Snorkel equipment ?

[buzz&woody'smom]

My DH and I want to purchase snorkeling equipment. This may sound stupid but where do I purchase the mask, snorkel and fins? My sister purchased hers at Target and they have lasted thru 5 cruises for her? I have small feet (6) and my DH wears a 12. Does the packaging have a size chart? What brands do you recommend and what should we expect to pay for a set of a decent snorkel equipment set?

Thanks!
Tiff

 

[kajohn]

We bought some really nice stuff at Costco last year. We paid $25 for the mask and snorkel. The brand was body glove.

I then bought fins at Sports authority, and they were about $17, and I was able to buy sizes to fit each of us.

I have seen snorkeling equipment at Sams and Costco again this year, so that may be a good place to look.

It's really nice to have your own gear, even if you pay $50 for the set, it will pay off after the second use versus renting, and the equipment you buy is in much better condition, and you know it is clean!

 

[MarkRG]

We're slowly putting together snorkeling equipment of our own.
We'll just pick up the rental fins wherever we need them as they are very bulky and you can rent fins alone on CC, and I'd suspect elsewhere for a lower fee.

I'd also say if you can't see without glasses, you are going to need to have perscription ones made. DW had real problems trying to use plain goggles. A lot optometrists can do them and I have seen ones on the net as well.

Another thing you really want to look for are a dry vent/dry break snorkel. These don't allow sea water in if you splash or go underwater. A lot of the inexpensive ones don't have this feature.

 

[disneybets]

I bought two sets at CVS last summer (no fins just mask and snorkle) for $7.99. They worked great. We took turns using them everywhere.

 

[GenieDana]

Walmart has mask, snorkle and fin sets (Made by US Divers) for $29. I've seen similar sets in Target for about the same price.

We got gear for our kids at Toys-R-US, and spent under $20 each for a set.

 

[Tracie Wallace]

You can also purchase snorkle gear at a dive shop or sporting goods store. With adult equipment, you purchase the fins separately from the mask. You buy your fins based on your shoe size. For your mask, try on different masks until you find one that is comfortable for you and that won't leak. Put the mask on your face, make sure no hair is in the way, suck in, and the mask should stay on your face. Even if you don't buy from them, have a sales rep help you at the sporting goods store and let him/her advise you what you should look for and how the equipment should fit. Then go buy at Costco or Target!

 

[MiaSRN62]

In addition to all the good suggestions, we got ours at Sports Authority (Modells also has them). I saw them at our local pool supply store too.

 

[hilltopfamily]

I'm trying to determine whether the cost savings by buying this equipment is worth packing these rather large items in suitcases and lugging them across the country during our van journey from Nebraska to Florida. Any opinions on this? I had thought about just renting a couple sets and taking turns for our family of 5 at Castaway Cay, but then I also wonder about whether we may want them @ St. Thomas or St. Maartin. DCL snorkeling excursions for family of 5 seem to add up to quite a bit of money, money we might do a better job of managing with "going it on our own" rather than the snorkeling excursions. Thanks for the advice.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I'm trying to determine whether the cost savings by buying this equipment is worth packing these rather large items in suitcases and lugging them across the country during our van journey from Nebraska to Florida. Any opinions on this? I had thought about just renting a couple sets and taking turns for our family of 5 at Castaway Cay, but then I also wonder about whether we may want them @ St. Thomas or St. Maartin. DCL snorkeling excursions for family of 5 seem to add up to quite a bit of money,

I also wrestled with this decision last year (buying vs renting), but in the long run we were VERY glad we brought them. We drive 16 hours from PA to FL. I believe they were approx $25 to rent pp at CC --with fins. We had purchased only 3 sets for our family of 5 at home, thinking the same as you---we'd share. Well, let me tell you. We did an excursion at Blue Lagoon and the kids and my husband and I were "fighting" to use them ! We ended up renting one extra one when we got to CC (my son hung out at the teen beach) and used them literally for hours. I am glad we purchased the three we did, and will buy another two this year for our next cruise. We packed them all in a small, soft-sided bag and it wasn't much trouble at all to transport them. Especially if you plan to ever snorkel again in the future, I think the investment is worth it.

 

[hilltopfamily]

MiaSRN62

thanks for the great input! I think you have helped sway me to make the purchase rather than rent. I'm thinking of either Megan's Beach or Coki Beach while at St. Thomas so I'm pretty sure we'd use snorkel equipment more than once. Now I better start shopping! thanks again.

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

Me too! I know my sister has paid for her equipment 5 times over. I worry about germs too. I don't have a spleen so I get really paranoid about GERMS

I have a set for my 5 year that is really nice that I purchased from the Disney Store last year that is Buzz Lightyear. We don't sail on the DCL until October so I will let him practice at the pool this summer

Thanks for all of your help. I feel more informed now. I know we will use them from 2-4 times a year so they will pay for themselves plus be clean

 

[MiaSRN62]

Glad I could help out a little with the decision
Happy snorkeling !

 

[abitjaded]

A dive shop can also help. Their gear will probably be pricier, but will be better. There are different classes of masks and fins, some for snorkeling and some for diving. A mask certified for diving has tighter seals and the fins are larger. The newer type of mask does not need, nor should have to, be sucked on for a good fit. You should just tip your head back and the mask should fit your face with no gaps at all. You should reject any mask that needs to be sucked on to seal. Keeps you from having large facial hickeys, too. A dive shop will have a selection of types that will fit any face. There is nothing worse than wasting money on an improperly fitted mask. (Or a rental mask, for that matter). Good gear can last a lifetime if cared for properly. Wash it after use, get the salt or chlorine off! No matter where you buy, scrub the mask well before use, the "glass" needs to be cleaned well with toothpaste or soft-scrub (test first, a good mask will not scratch) to remove the lubricants used in manufacture. Removing this gunk is critical to keep the mask from fogging. Do not forget to clearly mark your gear with a name or symbol in Sharpee marker, a lot of the stuff looks alike and hard to sort when on a snorkel boat with 60 people. We carry our gear in a back-pack type bag with lots of mesh (from a dive shop), good for sifting out the sand and to prevent bringing home half the beach.

But the most important snorkel accessory? A large zip-lock bag of kleenex for blowing your nose afterward. And spit for defogging the mask!

Carla

 

[rae519]

For our August trip, I picked up 2 adult and 1 child snorkel set at Wal-Mart (approx $25.00 total). I don't know if we will like doing it or not, but DH and DS want to try so I'm in with the majority!!
I also got two tubes for me and DS to float around in for about $6.00 each.

Happy cruising!

Rae

 

[cupig]

I have a couple questions for all you veterans out there....I purchased snorkeling equip for the family....

1. If I pay for a snorkeling exersion, do they discount me for having the equipment or is the price the same

2. Do we need life vests to snorkel off of the beaches and how would we get them? (does CC have them available to everyone?)

Thanks so much!!!!

Kathy

 

[abitjaded]

1. No, no discount. The boats still haul the stuff anyway, a private hire might give a discount.

2. There are huge piles of the vests at CC right near the rental shack, there is no charge, as they are required in the snorkel area. Depending on the other beaches you may be able to hire them there. A vest is not critical in salt water, you float better, but they do come in handy. We took our kids out and put on the vests at CC without inflating them. One of our kids got tired and grabbed one of the bouys on the snorkel trail to rest and got very stung, (nematocysts?) living in the algae growing on the bouy. He had a total melt down and we were far out from shore. We inflated the vests and were able to hold him until he calmed down. Much better than having the guard bring us back on a float in failure, which they wanted to do. Gave my little guy time to realize he would live. (I also got stung, and yeah they hurt! DO NOT touch these things. I thought, at first it was fiberglass splinters, but these things raised welts. Pain did subside in a few minutes, no further treatment was required.)

Carla

 

[rae519]

Oh great, just when I thought it was safe to go into the water.......

Rae

 

[abitjaded]

Sorry Rae, didn't mean to scare anyone. But it is a reminder to not touch anything in the water, don't feed the fish, don't touch corral, avoid jelly fish. You can get dive gloves, or just use garden gloves if you are worried. There is also a thing called a probe stick that is handy for keeping you off rocks in surf. Other than one other time (nematocysts in sand and sea grass beds, under 30 feet of water, we were having to kneel under water during a check-out dive), I have never been stung or bitten or scared in the water by anything other than other rude snorkelers or stupid divers. The other nematocysts didn't hurt but raised the itchiest welts you ever saw. See the Sea Lice thread. On second thought, DO NOT read it Rae.

Carla

 

[rae519]

HAHAHAHAHAH! Carla!!!! After years of my Dad "bugging" me to swim in Lake Champlain - I finally gave in. Got the worst case of the ITCHIES ever - little buggers that for whatever reason didn't bother the rest of my family, just me!

Then in Hawaii - the handsomest, sweetest and most darling man ever grabbed my leg while we were swimming and all I thought of was "JAWS!" Screamed all the way back to the beach. Never to go back into the water again.

So maybe I'll just stand on the shore and wave at you all!!!!
Yeah, I think that's much safer!

I still love ya' Carla - but don't expect me to swim with ya'!!!!!!

Rae

 

[Grumbo]

We purchased snorkelling equipment for the three of us. We wanted the snorkelling vests too. Those were much more expensive. At the dive shop in this area they were about $110.00 Cdn ($65.00 - 70.00 U.S.). I went on the net and found them for $29.99 U.S. and purchased two adult and one child's. I realize they are provided at C.C. but we are looking at going to the beach by ourselves on the Eastern and want these vests. I'm not a really strong swimmer and we all feel much more comfortable wearing one.
Figure this summer when we go camping we're right on Georgian Bay and we'll try them out plus my daughter already has great plans for her snorkelling expeditions in the deep end of the pool in the back yard
Cheers,
Grumbo