Snorkeling - Safety First – Safety Snorkel Gear

As I have always said, Snorkeling is one of the most exciting and at the same time relaxing water activity. But in order to enjoy it in confidence, we need to make it as safe as possible. There are a few precautions we must consider, in order to keep it that way. Fortunately for us, there is some snorkel gear out there that will help us to keep it safe.

The first thing in the safety snorkel gear if you don’t mind me calling it that, we must consider is the use of a snorkeling or safety vest. The type that is inflatable, so you can submerge anytime you want. Did you know that 1 out of 10 people normally can’t float, even if they know how to swim? It makes it very hard for these folks to maintain themselves a float in the water. These folks can partially inflate the vest, to help them maintain themselves on the surface. The rest of us can inflate it when we get tired or get a leg cramp or are not feeling well.

Rip current: We all know that when we are caught in a rip current, that we should not fight it. All we have to do is swim parallel to the shore until we get free from that current and then start working our way into shore. Here is when the snorkeling vest also comes into play. The vest can help us keep afloat safely until we can get back to shore.

The other item of the snorkel gear that contributes to our safety is a knife.  Besides looking cool, it can help us cut through discarded fishing lines or nets left behind by inconsiderate fishermen. I hope it never happens to you, but just imagine yourself submerging to get a closer look at some great underwater scenery to find yourself tangled in some old fishing line, with only seconds of air left. That happened to me once, and it wasn’t funny. Thanks to my knife, I was able to cut myself free just in time. Although it just happened to me once, and long ago, I still remember that moment and always carry my knife every time I snorkel or scuba dive.

So remember these tips the next time you go snorkeling and in addition to enjoying the wonderful underwater world, please keep safe.

Copyright (c) 2010 BestSnorkelingSet.com. All rights reserved.

The Snorkel Mask, The Most Important Item of your Snorkeling Gear

We already discussed how to choose the proper Snorkeling Gear in general and the important points of the diving or Snorkel Mask. So let’s talk about now about the next most important piece of equipment that you will need. I would like to talk specifically about the Diving or Snorkeling Mask. Remember, this is the item of your Snorkeling Gear that allows you to see the wonderful world that lies beneath the surface.

As I had mentioned in my previous article the Snorkeling Masks come, if you will, for three types of faces. The majority of them, of course are for average faces. But you can find them for smaller and larger faces. Smaller faces, like in kids and petite women. Larger faces, I mean larger faces as in big, since most average Masks will fit most faces. So when you’re ready to buy, read the specs and make sure your buying the proper one for your face. That way, when you test it you should have no problems and with minor adjustments you can achieve a proper fit.

Now, to test your Mask, hold it against your face with your hand, not the strap. Inhale through your nose until the mask feels stuck to your face. If you let go of your hand and the Mask remains stuck to your face, you have achieved a perfect seal. That way you shouldn’t have to tighten the strap too much and the mask will fit comfortably.

Masks also come in different forms and colors. A serious diver will tell you that the best one will be the one with a black body and skirt. He could be right. This mask blocks the light that comes in through the sides and upper and lower portion of the clear masks avoiding reflections. But not all masks come with panoramic view, and in addition to reflections you may catch a glimpse of something with your peripheral vision with the clear one. So if you like the blue, red, yellow or pink trim ones just keep that in mind.

Also, if you wear glasses to correct your vision, you may want to know that some Diving or Snorkeling Masks come ready to replace the original lens with an optical correction lens that will fit your prescription. Don’t worry; they are much less expensive than regular glasses. But remember, water magnifies everything and if your eye site isn’t that bad, you may be able to save a buck or two.

In the most economical Masks the body and skirt are made of PVC or plastic, compared to less economical ones that are made of silicone or liquid injected silicone. So depending on your budget, the silicone makes it more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time but the PVC ones do the job too and if you find the right one, the price may not make that much of a difference.

So when you’re ready to enjoy the wonders of the underwater world or getting a better set. These are a few tips that may help you decide which one is the right Diving or Snorkeling Mask for you. So keep them in mind.

Copyright (c) 2010 BestSnorkelingSet.com. All rights reserved.