years. They used to be equipped with a CO2 inflation mechanism, but one manufacturer apparently was sued when someone inflated the CO2 vest with CO2, then tried to breathe off it. Since there is no emergency inflation system anymore with the horse collar vest, your best bet is indeed a USCG Approved PFD. Use it to see from the surface. When you get much, much better at snorkeling, you may want to do some breath-hold diving, but that is an advanced skill for skilled swimmers and divers.

SeaRat
 
I use a horse collar B/C for both snorkeling and scuba diving. Currently, I have a Sea Quest with an updated bladder and pressure fill mouthpiece/button. I also updated the harness so it's a "step in" now. I like to adjust my buoyancy (lead) so that I'm still negative at whatever depth I'm playing at with absolutely no air in my B/C. That way, I can compensate for the added weight at any depth

Yes, a horse collar B/C can supply enough lift to keep you afloat under pretty much any conditions. My Sea Quest is good for 30+ LBS of flotation. Plus, they have the advantage of being able to dump all of your other gear...weights, tanks, etc. without loosing your B/C too. Best of all, they won't drown you if you're unconscious.

If you want one with a emergency inflator though, you may have to get an old one and upgrade it or install one. (Pay a real pro to do it!!) Mine came with one so I just re-used it. If you do get one, use the safety wire to prevent accidental inflation. I don't know if anybody is still manufacturing horse collar B/C/s, just snorkel vests. They're not real popular but I like it.
 
This is the one I use: IST Adult Snorkeling Vest at SwimOutlet.com - it's got oral inflate and a shoulder dump valve. Extremely light and tons of buoyancy when inflated. I also use it for shallow dives using only a 19 cf pony and minimal weight (monkey diving).
 
Thanks. So with just enough air to stay on the surface, it shouldn't take much effort to swim down a bit to take a closer look I'm guessing?

When using a typical snorkel "vest" that goes over the head, has a bib like front section, and is strapped down with a waist strap, and hopefully a crotch strap, both my wife and I can easily float on the ocean surface with no air in the snorkel vest. She is much more petite than me, and could easily dive down below the surface without weight. I am heavier, with more bioprene, so I like to have a couple of pounds to easily get down without having to struggle to get down. You can easily add more air to the bladder and easily release when desired.
 

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