Snorkels for spearfishing

[hteas]

A lot of spearos use snorkels with some sort of purge. The companies like Picasso, Omer, and Cressi all list only simple (non-purge) snorkels in their catalogs.

Is there some overriding reason to choose one or another?

I'm currently using a simple Mares snorkel and a Cressi Sigma (purge). Both work, but the Cressi seems easier to clear at the end of a dive.

 

[podge]

I use a Cressi purge type and find it very good.
Basic rule for me is that if it’s comfortable and it does what you want it to do then it’s the right piece of kit for you, after all you don’t need to be fumbling around with your snorkel after each dive and trying to get comfortable before the breath up for the next go down.

 

[alexrom1207]

I personally hate the market for snorkels. I wanted a simple, streamlined, non-purge snorkel (after owning an impulse II and having the seals dry up on me). Oh yeah and I wanted it cheap. The problem I had was that all these simple snorkels are inexpensive, but are also built like crap. The mouthpieces are small and cheap, and the rubber is very stiff. I Went through 2 of them @ $10-15 each (literally throwing them out after 1 dive each). Finally I just went to the dive shop and bought a $40 snorkel that was built well, coincidentally it had a purge valve. It's great, although I feel the valve was an unnecessary expenditure and is just one more thing to fail. My point is, maybe these guys are using them because they are the only decent snorkels out on the market.

 

[Mr. X]

I learnt to snorkel with a plain-J type as a teenager, that was the recommendation of the BSAC & most "serious" divers (mainly SCUBA in those days). Simple, effective, you just need to get used to clearing it.

When I started spearing I initially used a purge snorkel with a semi-dry top. It didn't clear very well, which meant it took a lot more breath to clear it properly - the opposite of what I hoped & expected. I think they are intended for & work best for surface snorkelling. Beginner surface snorkellers get on very well with them in my experience. A purge snorkel and/or dry-top snorkel might be good for choppy conditions. If you decide to get one of these, I would go for a dry top design, rather than the double-slotted semi-dry top.

I have 3-simple Js now but always use the same one, a flexible Beuchat Tubair. Not perfect but pretty good. The Omer Zooms are well thought of too. I would personally go for the flexible one because I dive near rocks & tow a float line - it reduces drags & snags - with an orange (or lime) safety tape at the tip (I have one with black tape -- how pointless!).

I've seen one (in real life and on ebay) that rolls up in an small plastic egg-like container. Intended as an emergency snorkel for SCUBA divers, it might be a tad too short & soft/flexible for regular spearing but it has a very interesting top design: a rear-facing vertical slot - so water can't get in the top or front. Would love to try it.

 

[Erik]

I've used many types, and used a no-purge for probably elitist reasons above all else, but they always pissed me off. Now I use a decent purge-snorkel and I love it. But still on the right side (have to save a little elitism)

 

[ILDiver]

I used purge snorkels for scuba for a long time, with the simple splash guard on top. Then I got an Omer Zoom when I started freediving. It breathes SO much better. I used my old snorkel for scuba diving and it felt like someone stuffed cotton in the end of my snorkel. I use my standard snorkel for all my diving now. Yes I still wear a snorkel when I scuba dive.

I do have some issues with clearing all the water out and sometimes have to pinch the base of the snorkel to clear all the water.

With all that said, if you are comfortable with the snorkel, then use it. Everyone has their preference for right or wrong reasons.

 

[Jon]

I'm now using one of the new Cessi-sub Corsica snorkels.
Spearfishing Snorkels

It's a lot like my old OMER Zoom and Sporasub Samurai snorkels, except the mouthpiece is much larger and easier to hold onto. I always felt that the mouthpieces on the other ones were better suited for my kids than for an adult sized mouth. With the Cressi I get the simplicity of a J-tube, but the comfort of a more expensive snorkel.

My back-up is an old Farallon with the orange bite-tabs molded for my mouth. I don't know why someone doesn't come out with one of these again, as they would sell a ton of them.

I used to use purge type snorkels, but find them too large and floppy to be of much in use anything but the largest waves.

Erik, what kind of purge snorkel are you using that you can wear it on the right side of your mask? I find that most of the new dry snorkels out there are molded so that they can only go on the left side- unless you do something really freaky with them.

Jon

 

[Mr. X]

... But still on the right side (have to save a little elitism)

Is that a SCUBA thing? I moved mine to the left as my UK Mini Q40 mask torch came rigged for the right-side - but ended up moving it back round to the right side, just seems to work better for me. Glad to hear it elitist

 

[ILDiver]

Most (all??) scuba divers are taught to put the snorkel on the left side since the regulator comes over the right side. Easier to switch from snorkel to reg or vice-versa. I've held that habit over from scuba.

 

[Jon]

Make that most "American" divers wear them on the left- other countries have regulator hoses running from either side. At least they did in the past.

Jon

 

[hteas]

I haven't thought about the left-right decidion in a while. I think I started wearing my snorkel on the left for "American" scuba, and kept it up with spearfishing because I'm right handed.
My speargun or pole or Hawaiian sling is in my right hand, so when I get back to the surface I have only my left hand to get it back where it belongs (in my mouth). That makes breathing so much easier.

Howard

 

[HEDS]

I use an Omer Zoom now and have always used simple j-type, i just think that simplicity beats all for me in terms of a snorkel, i dont need anything more than a pipe from my mouth to the surface thats easy to clear.

 

[shotgun]

I use a Tusa Imprex that is semi-dry and I really like it. Very comfortable mouthpiece (replacements available), purge works well and has never failed, a flexible bottom "J" so it stays out of the way when I dive, and it clears easily. I think it only ran me $18 on sale, which is still a lot considering how much it probably cost to make. Just my 2cents.

Also, I thought the truly "dry" models trapped bubbles on a dive that could escape at just the wrong moment. ??

 

[Erik]

Yeah wearing it on the right over here is like a statement showing that you do not SCUBA any more lol. We always taught scuba students that the snorkel MUST go on the left, even if you're just snorkelling, so that you never confuse one for the other.
Jon it's just some 28$ generic. It's got a purge that can be used either way- it doesn't angle down from the mouthpiece. Snorkels and lead are the only things I ever buy at scuba stores.

 

[hyeparis]

In Russia, the common wisdom is that purge snorkles scare off fish so folks prefer purge-less snorkless, such as Omer's Zoom. Another reason why I use Zoom or anything similar to that (almost every spearfishing equipment producer has an anologue) is that this snorkle is very flexible so when you literally fight through branches of a sunken tree for air when sprearfishing in rivers, it bends and then pops up to let you breath becase it is flexible. In winter, I would put a specially designed valve on top of it to avoid cold water, but only when diving on streams because any piece of kelp could block the valve and prevent from breathing in

 

[vali]

i do hunting and apnea diving for about 30 years and i tell u that the simple the snorkel are - the better is...
tiny, flexible and easy to use
no purge complications, no valves to prevent the water coming in, no nothing

 

[cmburch]

We use all types for cold water 48-52F Northern California kelp freediving. With and without purge. What is most important for me is comfortable mouthpiece, unrestricted bore with fresh air, does not oscillate when moving through the water, and does not get hung up easily in kelp. A top diverter works for me when in windy or rough conditions with water washing overhead

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I like the Riffe Stable, but not because of the purge. In fact, the normal force with which I clear the snorkel upon surfacing doesn't even open the purge valve.

But I spit out the snorkel as I start every dive, and I like the way the bellows tube just lets it fall away from my mouth. When I use snorkels like the Omer Zoom, I twist the mouthpiece away from my mouth, and sometimes it rotates where it joins the vertical tube. Then when I put it back in my mouth, the vertical tube ends up sticking sideways across the top of my head.

I also like the hooded opening on the top, which keeps out some water swimming into a chop.

However, if you absolutely must wear your snorkel on the right, it won't work. It can only be worn on the left.

It doesn't come with an orange tip, but I spray-painted mine for added visibility.

 

[cww180]

I'll second the Beuchat Tubair (Activa) I think its also called.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Just over a year or so ago I decided to upgrade to some more modern spearing gear. I had already gone for a carbon gun (and a mamba pneumo) plus some long fins but everything else was much the same as 40 years ago. I wanted to see if there was anything new worth having.

I did post a little thread somewhere. One of the things I tried was a weight vest and that turned out to be ione of my best investments ever. I moved to a smaller knife and liked that too. Lastly I tried a purged snorkel. Have to say that I didn't like it. Gave it a good try but it lies unused apart from those test dives. I also bought a super flex foldable snorkel and a new super cheap (under £2) immersion J tube snorkel.

The snorkel I had been using for at least 20 years was made from a polythene type plastic (not a rigid plastic) with a clear silicone mouth piece. I had extended by 4 inches at the top by adding a piece of 1-inch plastic waste overflow pipe silicone sealed inside. Yhis made a great improvement especially on rough weather dives. I never found it harder to clear or maybe I just got used to it.

Well my trusty snorkel finally gave up the ghost when the polythene tube split. I have now changed over to my cheap immersion J tube snorkel. It is very similar to my old one and I have fitted the 4-inch extension so it should be just like old times.

Dave