Snorkel question

[ferfoodle]

I just got my DS a mask with corrective lenses for about $60. If you google there are several vendors around that price. You will need to have a copy of your prescription.

 

The vendor I used (sorry can't remember the name) has two levels of corrective lens quality. As I understand it, your prescription will have three numbers on it. The first is for diopters, and addresses the basic level of correction. The other two numbers sort of fine tune your prescription. For $60, you can get a mask made to order which corrects the diopter number for each eye. However if you wanted true eyeglass quality correction you would have to get their true custom mask for around $200.

 

DS tried it on when it came and our verdict is that while these are not as good as actual glasses, they are good enough for snorkeling.

 

 

Thanks for the info. I was worried that it would cost a fortune (like my glasses do) but if I can get something for around that price - just part of the excursion cost in my book - I will. Just need to be able to see "enough" to find my way back to the boat or shore. Without anything, I could be lost at sea!

[truchattycathy]

Do you need to have fins while snorkeling? I imagine it will make it easier, but is there really a big difference?

 

Yes it makes a big difference. Last cruise we rented a small boat on the beach. The guy was short one pair of fins. I went without them and I am a very strong swimmer. I could tell a huge difference. It was hard to keep up with the others, that I usually leave behind.

 

If you go to a sporting good store, such as Academy, they will put the snorkels, masks and fins on sale. I got a nice US DIver snorkel and mask for less than $15 and fins for about $12. They fit so much better than any that they give you on an excursion.

 

Have a great time.

[idlenote]

One more thing, if you have wide feet you are going to have a hard time finding fins that fit you. The cheapie fins that you find at Academy and Walmart and places like that are not going to work, and I found even the local dive shop couldn't help. Spent a lot of time online and finally found what I needed - never realized I had wide feet before this.

[Kryssa]

My husband and I are pretty serious scuba divers and he has a prescription mask. He has terrible eyesight but is able to see well enough with the Atomic Subframe Mask with prescription lenses. You can call around to local dive shops or buy online. If you live in Northern CA, we bought ours at Diver Dans in Santa Clara.

[sewut]

We bring our own snorkel gear. We have a mesh bag that is a backpack. We can fit everything we need, including towels, in it. It has a zipper compartment that we use for our eyeglasses while we are snorkeling. We have our own snorkel vests too. I don't like the idea of inflating the ones they make you use on tours. I don't think they sanitize them. I have been on tours where the snorkel was bitten off on one side which makes it hard to use. No thanks, we'll bring our own. We just carryon in the backback/mesh bag.

 

Sewut

[ninneman]

We take our own mask/snorkel/fins... partially for sanitary reasons and partially because my hub has ginormous feet and can't fit in the providers gear.

He also uses a mask with corrective lenses.

We bought a big mesh bag and we just carry it with us when we go on excursions.

If you are Costco members, they have a decent set in the $30 range and its got the short fins and a bag to carry it in.

 

My kids are competitive swimmers. I'll have them bring their fins and snorkels. All we'll need is masks because I don't think their goggles will work. :rolleyes:

[Sauer-kraut]

I just bought one on line and it arrived 4 days after I ordered it. It was just under $100, the breakdown was about $45 for the mask and $25 for each lens. I was able to watch TV with it on and I am VERY short-sighted so I was happy. I didn't realize how bad my bifocal sight was until I tried to read something with the mask on....I just hope the fish don't get too close or I won't be able to see them! :eek:

 

The mask came with a hard case, so I thought that was a good deal. scuba dot com was the company I used and they were very helpful over the phone.

[ninneman]

We only need to purchase snorkeling masks. Any suggestions?

 

I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for them. We already have the snorkels and fins.

[westview1]

Anyone here ever wear your contacts with the mask? I usually don't put mine in, I can see fine but everything is a little blurry. I have heard people will keep theirs in, but I'm not so sure about how the contacts would do.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Anyone here ever wear your contacts with the mask? I usually don't put mine in, I can see fine but everything is a little blurry. I have heard people will keep theirs in, but I'm not so sure about how the contacts would do.

 

I do and have never had any problems. I wouldn't be able to see anything without them! One of these days I would like to invest in a prescription mask.

[ninneman]

Anyone here ever wear your contacts with the mask? I usually don't put mine in, I can see fine but everything is a little blurry. I have heard people will keep theirs in, but I'm not so sure about how the contacts would do.

 

My kids never have problems with their contacts during swim practice.

[WestCoastCruiser123]

I've snorkeled with my contacts in and have never had a problem but I always have a couple of extra pairs of contacts with me when I go on vacation just in case. I too wouldn't be able to snorkel without them.

[westview1]

I do and have never had any problems. I wouldn't be able to see anything without them! One of these days I would like to invest in a prescription mask.

 

My kids never have problems with their contacts during swim practice.

 

I've snorkeled with my contacts in and have never had a problem but I always have a couple of extra pairs of contacts with me when I go on vacation just in case. I too wouldn't be able to snorkel without them.

 

:D Thanks Everyone! I always bring extra contacts with me but was unsure of how they would be with the mask. My prescription is pretty expensive so I hate to ruin a pair if I don't have to.

[Kryssa]

My kids are competitive swimmers. I'll have them bring their fins and snorkels. All we'll need is masks because I don't think their goggles will work. :rolleyes:

 

Hey Ninneman, long time no see ;)

 

My best advice would be go to a local dive shop. You can try on all the masks. Kids faces can be particularly tough because some need smaller sizes, others have faces that fit better in adult masks.

 

You can generally find lower priced masks in dive shops in the $20-40 price range. If you're looking to spend less, try Cosco if you have a membership or a sporting goods store. Good luck!

[ninneman]

Hey Ninneman, long time no see ;)

 

My best advice would be go to a local dive shop. You can try on all the masks. Kids faces can be particularly tough because some need smaller sizes, others have faces that fit better in adult masks.

 

You can generally find lower priced masks in dive shops in the $20-40 price range. If you're looking to spend less, try Cosco if you have a membership or a sporting goods store. Good luck!

 

HI!!!

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll check Costco. Did see some at TJMaxx last year maybe they have more this year. I just don't want to shell out a lot of $$$ for these masks. It's bad enough I have to buy $30 goggles every few months and $300 racing suits :eek: every other swim meet.

 

Too bad they can't use their goggles.

[EMc&DrS]

This year we bought our own snorkel vests to go along with our other equipment. Worked out great because everyone else on our excursion was wearing one color vest provided by the excursion operator while we were the only two wearing orange. We could find each other in the water with no problem.

[matj2000]

I wouldn't recommend lugging that stuff just for snorkling.

All the gear is usually soaking in a bleach solution. Your not going to catch anything.

And as far as "germaphobes", they are the ones who are usually sick all the time...

[BlueJacketsFan1]

We did that on our first cruise. We picked up two snorkels from the excursion desk. Since then we have gotten snorkels and masks to use when cruising. If you would like to pick up good snorkels at a real good price try www.leisurepro.com