Calling all Impulse II snorkel fans!

[turunc2006]

Hi Guys.

Turunc2006 from the UK here. Just joined the community today so here comes my first post.

I'm a very keen holiday snorkeller, and have spent most of my open-sea snorkelling time in the quiet coves of Turkish resorts. But last year in Side and this year in Turunc, where I christened a Yilmaz speargun a friend bought me 7 years ago as a 'thank-you for organising our holiday' present, I experienced the first thrills of spearing and stoning fish.

Having been somewhat addicted to snorkelling most of my life, I've found branching out to actual spearfishing absolutely fascinating and DB is just brilliant. I'm hoping the start of a new hobby.

Anyhow, hopefully I will be getting involved more and more with spearfishing issues in the near future, but for now I'd just like to ask fans of the 'impulse 2' snorkel some questions.

I've been looking at the 'aqualung' website and have just spotted that there is now an 'impulse 3' snorkel which they claim is an improved model. Have any of you 'impulse 2' fans tried it? Is it even better for you personally or worse or the same and why?

The design certainly looks a lot sleekier and streamlined and maybe that's an attempt to address the 'drag' issues.

At the moment, I'm not really looking at the 'freediving' aspects of it as I just stay at the surface and occasionally duckdive when just snorkelling for fun and not spearing. Personally, it is nice to have a dry snorkel, but agree that you must really be comportable with the basic, no-frills, open snorkel before using/relying on one - bit like learning to drive a car manually before moving to automatics I suppose.

I'm a huge fan of 'aqualung' snorkels. Never actually tried the 'impulse 2' (which I first read about in Steve Barsky's 'Spearfishing for skin and scuba Divers' which I've bought off Amazon to get a good grounding in the theory), but I have their 'Air' snorkel which has a double-purge valve below the mouthpiece and an orange-coloured splash guard at the very top. I lent this to a diver who I met in Turunc who said how it was the best snorkel he'd ever breathed through. It's not a 'dry' one though, but the double-purge valve at the bottom makes it so easy to clear compared with a basic snorkel.

I recently bought an Oceanic 'ultradry' and was very disappointed. Compared to the Aqualung 'Air', it felt at best like someone was partially blocking off my air-supply with their finger and the float mechanism occasionally stuck when you surfaced, completely cutting off your air for that vital first breath. Didn't like it one bit!!! Reminded me of the dreaded ping-pong ball valves.

I think 'aqualung' now call 'impulse 2' the 'impulse 2 flex'.

Any advice or comments welcome.

Cheers.

Malc.

 

[JustinF]

The Impulse 2 was ok if your not really into swimming fast or into current. The impulse 3 I never tired but did see, it is mre streamlined.

Also, the waves will, sooner or later, knock the seal out of the top of cone piece. This happened to me twice. now I just use Cressi ones that have nothing on the top but a vent. They breathe just as dry and easy as the impulse, and are much more streamlined.

I never liked how when you swim into current or just too fast, the impulse creates enough drag to pull your mask off and make it leak. Drives me nuts.

I would't buy one again.

My two cents! Your millage vary.

 

[Fondueset]

I love my impulse II. I frequently dive in chop and I cannot tolerate having water rattling around in my snork. Prior to this snorkel I was certain the person who invented purge valves resided in Hell's lowest circle. I also have a small Omer snorkel and a Riffe Stable - both are more streamlined than the impulse. I haven't had any trouble with it pulling my mask off or creating undue drag. With a monofin I plan to just carry it.

Haven't tried the impulse III

 

[gserghiou]

Hi mate,

I would suggest keeping your impulse snorkles in starship enterprise when you go spearfising......:t

I would suggest a different snorkle for spearfising, namely a plain snorkle...
The 2 ones i use and are my favourite are :

1. Omer Zoom Rro (Very happy with it)
2. Beuchat Activa system .

Both are soft and you can actually bend them and tie them in knots. This is the sort of snorkle you 'must' use for spearfishing..... :friday


Despite being an Omer fanatic the BEST SNORKLE I HAVE EVER USED is the Beuchat activa system. Very Easy and comfortable on the mouth, hydroynamic enough when passed under the mask strap, and clears water easily (despite the lack of valves). Pitty the wife is using it :naughty :rcard .

Try one and lets us know of how you find it ????


Succesful and safe Spearfishing......

George

 

[Fondueset]

I now have an impulse III - it is better - but has a lousy mask clip. I was out in the bay last weekend with a 20-25knot north wind and 1-3 foot chop. In any other snork I've used this would be a miserable experience as the waves were pretty high frequency and broke over me often. Never once was my breathup interrupted.

Worth mentioning the waves on the great lakes tend to be a bit choppier than in the ocean - in the bay there are reflections all over the place and in high winds the waves are often breaking as far as you can see.

 

[jimqpublic]

The lakes may be choppier but at least I imagine drinking water doesn't make you feel sick instantly like saltwater does. Of course I guess you get sick the next day from the bacteria...

Anyway since you've used both the Riffe Stable and Impulse III, can you compare the two?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Fondueset]

With my trusty impulse ii and iii I never swallow water!!
The Riffe Stable is a pretty nice snork. It's not as dry as the impulse, but it's pretty good and very easy to clear. It's very flexible and streamlined.

 

[turunc2006]

cheers, fondue, thanks for the report. don't get to snorkel in your 'level of 'choppiness', so i'm reassured that it stays as dry as you say and will give it a go.

thanks for the 'mask clip' warning too - i'll have a better one ready.

 

[turunc2006]

hi again fondue

just a quickie.

you didn't say whether you're using the flex or the fixed version of the impulse III . I'm also interested in opinions on choosing the one in preference to the other.

it's tempting to get initially drawn by the flex version having the 'drop-away' mouth piece and maybe more general adjustability so............???????

turunc

 

[Fondueset]

First - I want to reiterate that I was really impressed with the Riffe Stable - much more streamlined than the impulse - and reasonably dry. I never used to use a purge snorkel - much preferring standard wrap around designs like the Omer zoom and others. But I do like the ability to swim right into heavy chop without having to interrupt my breathe-ups.

The Flex version is more difficult to clear - it seems like you've allways got that little bit of water rattling around - pretty much true of any flex snorkel. If you don't mind that it is more comfortable and streamlined. My daughter uses one because she was having trouble with tension in her jaw.

 

[turunc2006]

Cheers. I've just been browsing at a 'swim with dolphins holiday' website and they definitely recommend the fixed version rather than the flex, but don't give their actual reasons.

I was sceptical too about purge snorkels, and as I said when i started this thread, the Oceanic ultra-dry just restricts the airflow too much for me which is a non-starter. Basically anyone that feels that he needs to use a snorkel AT ALL needs to use one that does not contribute to extra unnecessary fatigue - spending extra energy on water clearing being one thing and doing more work sucking in the air in the first place being another.

 

[Apneaddict]

Any other opinions on the Impulse 2 vs. the Impulse 3, fixed versions?

With the 2, I wouldn't plan on attaching it to the mask (just use it for breatheups)... but with the 3, it looks like you MIGHT be able to get away with it...

 

[Fondueset]

The impulse III sucks for mask attachment. It is miserable to swim with and tends to oscillate against your head.

 

[Apneaddict]

Thinking about it more... I might get the Impulse 3 and also try it for UWR / UWH, as I use silicone bracelets to hold it to the water polo cap... and it might not vibrate so much like this...

Now I use a Cressi America, slightly cut down.

 

[anthropisces]

Would you dry snorkel users provide some info on the type of diving you do?

How deep do you dive? What are your bottom times? How many hours of diving per day and how many times do you get out diving in a month or year?

I used to use a snorkel with a purge valve near the mouth and in years past I loved them. My snorkel was always dry. Then, magically, these snorkels stopped working well for me. I've since switched to simple snorkels which are basically a bent tube. All of the serious divers I know use this type of simple snorkel.

 

[Fondueset]

I've taken my Riffe Stable down past 40m.
I dive a lot - mostly with a mono fin.
My bottom times are confidential.
Also; I'm not serious.
And I don't believe theres such a thing as a dry snorkel.

 

[cmburch]

Aqua Lung Impulse 3 Semidry Snorkel

Would you dry snorkel users provide some info on the type of diving you do?

How deep do you dive? What are your bottom times? How many hours of diving per day and how many times do you get out diving in a month or year?

I used to use a snorkel with a purge valve near the mouth and in years past I loved them. My snorkel was always dry. Then, magically, these snorkels stopped working well for me. I've since switched to simple snorkels which are basically a bent tube. All of the serious divers I know use this type of simple snorkel.

Dry snorkels may interfere with breathing if they shut off too often. May need to post on a SCUBA or snorkeling forum to get opinions on dry snorkels.

I use a snorkel on the surface for working out or spearfishing in the Pacific Ocean. I spit my snorkel out when submerging and surface with my head out of the water unless I want to keep my eye on something. Vis tends to be very poor in Northern California averages 3-15' north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I am neutral at 30' for working 25-40'. I rarely go to 50'. Southern California Spearos freedive 50-70'. I need less than 45s for abalone. I have a reel on my gun and also a float, so no need to fight a fish underwater if a poor shot. We only dive about 1.5-3hrs once or twice a week. We freedive year round and between storms during the winter. The water is coldest during the summer. I always bring lunch and water on my board or kayak and pull out on a rock to rest, eat, or warm-up.

I am a recreational Spearo. Our coast has beautiful pine forests, cliffs, rivers, and kelp forests. Vis is best south of Monterey county. Abalone can only be taken north of the Golden Gate.

Feel free to PM me if coming to Northern California. Check us out on SpearBoard California Section and NorthCoast divers.

Freedivers use whatever is most comfortable. For our somewhat rough and unpredictable conditions, the Impulse 3 works for my type of watersports.

 

[cmburch]

Aqua Lung Impulse 3

The Aqua Lung Impulse 3 is a humongous large bore fresh air breathing snorkel. It has a comfo-bite mouthpiece which can help if you have jaw strain from clenching mouthpiece. It is not the best snorkel in kelp since it is so large. But is a very dry breathing snorkel. Great for working out in the ocean. I have both the flex (black with yellow top) and rigid (red tube). It has a top divertor to minimize saltwater entering lower portion of tube when in rough windy conditions with water washing overhead. There is a bottom divertor and valve that virtually eliminates any saltwater from entering mouth. I like the flex the best because it falls away from my mouth when I spit it out. The rigid I like when going fast or working out. It is not hydrodynamic at all with its large profile and "clunky design". A small amount of water may slosh back and forth in the tube, but is only an annoyance due to noise.

 

[anthropisces]

Re: Aqua Lung Impulse 3 Semidry Snorkel

Feel free to PM me if coming to Northern California. Check us out on SpearBoard California Section and NorthCoast divers.

Feel free to PM me if coming to South Florida. I'm anthropisces on Spearboard as well.

 

[laminar]

I've had an impulse II (may be an earlier model, actually) for more than 7 years. It's pink and I love it.

I don't attach it to my mask strap. While I don't spearfish, I do take lots of video and hold things in my hands. After many years of diving with the Impulse snorkel, I no longer notice that I have the snorkel in my grip as I equalize or take photos. I kind of hide it in the palm on my hand (magic) and it lays along my forearm.

For me, this is the easiest way to overcome the mask-attachment-and-resulting-silly-drag-and-mask-flooding issue.

Also, it's good to have in your hand for poking things that might want to poke you first.

Fondue knows what I'm talking' about.

Pete