Whatever you eventually choose in the way of snorkelling gear must suit and fit you, not anybody else, whether you're purchasing fins, mask or snorkel. In the case of fins, you will find that they come in a size range, not a single size, so "8-10" may be very loose for somebody who is size 8 but be a bit tight for somebody who is size 10. Widths and heights vary enormously, so to ensure your feet dimensions match the capacity of the foot pockets, you need to try on many pairs before you find the make and brand that is best for you. Price is no guarantee of fit or suitability. Personally, I wear traditional all-rubber full-foot fins when I go snorkelling in the cold waters of the North Sea and I have pairs with foot pockets big enough to fit over the feet of the vintage dry suit I wear to keep warm. It's a myth that full-foot fins are only designed for hot-climate barefoot wear. My choice suits me, of course, but you have no obligation whatsoever to follow suit, because your priorities will be different from mine. Be wary too of snorkelling fin advice from anybody who predominantly scuba-dives or free-dives, because their fin priorities will be dictated by their main aquatic pursuits. If you're planning to wear footwear for warmth or protection, be sure to take that into account when you try on fins for size. Buying a pair one or two sizes bigger than what would be appropriate barefoot may fulfil your requirements. Fin grips are indeed helpful when securing fins in choppy waters:
As for masks, don't limit your choice to a particular model or even make. The first priority is fitting your facial dimensions so that your mask leaks as little as possible, not because leakage is life-threatening, but because constant water in the mask is irritating. Place the mask against your face and breathe in lightly, creating a partial vacuum. If the mask remains on your face without attaching the straps, then you are likely to have found a mask that fits you. You will only be able to tell for sure, however, when you've tried it out in the water with a snorkel attached. As for low or high volume, this does really depend on what you're planning to do while snorkelling. I use an old-fashioned rubber-skirted oval mask, which would probably be considered unfashionably high-volume these days, but it matches my purposes perfectly. A mask with some means of pinching the nose to clear the ears is a good idea. Purge valves are a matter of personal preference.
There are many kinds of snorkels on sale, and if you're unsure what to buy, get a gimmick-free, simple, J-shaped tube. The first snorkels, invented back in the early 1950s, were simple J-shaped tubes and they still work for most of us.
An exposure suit of some kind is a good idea, particularly if the climate gets chilly. There's no reason why snorkelling should be an activity confined to summer seasons in tropical paradises. I snorkel all the year round off the North East coast of England, thanks to my simple vintage drysuit, which provides watertightness while underclothing provides warmth. Most other snorkellers will settle on wetsuits of various thicknesses to give them protection against the cold.
Oh, and welcome to the wonderful world of snorkelling. It's all about having fun, forgetting the trials and tribulations of the day, communing with nature, not about making challenges and breaking records (isn't that what the working day is all about?). This is one of my favourite pictures of a snorkelling family from the mid-1950s:
The caption says it all.
