Your favorite "dry" snokel?

[aeonflux10]

My husband and I are going to start scuba classes in a couple of weeks, and we are looking into snorkels. We are interested in a "dry" snorkel, ie, one that seals up when you go under water. The only model we've seen so far like this is the Oceanic Ultra Dry. We are going to buy new, but trying to conserve our $.

Any reviews? Other product recs?

Thanks in advance!

Chantal

 

[Walter]

It's extra money you don't need to spend for a product you don't need. I recommend learning to use a simple J.

 

[Tanked Monkey]

My advice: don't buy anything more than the standard basic plain-vanilla cheap-o snorkel. I bought a snorkel for my checkout dives (it was required), and haven't used it since. The only feature I want is a bendy barrel and small purge, like this one: http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/OCNSR.html. Other than that, I wouldn't waste too much money or effort on something that stays in your dive bag while you are uw.

Mike

 

[Marek K]

My husband and I are going to start scuba classes in a couple of weeks, and we are looking into snorkels. We are interested in a "dry" snorkel, ie, one that seals up when you go under water. The only model we've seen so far like this is the Oceanic Ultra Dry. We are going to buy new, but trying to conserve our $.

Any reviews? Other product recs?

Thanks in advance!

Chantal

Hi Chantal--

The only reference to this snorkel I could find was on the Oceanic web site -- it's apparently very new. And I can't tell from there how it's supposed to work.

However, assuming it's designed for scuba, I'm pretty confident it doesn't seal up when underwater. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but that would be a very bad thing under pressure underwater... basically the whole snorkel would collapse (can you imagine what would happen to one of those caged ball-valve thingies?), not to mention some weird buoyancy issues.

Face it, your snorkel is going to flood when you're underwater. But it'll drain as soon as you surface; worst case, you might have to blow it out if you don't want to surface your face above water for some reason.

Most "ultradry"-type features are those that keep water from splashing into the top of the tube while you're using it. Everything's got a down side; I imagine any baffles would cause increased breathing resistance. There's something to be said for K.I.S.S., especially with snorkels.

I'd personally be a bit leery of a purge valve on a snorkel too... just something that can go wrong.

Plus, I'd bet this Oceanic one is pretty expensive!

For what it's worth...

--Marek

 

[Hemlon]

If I'm going to snorkel, I really like the Ocean Master Dry Snorkel. It's roughly $30. If I'm going to dive, however, I don't care what kind of snorkel I have, if any. (When I dive in my local lake, I don't usually care one. There is no surf and getting lost far away from my typical surface spot is virtually impossible.)

 

[Damselfish]

Dry snorkels aren't really dry, they're just less wet. They have a purge valve at the bottom to make it easier to get water out, and something at the top to discourage water from splashing in while swimming on the surface. They don't actually "seal up" when you go under water, including the one you mention from what I can tell.

Clearing the water out of a plain snorkel is quite easy, but dry snorkels are very nice if you will also do a lot of snorkeling. For diving, the dry features can make the snorkel more bulky and in the way whether you wear it on your mask or stash it someplace. Many people don't even use one after class depending on how they dive. If you want to save money, this is a good place to save it.

 

[TN Traveler]

The Ocean Master Dry Snorkel is great for snorkeling - nothing compares to it. It really stays dry at the surface and even when skin diving down to 15-20 feet.

But for scuba you just need a simple snorkel with a purge, so it is easier to clear. I bought a Sherwood "Dry" Snorkel for my scuba and removed the "dry top" for scuba (just pulls out), but reinstall it when snorkeling with my wife and son - sort of a compromise when traveling.

 

[Parrothead_Diver]

Dry snorkels aren't really dry, they're just less wet. They have a purge valve at the bottom to make it easier to get water out, and something at the top to discourage water from splashing in while swimming on the surface. They don't actually "seal up" when you go under water, including the one you mention from what I can tell.

Exactly what she said...

The "Dry" Snorkel is an urban myth.

 

[Web Monkey]

My husband and I are going to start scuba classes in a couple of weeks, and we are looking into snorkels. We are interested in a "dry" snorkel, ie, one that seals up when you go under water. The only model we've seen so far like this is the Oceanic Ultra Dry. We are going to buy new, but trying to conserve our $.
Chantal

I have an Ocean Master that's really nice for snorkeling (it's as dry as a box of corn flakes).

I recently purchased an Oceanic pocket-snorkel, which I like even better, because it folds up and stays in my pocket during dives, but attaches easily to my mask with a velcro tab if I want to use it.

If you accidentally submerge with the Ocean Master, you won't suck any water. If you accidentally submerge with the Oceanic, you will. However, if you keep it in your pocket, you can't accidentally submerge with it, so that's a moot point.

I'd go with the Oceanic if you're going to do mostly diving, and the Ocean Master if you're mostly snorkeling.

Terry

 

[rab]

As others have said, don't spend much if your snorkel is for "diving". However, I got my snorkel originally for snorkelling! If you already have any snorkel, just use it. I've found that the water I've dived in is either calm enough to just float at the surface (or kick on my back) or rough enough that a snorkel is not useful and I just kept my regulator in.

-Rob