Sporting goods store mask and fins any good?

[Adam Zimmermann]

I bought a "diving set" by US Diver at a local sporting goods store and was wonder about the quality of this set. It came with a mask snorkel and fins for like $30. Is it good or is it a get what you paid for kinda thing?

Adam

 

[diversteve]

The latter...make sure the mask is tempered glass.

Don't be surprised if the other divers near you are moving much faster with much less effort - the fins are probably too short/stiff to properly propel a fully loaded scuba dive w/o making you work too hard. My friends husband only snorkels while we dive - I tried his (expensive) snorkel fins once - felt like I was diving in molasses.

US Divers 20 years ago was reputable - now they're the snorkel division of one of the dive mfr's - I think Aqualung.

Return it or use it for snorkeling...

You probably can't get what you got for $30 - more like $70-80 for serviceable gear.

Buy the low end dive gear at Leisurepro.com. Blue Reef is their house brand - some of the snorkels are $12-15. Cressi's - one of the original dive gear mfr's - under $20.

A decent serviceable paddle fin like Tusa's Liberatpr X10 are $40. They've been around for decades.

I bought the Sherwood version of this $30 mask a few years ago - it seals better than my $90 Mares. Genesis LVX Two Window Mask

I really wouldn't buy a mask unless you can try it on and make sure it seals correctly. There must be 20 or 30 under $30 dive masks also - maybe more.

My snorkels dry rot b4 they get used so let that be your guide in buying one. I have one somewhere - bought ti snorkel with Whalesharks in 2007? - haven't seen it since.

 

[Birddog1911]

Fins are usually too soft for me. But, my old Body Glove mask that i bought for snorkelling long, long ago is great. It serves as my spare now, but the glass is still nice, and it still seals perfectly on my face.

So, some may be good, some not so good.

 

[Bryan@Vintage Double Hose]

Something to keep in mind when looking at inexpensive masks is that most of them are made from a PVC compound as opposed to silicone. Much cheaper to manufacture and is fine for the kids to use and loose at the beach but in long term use the material will harden faster and become unusable. Some also find the material irritating to their face.

 

[oly5050user]

I bought a "diving set" by US Diver at a local sporting goods store and was wonder about the quality of this set. It came with a mask snorkel and fins for like $30. Is it good or is it a get what you paid for kinda thing?

Adam

You get what you pay for. Dive sets like you describe usually considered toys suitable for back yard pool use. Taking a class at a LDS? You trust hem to train you, why not trust them to be sized for fit and comfort of this very basic gear? Do not make mistake and purchase "toy" gear and be disappointed at your class by being told it is inadequate for use in class. Poor fitting or improper , unsafe gear that may need constant adjustments can cause delays in learning that may not be tolerated.

 

[Damselfish]

So is this in anticipation of getting certified?

Pretty much any snorkel will do the job for now, many people don't even use them after getting certified, or at least they stash them someplace rather than having them on their mask.

As long as the mask has tempered glass and fits without leaking, it's ok until it isn't anymore. Occasionally people find the perfect mask this way. Also for diving you want something low volume rather than a big fishbowl thing - if it's a fishbowl you don't want that for diving. But a mildly leaky mask that might be tolerable for snorkeling will be a problem for diving. Water in a mask while diving is not a problem to get out, but it's not something you want to be dealing with all the time, especially when you're new and have lots of other things to think about. A class or dive shop will give you tips on properly fitting a mask, or it's something you can read about.

Cheap fins like that are very unlikely to be suitable for diving.

 

[dmaziuk]

Which "diving set" exactly? They have ones with silicone masks. "Trek" fins might be a bit short, and personally I'm not a fan of "dry top" snorkels, but overall if it's one of those sets, there's nothing wrong with it. As long as it all fits and the mask doesn't leak.

 

[Andrew Donn]

Something to keep in mind when looking at inexpensive masks is that most of them are made from a PVC compound as opposed to silicone. Much cheaper to manufacture and is fine for the kids to use and loose at the beach but in long term use the material will harden faster and become unusable. Some also find the material irritating to their face.

If it smells like a new shower curtain you don't want to use it for diving.

 

[Adam Zimmermann]

Now that my bubble is completely burst, I'm just going to be using this set for snorkeling and I plan to purchase better stuff to take my class with.

Adam

 

[Horwin]

I got a US Diver's set back in 2012 and got certified with them and it was a constant struggle. Mask skirt was clear and too big, it leaked and had lots of glare. The snorkel was really hard and had a device that kept the snorkel dry.
I wish I just threw the $30 towards an actual diving mask from my diveshop that I bought a year later anyway and used ever since. I have not used a snorkel since certification for diving purposes and I don't miss it at all. I also get rid of the mask strap that comes with the mask and replace it with a loop of 3/4 to 1 inch webbing with a buckle. I can get kicked in the face by an oblivious diver and not have to clear my mask.