What Kind of Snorkel Do You Use?

[RobPNW]

I've got my BP/W on order and trying to get onboard with the more minimalist take what you need mentality. What kind of snorkel do you have? Do even use one? If so, is it a basic no frills, no valves device, or do you have a dry device? Solid piece or foldable? Do you wear it on the mask strap or stow it in a pocket?

 

[Nemrod]

I rarely, okay, never, use a snorkel when SCUBA diving. If I am shore diving where a long surface swim is anticipated or where I might have to loiter on the surface a long while waiting for pickup I may carry a roll up snorkel. I cannot recall the last time I used a snorkel aside from apnea diving.

When I do carry a snorkel SCUBA diving the roll up goes into an XS removable weight pouch fitted on the left shoulder strap and pushed way down back by the plate. On the opposite side is another XS pouch with a spool and the attached dsmb hangs out the flap.

James

 

[happy-diver]

I grew up breath holding eyes open no mask, after some years got a mask, later got a snorkel wow it was magnificent.

I even hammered a three inch nail into my mothers mopstick, when she was not looking, cut a couple of barbs in and caught a flounder, and even though I was surrounded by fish catchers, I knew realised fish catching wasn't in my nature. When I finally got some fins it was magnificenter and then came years of praying for a tank so I could stay under for just a while laying on the bottom on my back or my front or on my side longer than a breath hold

and then I became a teenager

I always have plenty of air planned in my plans and then some more so I never ever will need after years of using one, and sick to death of them, and finding absolutely no reason ever for ever using one in scuba diving, to carry use, to rescue, look at fish, wave in the air, hit other divers, cpr, pass to other divers to tow them somewhere, trap my head in a crevice, find my way back, rescue myself, poke myself in the head, tangle my hair or conserve my air no stinking snorkel

 

[KenGordon]

As above, unless you are actually snorkelling or doing a long surface swim to a site then they are worse than useless.

I think the OP has been asking regulator hose length questions. In a 7ft primary config a snorkel directly interferes.

For snorkelling I use either a simple tube or one with a kind of drain/purge valve at the bottom.

 

[Wibble]

Snorkels don’t work underwater. Aside from the three days of my Open Water course, have never used a snorkel for scuba diving. Cannot think of a single reason for even having one when diving.

When snorkelling I’ve never used scuba kit. Cannot think of a single reason for taking scuba kit when snorkelling — otherwise I’d be diving.

 

[rongoodman]

I toss one in the bag on every trip and there it stays. I've never yet had occasion to use it, but I see stories from time to time about needing one to view whales or whatever near the surface, so I bring it along. The obvious problem with keeping in on the mask while diving is that it could interfere with donating a regulator to an OOA diver.

 

[Wibble]

..but I see stories from time to time about needing one to view whales or whatever near the surface

Would you have scuba gear on, or would you be snorkelling?

 

[NothingClever]

I don’t use one nor bring one in a pocket.

I prefer back swimming if I need to get somewhere and just roll over to take a quick look at terrain. If I want to look at something for an extended time, I just put in a reg (usually my short hose).

I don’t bring a snorkel in a pocket because it would take up space for something more important and likely get in the way during retrieval of that something else.

My wife is a junior diver and she hasn’t missed hers (she naturally shed it based on her instructor’s example).

I swim for fitness and use a freestyle snorkel so if I were to need to use one, I wouldn’t suffer any delay in skill refreshment.

I can see where a diver who gets in the water once or twice a year may feel like he’s compromising his safety by leaving behind what’s considered essential in Basic OW courses.

 

[lexvil]

No snorkel used but I do have a few simple roll up ones, I will usually take one with me on a warm water trip but it only gets unpacked if i want to do some free diving which is pretty much never on a trip.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I use a snorkel for snorkeling. Never while scuba diving. I have an oceanic arid snorkel I bought in 2005 when I got certified. That is still the snorkel I use when I go snorkeling off the beach. I stopped carrying a snorkel with me while on scuba many years ago.