starting out, need equipment....

[jimmypisstank]

so im going on vacation to Cuba in 4 weeks and looking to buy a mask/snorkel for the trip.

what do i look for when buying. I think it will be bought off ebay cuz it is alot cheeper.

any advice of this would be great...

jimmy

do i go with a frameless mask or one with a frame? what about a dry snorkel?
(p.s. i cant post links yet....)

 

[David Wilson]

Masks, like fins, are highly personal items of equipment and they should be selected with care to match your facial dimensions, nobody else's. Forget about brand names and look for a mask that seals against your face when you try it on, without attaching the strap, and breathe in through your nose to create a partial vacuum. Better still, try the mask on in the water with your snorkel attached and check whether water leaks into the mask. As for the snorkel, try a simple, gimmick-free "J"-shaped one first to see if it meets your needs before considering anything more sophisticated. If you're buying this basic gear via eBay, you will not have the opportunity to try it on first before purchase, but at least make sure you're happy with it in the water before you rely on it during your vacation.

 

[Arubandi07]

If you're really set on going eBay, I'd suggest trying some gear at a dive shop first, to get a basic idea and narrow down your selection of brands/models to consider when checking out offers. Bottomline, as David said, the stuff gotta fit, so you need to know what works before spending money on it.

 

[Bob DBF]

I use ebay a lot but, I would never consider buying a mask. As it is, I can try on every mask in a large dive shop and may find 3 to 6 that would actually work for me. Also the "rubber" seals on the mask harden and crack over time, even if not used, which can cause leaking.

As for other gear, or anything on ebay, you need to know exactly what you are buying in order to determine if you are getting a good deal.

Good luck

Bob

 

[jimmypisstank]

thanks for the help. we have a local dive shop in here but the prices are alot more money than ebay. about 120 to 150 for a mask/snorkel but on ebay its like 60 plus 15 shipping. guess ill go check the dive shop tomorrow and see what fits. I do have a 20% off voucher i can use if needed to buy from the dive shop.

 

[eelnoraa]

I would suggest NOT to buy a mask you never tried on. Fit and feel is everything. You want it to fit your face shake so no leak. You also want to be able to pinch you nose so you can equalize.

Snorkels are fine, just buy any thing you like. Fins are personal preference, you really don't know what is better for you until you try in water, so buy want you like is OK too.

 

[diver_doug]

Mask:
Like others have said, ultimately it's going to come down to comfort/fit. The Atomic Frameless is widely considered to be the best mask available, but if it doesn't fit you then it's junk (for you). So again, you really need to try on masks to figure out which one is right. Having said that, there are a number of masks that are consistently well-regarded and thus worth checking out (or if you are simply going to purchase one online, there's a high likelihood these will work): atomic aquatics frameless (my favorite), atomic aquatics subframe, cressi big eyes, mares liquidskin x-vision, oceanic shadow. Between framed and frameless, in general, frameless masks are lighter, lower volume (easier to clear water out, and equalize) and have a bigger field of view since the the lens sits closer to your face. In the end, your best bet is try on a variety of masks and see what you like.

Snorkel:
I wouldn't recommend a standard "j-snorkel" as they flood quite easily and tend to be difficult to clear. However, I wouldn't recommend a dry snorkel either. Although some people absolutely love them, I have found them to be too bulky and that they close up at innopportune times. Also, it is possible for sand to get in the moving parts causing the snorkel to lock-up. Of the many snorkels I have tried, there is only one that I have been COMPLETELY happy with: the Tusa Platina Hyperdry II. Contrary to it's name, it is not a "dry" snorkel; that is, it doesn't have any sort of mechanism to seal the bore when you submerge. It has what Tusa calls "current rectifying plates". Although it sounds like a gimmick, it really does work. I would say that it reduces flooding by well over 50% compared to a standard snorkel. Also it is light, low-profile, aqua-dynamically designed, easy to clear and it looks cool. One other neat feature is that the flexible corrugated portion is actually completely smooth on the inside (all other snorkels with a corrugated section are corrugated on the outside and inside). Because of the internal smoothness it is easier to breathe, and to clear, since there are no internal ridges creating air/water turbulence. Sorry to go on and on, but I love this snorkel. Very seldom is it the case that I am completely satisfied with something, but to me, this is a perfect product.

http://www.leisurepro.com/prod/TBTS17.html?ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=TBTS17FY

 

[SangP]

thanks for the help. we have a local dive shop in here but the prices are alot more money than ebay. about 120 to 150 for a mask/snorkel but on ebay its like 60 plus 15 shipping. guess ill go check the dive shop tomorrow and see what fits. I do have a 20% off voucher i can use if needed to buy from the dive shop.

Ebay is ok but not great, you get a few decent deals but you can also land a skunk. Got stuff from clueless sellers like cracked fins, bad lights not to mention the scammers out there.

Support your lds or the board sponsors. You get a lot better advice and easier access to stuff like tanks etc.

SangP

 

[Damselfish]

eBay is ok for some stuff, but I wouldn't buy a mask there unless I knew for sure it fit and was assured it was new or close to new. Fit trumps all and you might find it's the cheapest mask in the shop that fits you best. You can get away with a less well fitting mask if you're simply surface snorkeling rather than free-diving or scuba, but it's still always better if it fits right.

I agree the Tusa Hyperdry is a nice all around snorkel. But for snorkeling you would probably be happy with anything with a purge valve and splash guard. Some people will recommend simple j-snorkels without those features, but that's more of a scuba bias. I would also avoid true dry snorkels, they sound good in theory but have too many drawbacks in practice. (But, some people do like them.) I also think a solid snorkel rather than one with a flexible section can be more comfortable for snorkeling, really the flexible ones were designed for scuba where it's better that the mouthpiece can drop out of the way, but that's not as desirable when you're spending lots of time snorkeling.