Buying snorkling equipment

[Karel]

I've been looking at snorkling equipment to buy. Any advice? Has anyone bought from the likes of Target or Sports Authority? I'm rather hesistant to buy from those places, as if the equipment isn't 'professional' enough to make it worth our time and money. I know BJ's sells equipment too.

I figure we'll use it at least once at CC and maybe at GC or Coz so if I can buy stuff for around $25 a piece, I'll be ahead and it might be nicer to have our own stuff. OTH, I will have to put up with my husband, because I know he'll gripe about hauling the equip. up and down the east coast and beyond.

Do we really need flippers?

TIA

 

[ericamanda01]

I have only purchased snorkling equip. at a sports store, so I couldn't tell you about Target. However you have to factor in a few thing first.
First if you do buy it test the equiptment at a beach or pool. You don't want to get on the ship and find that it's missing any parts. Second, I think if you rent a on Castaway Cay that it comes a package. If your gonna have to pay for the whole thing leave the rest at home. I'm sure you can get that info somewhere on here.
And last do you really want to loose all that space in your bags, unless your driving it might be more trouble that it's worth.

Just a side note here when you are snorkling put extra layers of sunblock on your back. My family and I looked like mutants. Fronts-human, backs-lobsters! Ouch!!!!

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I bought my kids snorkel gear at Target, it's made by Speedo. $14.99 each. And I bought my DH and mine at Costco, made by US Divers.

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

Do we really need flippers?

Not really, they do help if there is a steady current, like when swimming back to shore, or if you're going long distances, but overall no. We haven't taken ours on our last three cruises.

If you're going to be snorkeling a lot, and there are plenty of opportunitues on GC and Coz in addition to CC, or if you'll be cruising again in the future, then your own snorkeling equipment is a good investment.

As for what to buy, try and find submersible snorkels. They have self-sealing valves that close off when taken under water. My DD has one (lighthouse type) and we have one in our set. It helped keep the water out of DD's and I use ours to get close up pics and search for shells.

Hope this helps.

 

[hydster]

Also if you decide to buy your own I dont know that price is the biggest determining factor but more that you need to make sure your mask fits YOUR face correctly and seals well against it. Wherever you decide to buy it I would take the mask out of the set to make sure it fits correctly. Take the mask and put it on your face WITHOUT the strap on your head. Breathe in through your nose and hold the breath. If the mask falls off or you can feel or hear air going through it the mask WILL leak in water! If it stays on your face without anything else to hold it there and it feels as if you got a good "seal" then it is a good fit. When we started Diving this was the first thing they taught us!

Also when you get your mask home take a little bit of toothpaste and rub it in the inside of the mask to get the coating off that they use to ship it. Just use your finger and scrub it around the whole inside of the mask and then rinse.

If you start snorkeling and it fogs up just use the old fashioned de-fogger and pull the mask off, spit into the inside of the mask rub the spit around and rinse it out.

Heidi

 

[gwtw428]

Hi, we bought our snorkel gear at Walmart.....VERY INEXPENSIVE!
It came w/ the snorkel and mask and was only around $3.00!! We actually threw them out on our last day abourd the ship so we didn't have to lug them home again.

 

[Karel]

Originally posted by ericamanda01

First if you do buy it test the equiptment at a beach or pool. You don't want to get on the ship and find that it's missing any parts.

.That's no problem because we belong to both a lake and a swim club. Good for practicing too.

Second, I think if you rent a on Castaway Cay that it comes a package. If your gonna have to pay for the whole thing leave the rest at home. I'm sure you can get that info somewhere on here.
And last do you really want to loose all that space in your bags, unless your driving it might be more trouble that it's worth.


Again, not a big problem because we drive. My husband has his own equipment but it is heavy! I think we can buy for the same as renting at CC and we can reuse it.


Just a side note here when you are snorkling put extra layers of sunblock on your back. My family and I looked like mutants. Fronts-human, backs-lobsters! Ouch!!!!

Been there, done that!

 

[chap196043]

We Just purchased our snorkling gear from costco it comes in a little backpack made by us divers they still had a few left!!!

 

[Karel]

Did you get a good fit and everything worked? I'm afraid we'll buy it and have nothing but trouble ... but then again, my husband doesn't call me Queen of Returns for nothing.

Originally posted by gwtw428
Hi, we bought our snorkel gear at Walmart.....VERY INEXPENSIVE!
It came w/ the snorkel and mask and was only around $3.00!! We actually threw them out on our last day abourd the ship so we didn't have to lug them home again.

 

[chap196043]

yes it was a good fit, and hey its costco if you find it doesnt fit, they will always refund your money

 

[april riddle]

I saw a similar set up at Sam's - I was thinking about getting one for each of the kids for Easter

 

[mkandk]

We took the Target ones for our kids and it didn't work out. The flippers I got are plastic, unlike the rubber ones you can rent, and the sand would get in the feet part and make it uncomfortable. My 8 and 9 yos hated it, and we ended up taking them to the clubs, and snorkeling on our own.

 

[S. C.]

Originally posted by april riddle
I saw a similar set up at Sam's - I was thinking about getting one for each of the kids for Easter

We bought 3 sets of body glove brand snorkel sets last year from sams club. Worked great, we plan on using them again for our cruise this year.

 

[eye R.N.]

Got that set for our daughter four years ago and she is still using it. We have one bag for snorkle gear. After four cruises her gear has more than paid for itself.

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

We got the Body Glove sets from Sam's also.