🏪 Jump to stores
Decathlon: Best value snorkeling gear — their Subea range is excellent quality at low cost
REI: Good selection of premium brands
Cotswold: UK stockist for Cressi, Mares, Scubapro
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Snorkel mask
The fit is everything — the brand is irrelevant
A mask that leaks ruins your snorkeling immediately. Fit is the only thing that matters. An expensive mask that doesn't seal on your face is useless; a budget mask that seals perfectly is fine.
What actually matters
The silicone seal test
Place the mask on your face without the strap. Inhale gently through your nose. The mask should stay attached with no straps. If it falls off, the shape doesn't fit your face — try another. Do this in every shop before buying.
Tempered glass, not plastic
Tempered glass lenses don't scratch and stay clear underwater. Plastic lenses are fine for children but adult masks should always have glass. All masks in dive shops and decent outdoor stores will have tempered glass.
Single lens vs dual lens
Single lens gives a wider field of view. Dual lens allows prescription lenses to be added (important if you wear glasses). Both work equally well — personal preference.
Full-face masks: skip them for anything serious
Full-face masks look cool in videos but fog easily, are hard to equalise pressure in, cannot be used for scuba, and are difficult to clear if water enters. Traditional two-window masks are better in every way for anyone past beginner snorkeling.
You can skip
Anti-fog spray — a small dab of baby shampoo, rinsed off, works identically. All new masks should be scrubbed with toothpaste to remove the manufacturing coating that causes fogging.
Fins
Full-foot for warm tropical water, open-heel for everything else
The right fins dramatically reduce the effort of moving through water. The wrong fins — too stiff, too soft, or poor fit — cause cramp and exhaustion.
What actually matters
Full-foot vs open-heel
Full-foot fins (no strap, worn barefoot like a shoe) are lighter, more efficient, and ideal for warm-water snorkeling in the tropics. Open-heel fins (with an adjustable strap, worn over dive boots) are used for scuba and cold water where neoprene boots are needed.
Blade stiffness: softer for snorkeling, stiffer for scuba
Soft, flexible blades are easier on the ankles and knees for surface snorkeling. Stiffer blades generate more power but require stronger legs — intended for scuba divers who need to move against currents.
Floating fins are safer in open water
Some fins sink if dropped; others float. For snorkeling, floating fins mean you can recover them if they come off. Check before buying.
Fit: your heel should not move in the pocket
Full-foot fins should fit like a snug shoe — no heel lift. A heel that moves creates blisters. Wear the same foot coverage you'll wear in the water (bare for full-foot, dive boots for open-heel).
You can skip
Paddle fins for snorkeling — split fins (with a channel cut through) are marketed as lower effort but the difference is minimal for surface swimming.
Snorkel tube
Dry top for beginners, classic for experienced swimmers
A snorkel is a simple device but the wrong design for your skill level makes a real difference.
What actually matters
Dry-top valve: prevents water entering when submerged
A dry-top snorkel has a float valve at the top that closes when submerged, preventing water entry. Ideal for beginners or choppy water. Experienced swimmers often prefer a classic J-tube — simpler, no valve that can jam.
Purge valve at the bottom of the barrel
A one-way purge valve makes clearing residual water from the snorkel easier — you blow out and water exits through the bottom rather than upward through the tube. Useful for beginners.
Flexible corrugated section
A flexible section between the mouthpiece and barrel allows the mouthpiece to sit more comfortably at different angles. Reduces jaw fatigue on longer sessions.
Mouthpiece size
The mouthpiece should sit comfortably without your jaw having to clench. Most adult snorkels use a standard size but some brands have larger or smaller mouthpieces. If jaw fatigue is an issue, try a different brand.
You can skip
Dedicated hydrodynamic "speed" snorkels — these are for competitive freediving and irrelevant for recreational snorkeling.
Wetsuits & rashguards
Choose thickness by water temperature, not by look
A wetsuit works by trapping a thin layer of water against your skin which your body heats. It provides thermal protection, UV protection, and buoyancy.
What actually matters
Thickness by water temperature
3mm: tropical water above 24°C (Maldives, Red Sea, Thailand, Bali). 5mm: Mediterranean, warmer Atlantic, Caribbean in winter (18–24°C). 7mm: cold Atlantic, Pacific north of California, UK (below 18°C). For scuba at depth, water is colder — go one thickness warmer than you'd choose for the surface.
Full suit vs shorty
Full suits (long arms and legs) provide more thermal protection and full UV cover. Shorties (short arms and legs) are easier to put on and better for warmer conditions. For tropics, a rashguard is often sufficient.
Rashguard as minimal protection
For water above 27°C, a rashguard (lycra or neoprene top) provides UV protection and jellyfish protection without thermal bulk. UPF50+ rating for sun protection. Mandatory for any extended tropical snorkeling.
Fit: if it's uncomfortable on land, it will be unbearable in water
A wetsuit should be snug with no gaps at ankles, wrists, or neck. Any gap lets water flush through, defeating thermal insulation. It should be difficult to put on — this is normal.
You can skip
Wetsuit cement/glue unless you have a specific tear to repair. Most wetsuits last years without maintenance if rinsed in fresh water after every use.
Scuba diving gear
Rent first, buy gradually — in this specific order
Scuba gear is expensive. The standard advice is to rent for your first several dives and buy items in a specific order based on how personal the fit needs to be. Never buy a full set upfront.
What actually matters
Buy your mask and fins first — always rent BCD, regulator, and tank
Mask and fins are personal items — fit to your body. BCD (buoyancy control device), regulator, and tank are provided by every dive operation worldwide. Buy your personal fit items; rent the mechanical equipment until you dive enough to know your preferences.
PADI or SSI Open Water certification — the essential first step
Without an Open Water certification, you cannot dive to recreational depths independently. PADI and SSI are globally recognised; all other agencies are local. The course takes 3–4 days, costs USD $300–500 depending on location (cheapest in the Maldives and Red Sea), and unlocks every dive destination on earth.
Dive computer — buy this before a regulator
A dive computer tracks your depth, bottom time, and nitrogen loading in real time and prevents decompression sickness. More important than owning a regulator. Suunto, Garmin, Scubapro, and Mares all make reliable mid-range computers. Entry-level wrist computers from USD $200–300 are perfectly adequate.
Surface marker buoy (SMB) — non-negotiable safety item
An SMB is a brightly coloured inflatable tube you deploy from depth to signal your position to boat crews when you surface. Mandatory for all independent diving. Any dive shop stocks them for USD $15–25.
You can skip
Expensive dive lights for recreational depth — a basic torch is needed for night dives but a budget torch (£20) works fine until you're doing speciality diving.
Underwater photography
Start with a phone housing, upgrade if you get serious
Underwater cameras are not required for snorkeling but they transform the experience. Start cheap — most people overestimate how much they'll use an underwater camera.
What actually matters
A waterproof phone housing first
Most modern smartphones take excellent photos. A waterproof housing (USD $30–80 on Amazon) lets you use your existing camera underwater. Quality is genuinely good to 10–15m. Test it empty before using it with your phone.
GoPro or similar action camera for serious use
A GoPro Hero is the workhorse underwater camera — compact, robust, excellent video, decent photo. Mounts on masks, floats, or wrist straps. No manual controls but auto mode is reliable.
Red filter for natural colour underwater
Water absorbs red wavelengths — everything goes blue-green below 5m. A screw-on red filter (USD $15–30) restores natural colours in snorkeling depth shots. Not needed for GoPro (they have software colour correction).
You can skip
A dedicated compact underwater camera (like the Olympus TG series) unless you're diving regularly. A phone housing or GoPro covers 95% of use cases at lower cost.