Starting fins, mask and snorkel

[toobam3]

Starting my OW class March 1st, they require you to have your own Mask, Fins, Snorkel boots and gloves (we are cold water). Not so concerned with boots and gloves I know what I want for those. But for mask fins snorkel I’m trying to stay on the cheaper side so far I’m thinking about these items

Mask: Mares Rover
Fins: Seac F1S W/ bungee
Snorkel: Edge Stealth 2

Thoughts on any of these, anyone used them? They’re on the cheaper side, also give me recommendations if you personally dislike any of those

 

[Cthippo]

Get the most basic snorkel you can find. The dry valve is really not helpful, and most people never use it after their OW class.

Mask comes down to what fits you.

For fins, I would honestly go to the thrift store or Craigslist and get whatever is cheap and fits. Until you get certified and can try every fin you can get your hands on, it will be hard to figure out what you like.

I got really expensive fins I ended up hating, replaced them with some used Mares I bought off Craigslist for $35, and then replaced those with some Jet Fins I found at the thrift store. The jury is still out on the jets.

My point is go cheap on snorkel and fins and then once you figure out what you like buy new.

Just my 2 psi

 

[toobam3]

Apparently the mask is like one of the most commonly used mask as rentals in dive shops and supposedly fits like 99% of faces, that’s why I’m leaning towards that. And it’s on sale for 30$

Fins are on clearance for 60$ but are bungee strapped, I know that I want this feature, I’ve snorkeled with those adjustable straps before and they suck

And the snorkel is a wet snorkel for 8$ so definitely the cheapest haha

 

[agilis]

Unless you plan on discarding these items after your training is over and buying new items I'd make fit and comfort my main issues, with an assumption that I'll be using the equipment for years down the road.

 

[Cthippo]

Unless you plan on discarding these items after your training is over and buying new items I'd make fit and comfort my main issues, with an assumption that I'll be using the equipment for years down the road.

The problem is that one generally does not get to spend time in the water with gear to see how it fits and feels before you buy it. How something feels in the dive shop has no relation to how it is going to feel in the water when you are propelling yourself against the current.

So, yeah, buying your first gear with the idea it may not work and you may end up selling / giving it away / tossing it after OW makes sense to me.

 

[RobPNW]

Get the most basic snorkel you can find. The dry valve is really not helpful, and most people never use it after their OW class.

Mask comes down to what fits you.

For fins, I would honestly go to the thrift store or Craigslist and get whatever is cheap and fits. Until you get certified and can try every fin you can get your hands on, it will be hard to figure out what you like.

I got really expensive fins I ended up hating, replaced them with some used Mares I bought off Craigslist for $35, and then replaced those with some Jet Fins I found at the thrift store. The jury is still out on the jets.

My point is go cheap on snorkel and fins and then once you figure out what you like buy new.

Just my 2 psi

Having just passed the 100 dive point, I can attest that this is all great advice. Every single thing I used in my basic starting class is sitting in a box in my garage and has never been used since. Just use whatever is available for the class and learn as much as you can with the understanding that frankly you don’t know what you really want until you probably get to around 50 dives or so. And submit to the idea that you will probably go through multiple versions of everything before you figure it out. In a perfect scenario, you would have multiple friends who dive and have a variety of gear and are generous enough to loan you items to try out on multiple dives without wasting a bunch of money like some of us.

 

[covediver]

I see your profile lists your location as WA, so I assume this is Washington state and not Western Austrailia since you mention cold water. Regarding fins, my question is will the entire course be completed using a wetsuit and your booties or will some of the open water sessions be completed using a dry suit? The reason I ask is that if the footpocket that fits a wetsuit bootie perfectly may be a bit too small for a drysuit neoprene sock/rock boot. I discovered this when I moved to Alaska from southern California. Something to consideer when selecting fins.
Regarding the mask, my personal preference is to make sure the lenses are tempered glass and not plastic. Thatis what separates scuba masks from snorkeling masks. In any even, fit is the most important aspect. A mask that leaks quickly takes any pleasure out of a dive.
I agree with the other comments regarding the snorkel, the cheaper the better. A rule of thumb is that if your thumb fits in the barrel of the snorkel, it is large enough for you.

I hope you find your scuba class as exciting and wonderous as I found mine.

 

[toobam3]

I see your profile lists your location as WA, so I assume this is Washington state and not Western Austrailia since you mention cold water. Regarding fins, my question is will the entire course be completed using a wetsuit and your booties or will some of the open water sessions be completed using a dry suit? The reason I ask is that if the footpocket that fits a wetsuit bootie perfectly may be a bit too small for a drysuit neoprene sock/rock boot. I discovered this when I moved to Alaska from southern California. Something to consideer when selecting fins.
Regarding the mask, my personal preference is to make sure the lenses are tempered glass and not plastic. Thatis what separates scuba masks from snorkeling masks. In any even, fit is the most important aspect. A mask that leaks quickly takes any pleasure out of a dive.
I agree with the other comments regarding the snorkel, the cheaper the better. A rule of thumb is that if your thumb fits in the barrel of the snorkel, it is large enough for you.

I hope you find your scuba class as exciting and wonderous as I found mine.

Yes in Washington state, whole class will be in 7mm John style wetsuits, don’t plan on getting a dry suit currently, I’ve been snorkeling in the puget sound for years in wetsuits so I guess I’m used to the cold?

 

[covediver]

Yes in Washington state, whole class will be in 7mm John style wetsuits, don’t plan on getting a dry suit currently, I’ve been snorkeling in the puget sound for years in wetsuits so I guess I’m used to the cold?

I dived Alberni Inlet on Vancouver Island for five days using similar wetsuit, fueled by coffee.

 

[Still Kicking]

supposedly fits like 99% of faces

100% marketing BS. You can smush most masks until they can "fit" most faces but that is neither ideal nor realistic. A mask that fits some of the time will leak most of the time and ruin every dive.

The shape of the mask has to fit the shape of the face, without pressure, to the greatest degree possible. The closer the fit, the better.

There is no shortcut and no substitute for trying on a bunch of masks in person. You can get a pretty good idea of what will work in the store but the final litmus test is going to be in the water.

Forget about price -- good fit is worth every penny -- but a liberal return policy is the key.

As for fins, i would not cheap out here either. Fins are the engine and what you are paying for is basically efficiency. With low-efficiency fins you will be working harder to keep up with the group, burning more air, be more likely to cramp, have less energy for the exit, and generally have a less enjoyable time. We wonder why most students drop out of class or don't keep diving after certification!

Fins have to properly fit your feet and the boots you will be using so you need to try them on in person before class. As a new diver, do you know how to assess how well a fin fits?

Like masks, not every fin fits every kick style so hopefully you can try a few types in the pool to find what works best and feels most natural for you. Once again - look for a fair return policy.

Scuba is not a cheap sport. Starting out with a mentality of "cheap as possible" is a sure way to end up with a poor experience that leads to becoming a non diver.

It's funny to read experienced divers saying "cheaper the better" to new divers about basic gear -- equipment that has a huge impact on enjoyment of the class -- while other threads wax poetically for dozens of pages about the supposed advantages of $1,500 regs.

On the other hand ... gloves, boots snorkel are much less critical items as long as they fit comfortably and you can save some money there.