Jun 8, 2020
 in 
Outdoors

Fine Italian Snorkeling Gear Will Enrich Your Underwater Experience

Snorkeling is a great underwater sport for all adventurers. It's amazing to discover the depths of underwater fantasy and dive into the mysteries of the unknown. You just cannot miss it! It's quite a view down there and you shouldn't miss out on an opportunity, simply because of unsatisfactory third-class gear.  

A sport delivering you the best of sights and many muscular, cardiovascular, and mental health perks too. If you wish to snorkel, you must have authentic, high-quality gear to experience snorkeling at its best!

Let us dive into the basics of adequate snorkeling gear. And teach you what to expect from the best snorkeling equipment that will enrich your underwater experience.

Check out the "In A Nutshell" section for a quick round-up of the article.

Check it out on Amazon here

What You Need to Go Snorkeling

Your regular swimming goggles won’t come in handy when dealing with the high pressures of underwater exploration. So, for the time being, set them aside and capitalize on something that exudes class and quality, but also lasts for a long time!

Before booking a day of underwater adventures, first check to see if you have all the essential gear

You will need the following:

Masks On!

The most essential item on your list is the one that benefits your vision. Pressure builds up as you dive into the water, so an adequately sealed mask is what you need. The best ones come with a silicone seal that create an airlock around your eyes. A good quality silicone seal avoids water from entering your field of vision.

Make sure the eye and nose pieces are molded together, or else you will not be able to alter pressure changes.

That’s not all! Do not fall for the rip off plastic goggles that ‘supposedly’ give you clear vision. There is nothing clearer than tempered glass itself. Both materials may look alike, but plastic is a horrid mistake to begin your snorkeling experience with.

Most importantly, place the mask and snorkeling gear together and check the sealing of the mask. A high-end piece seal will not budge, but a cheaper plastic version will.

Snorkel Away

Breathing is another top priority that shouldn’t be taken lightly with cheap plastic trash. There is already too much plastic in the sea, we don’t want more!

There are many types of snorkels, where J-Shaped is the most used and commonly available. Others include snorkels that have purge with an open-top, guard top, and lastly, dry top.

Its primary purpose is to make you breathe, using the airlock space on your face. The focal feature of snorkels is their mouthpieces. These come in hard PVC to soft silicone and in different sizes too. So, either one can be used according to the preference of the user.

Moreover, an excellent snorkeling tube will have a lip guard. This prevents saltwater from violating its mouthpiece. J-shaped snorkels offer the least amount of drag and are often used by free divers. However, drag augments as you move from semi-dry to dry.  

Choosing the right snorkeling tube depends largely on your use. Whether you wish to swim around freely or take in the scenic beauty by merely floating around.  

Fins

You'll most definitely need these to experience proper scuba diving. Humans lack webbed feet, so the floppy shoes or flippers, as they are commonly called, will act as your thrust.

It aids the diver to push against currents, by using their large surface area and diver’s powerful leg muscles. Having flippers on frees your hands to explore. Fins also come in two types. Those being Full Foot and Open Heel Fins.

The full foot is better for warmer temperatures. In contrast, the Open Heel fins are much more suited to colder temperatures or tropical weather. It also depends on the diver’s preference. Though, the open heel flippers prove to be more durable and are often utilized by instructors.

Made In Italy

Here is what you need to know. Not every manufacturer is to be trusted. There are thousands of products from the ones found on drug stores or on ‘buy one get one free’ retail stores that will attract you like a magnet.

But do not fall into the shackles of such scams. As these rip offs are low quality and wear away quite quickly. These products will look the same, have a similar feel, etc. But at the end of the day, are manufactured in cheap warehouses in china. You can rest assure that you're getting a quality product when it's made in Italy!

Cressi Big Eyes Evo & Alpha Dry

The product we have decided to present to you is an Italian made beauty. Cressi is a famous brand since 1946, famous for making scuba diving equipment for the enthusiastic and adventurous folk out there.  From the layout of its design to the ability of every piece to fit together like a puzzle. It truly is a fine example of snorkeling equipment ready to amaze you in your underwater experience.

Cressi snorkeling products can be utilized for scuba diving, snorkeling, and even free diving. Consider it a one-type fits all adventures.  

Main Features

This professional adult snorkeling set comes with a high-end mask and snorkel. Both are designed and made in Italy.

Mask is constructed from 100% high-quality silicone. This creates the perfect airlock around the diver's face. It is much better than the cheaper PVC versions of masks that don't seal tight, even with the straps fully closed.

The reason that silicone seals seamlessly is due to its flexible nature. Which allows it to adapt to the face, leaving no leak behind. Rigid plastic PVC has another impediment of breaking or cracking in small impacts. Silicone dodges these easily. Adding to it, this silicone seal is hypoallergenic and keeps all irritations at bay.

The mask further features inclined and inverted tear-drop lenses. This positioning permits clear downward visibility and widens the diver’s field of vision. Cressi’s US patented design comes with tempered glass lenses. These don’t fog up easy and provide clearer vision as opposed to cheap plastic ones.

Divers can fasten the mask on through integrated buckles that come attached to the mask. The strapping works on a swivel system to aid in quick adjustments and maintain an unbreakable seal.

Next in the set is the snorkel. It is also crafted from a flexible material that benefits the diver in many ways. The flexibility does not tense the jaw muscles quickly, so you don’t have to worry regarding jaw fatigue issues. People with temporomandibular joint problems (e.g., clicking) can significantly benefit from this. It also aids the diver when the complete set is worn. The flexibility allows the mask to maintain an unbreakable seal and deal with the pressures of waves or currents. The snorkel can also be easily folded to fit in the carry bag provided by the company.

Cressi has added a float mechanism that prevents the sudden thrust of water into the snorkel whenever it gets submerged. A wide elliptical bore is given to lessen resistance to airflow and increase its capacity. Its increased size allows you to breathe rapidly and with more comfort. Purge Valve in the tube comes in handy when cleaning out the system.

What if some water accidentally enters the snorkel? Don’t worry, all that is needed is one powerful expulsion, and all will be well in no time.

What if water enters your mouth? The classic Cressi snorkel design has a lip guard, that won’t allow saltwater to run in your mouth.

Cressi delivers the two most vital components for underwater exploration in a small handy dandy bag. Benefiting storage and travel use all in one. So, grab your flippers and wet suit along with the trusted Cressi Big Eyes EVO and Alpha Dry for an unforgettable fatigue-free experience.

In A Nutshell

Here’s a quick round-up of the article for all the busy folks!

Pros

- Made from flexible silicone, adapts easily to facial contours.

- No cases of jaw fatigue, as the tube is quite flexible.

- Higher airflow capacity for a diver, due to wide elliptical bore.

- Easy cleaning due to the greater bore diameter.

- Enhanced visibility due to tempered glass eyewear.

- Snorkel stays dry and allows easy water expulsion through one powerful exhale by the diver.

- Tempered Glass stays scratch-free, even after many cleaning sessions.

- Made in Italy

Cons

- This set does not include a pair of flippers. Hence further investment is required by the diver.

Conclusion

Investing in cheaper versions may only benefit you for a use or two, then what? Always invest in original products, like this Italian-made classic. It will stay with you for many many years and allow you to discover under water with sheer clarity!