New front mounted snorkel needed???

[Jon]

I have had a Finis front-mounted snorkel for a little over 12 years now. I use it mostly for swimming in the pool- it has a slick little resistance cap that snaps on the end to increase CO2 while swimming; however, I think it may be time to get a new one, for better body positioning, and am wondering what others are using out there?

I almost bought one of the 'new' Finis snorkels that wraps around the head further, so I could keep my chin tucked and my arms extended better for monofin kicking, but then started thinking about a Waterway, Leaderfins, or Specialfins model- since they seem to know a lot more about it due to their monofin expertise. I'm leaning twoards the Waterway Long distance model but am wide open to suggestions from others who use them.

Here's a quick shot of the one that I already own, and the others that I'm looking at:

Jon

 

[spaghetti]

Cool. I too have a frontal snorkel: if the link works you can give a look here:
http://www.tienneti.com/articoli.asp?id=541

 

[Jon]

OK, that's NOT what I was thinking of. rofl

It was funny, but not what I need.

Does anyone ELSE have a favorite front-mounted snorkel that they use- for FREEdiving.


Jon

 

[iceselkie]

I'm curious too! Most pictures of finswimmers I've seen are with the long straight snorkel. I'd think that while the curved one might allow you to tuck better, it's disadvantage would be in navigational ability (if you were to look up, you might cut off your air supply by dipping the top into the water)? I like the look of the waterway long distance model.

 

[island_sands]

all i can say is SHHEEESSSHHH at the front mounted snorkel

 

[island_sands]

Cool. I too have a frontal snorkel: if the link works you can give a look here:
http://www.tienneti.com/articoli.asp?id=541

OMFG rofl rofl rofl

 

[Jon]

As I get my shoulders warmed up I am able to tuck my head into position better and become more streamlined. When this happens I find that my snorkel dips in the water- to the front- and I suck some of it in. :rcard

This happens in a pool and is even more pronounced in a lake with a bit of wind chop on it. It's easy enough to avoid, just don't streamline as much, but that kind of defeats the whole point.:head

Brianna, which model are you using for your finswimming right now?

The long distance one is looking like my top choice right now.

Jon

 

[oferdegi]

I have a waterway classic snorkel, and it too dips forward if I tuck my head too deep. The Finis Freestyle snorkel looks quite nifty, but it just might only be good for pool training, due to the reasons that Brianna mantioned: see the swimmers' pics in the data sheet -
http://www.finisinc.com/pdfs/FreestyleSnorkel_PDS.pdf
- the snorkel tip is very close to the water when the guy lifts his head out. Still, a good looking snorkel - with the cardio cap it must be a good deal. Wish someone would buy one and post a review!
Ofer

 

[BennyB]

As I get my shoulders warmed up I am able to tuck my head into position better and become more streamlined. When this happens I find that my snorkel dips in the water- to the front- and I suck some of it in.

Watts and I used to train with front snorkels and found that they took on lots of water. He came up with the idea of sticking a bit of garden hose or plastic piping in to lengthen it... 6 or 8 inches should do the trick (no comments please Sara :naughty ). It doesn't add too much breathing resistance either.

Cheers,
Ben

 

[Stodelle]

Check the ones at www.finswimming.ca

 

[cdavis]

Pardon changing the subject, but what is the advantage of the front mount in the pool?

Connor

 

[iceselkie]

No worries Connor..

The front mounted snorkle is a good training tool in that it allows you to swim without having to break form to breathe (you're breathing through the snorkle), thereby getting a better 'continuous' workout with less strain to neck and shoulders and practicing better streamlining/technique. You can also use it to improve lung capacity, by blocking off a bit of the top of the snorkle. It's useful for any swimmer, competitive swimmers use them often, but especially handy paired with a monofin as you are in a face down alignment and dont rotate the body to the side to breathe (so side mounted snorkles don't work here). And unless you are practicing the fly, you'll be in the head tucked down position, with arms reaching over top, and to keep in that form for a good distance (without apnea) you'd need a snorkle.

hehe i'm no pro at this, so i hope that wasn't too long winded! i've been thinking about the same things as jon, and when i get my new long distance FMS from WW, I'll give a review.

 

[cdavis]

Brianna, thanks for the explaination, but I must be slow, still can't see the advantage relative to a normal, well fitting snorkel. I work out with a snorkel (always) that fits tight around and under the ear, comes out of the water just behind the head. This seems to work fine head down or head up and doesn't require any head turning at all to breath. Just looking at it, it seems more streamlined that a front mount, hence my question.

Connor

 

[iceselkie]

Can you attach a picture of your snorkel? I've tried using a side snorkel while monofinning and it wags something terrible when I go fast...

 

[laminar]

I've tried both snorkels, waterway and finis.

The Waterway front snorkel to my knowledge is a basic finswimming snorkel. I, too, had trouble with it submerging while finning on the surface. It works properly if your finswimming stroke is by the book. If you focus on not dipping your head to initiate the undulation, then you'll see it works fine. The only thing I don't like (aside for it being not too forgiving of a beginner's technique) is that it has no purge valve.

The Finis front snorkel is much longer, has a purge valve, and can be reversed, so that the curve points outward. Sometimes this is useful, say, if you are swimming on your side. It's bulkier and propably too big for the competitive finswimmer, I would guess. For someone learning to finswim, the purge valve is a nice feature.

The real difference between a front and regular snorkel is that you just can't finswimming on the surface in the classic style with a side snorkel. Your jaw will get tired holding it into place. A smaller spearo snorkel will submerge and has no purge valve.

Surface finswimming is fun, takes a lot of time to master, but your abs and back muscles will thank you for it.

The secret to not flooding the front snorkel is to improve your upper back, shoulder and arm flexibility so that you can undulate the rest of your body without moving the upper third.

Pete

 

[Jon]

I have no problem flooding the front-mounted snorkel when I surface swim- but there's no way I can dolphin kick on the surface with a traditional side snorkel and not flood it with every kick.

The Finis is nice in that it has the prurge, but I find the mouthpiece to be a bit too small- it looks like you can put a standard scuba regualtor mouth piece on the Waterway ones.

Brianna, I would be very intetested in what you think of the Long Distance model- as that's the one I'm most intetrested in right now.

Jon

 

[iceselkie]

OK. updating this thread as I have been using the LD by waterway now for a while, and i must say, i'ts not the most comfortable piece of equipment i own it grinds against the inside of my teeth.
I like surface finswimming a LOT and without buying and testing out every kind of front mounted snorkle there is, i would have to suggest not buying this one and wait to see what others have said about the other kinds.
Please post!

 

[Jon]

Brianna,

Can't you change out the mouthpiece on that one to a different one from any dive shop? I thought that it used a standard scuba regulator mouthpiece.

I bought a Finis "Freestyle" snorkel and it was a big mistake- it floods with every kick. It really can only be used for freestyle swimming and not monofining. :rcard

Waterway never got back to me about buying one of their snorkels so I just went back to using my, very, old Finis front-mount. After suffering with the new one I decided iIreally liked my old one and have done a bit of openwater swimming with it with positive results.

Jon

 

[iceselkie]

That's strange WW never got back to you. I just ordered this one right off the website, and recieved it fairly quickly.

edited to add: five minutes after writing this post and tugging at the mouthpiece, i managed to bring some lip over the plastic tube.. could it have been that easy?:head rofl

 

[spaghetti]

This one looks very good.: Zoffoli Drago mask with fron mounted snorkel.
Made in Italy, of course
http://www.zoffolisport.com/IT/pages/drago.htm