See Underwater with the Best Snorkel Masks

Best Snorkel Masks Buying Guide

Without any doubt, a properly-fitted mask is the most important component of your snorkeling gear. Normally, people use the elimination method while finding the best snorkeling masks by trying on different available sizes. However, with so many options available in the market, buying the right mask is no easy feat.

As a great fitting mask can be a game-changer for your snorkeling experience, you should make an effort to buy the best one. Here are a few things that you should know about before committing to a purchase.

What Should You Look For In a Snorkeling Mask?

While you are on the hunt for the best snorkeling masks, you should consider the following factors to ensure that you are investing in the right product.

Enclosed Nose

No matter if you are using your mask for scuba diving, snorkeling, skin-diving, or freediving, the masks you put on should have an enclosed nose. Such masks come in handy to prevent you from inhaling water while diving.

Field of View

If you are thinking of buying a full-face snorkeling mask, you should choose one that offers a complete 180-degree view. To get an idea of whether you are trying on the right mask or not, know that the best snorkeling masks should have the lens extending out on the sides of both your eyes.

Double Skirt Seal

This seal around the mask is there to make sure that you will be protected even against slight leaking.

Anti-Fog

While buying a full-face snorkeling mask, you should go for anti-fog lenses. Some masks are more prone to getting foggy, leading to blurry vision. While it's nothing near an emergency, it can be annoying to have to constantly resurface to clear the fog on the inside of the lens.

Low Volume

To reduce the amount of water drag during snorkeling, low-volume masks work best as they fit closely to your face. However, there are some situations when divers and snorkelers have to use slightly larger volume masks, depending on the underwater conditions.

Tempered Glass

You should avoid using plastic masks as they can easily fog up and spoil your snorkeling experience. There is also the slight chance that you might get stuck in a situation or get involved in an accident where normal glass masks can be hazardous. Thus, tempered glass is the best option.

Shaped Lens Panel

Consider the ocean and its conditions when choosing the best-suited mask. Shaped lens panels are ideal for snorkelers who want to have peripheral vision to experience all the things around them. Shaped lenses let you see up and down as well as side to side.

What Are Different Types of Snorkeling Masks?

There are different types of masks to choose from, and one can easily get confused by the information available. To help you out in your decision-making process, we have listed 7 of the most common types of snorkeling masks.

Two Window Masks

These masks come with two glass panes separated by a frame. They have a shape designed to ideally sit very close to the face, and it becomes easy to equalize and clear them. However, if you decide to go with a two-window mask, make sure that the frame of the mask doesn’t press against the bridge of your nose. It can cause some serious issues for snorkelers when underwater.

Side Window Masks

You will find two extra glass panes on the sides of these masks. Thus, some extra light can penetrate into the mask to increase the field of vision of snorkelers, freedivers, and scuba divers. The side window masks are slightly bigger than other masks, and you might need more air to get them clean.

Single Window Mask

These masks have a continuous glass window that expands across the mask. There is no frame between the eyes of the diver. Thus, many divers opt for this style because they provide maximum viewing ability and comfort.

Corrective Lens Mask

If you wear glasses or contact lenses on a regular basis, it can be tough to enjoy your diving or snorkeling experience. Fortunately, there are plenty of options that feature corrective lenses built into the mask itself. Whether you wear glasses or contact lenses, you should definitely look into this option. Some manufacturers even offer snorkeling masks with interchangeable lenses in case anyone wants to borrow your mask.

Color Correcting

Your eyes perceive color by distinguishing between different wavelengths of light. Unfortunately, the water you're diving in will progressively absorb more of these as you dive deeper: you'll stop being able to see red at about 15 feet, and yellow begins to disappear closer to 25-30 feet underwater. Thus, you might consider buying color-correcting masks to define objects more clearly in order to have clearer depth perception.

Panoramic Side Window Snorkel Masks

These masks have an increased field of vision since more light can penetrate into the side glasses. Though these have a larger volume allowing them to hold more air, this feature won’t bother snorkelers much.

Built-In Purge Valve Mask

You can clean these masks without many hassles while under the water. However, these masks are more convenient for divers as compared to snorkelers. On the other hand, be aware that if the purge valve were to break, it will result in instant flooding of the whole mask and will bring an immediate end to your snorkeling or dive session.

Snorkel Mask FAQs

What Should Be The Size of My Snorkel Mask?

You should try different types of masks to know which one will work the best for you. Look around while wearing the mask to know whether it will cut off your vision or not.

Can Full-face Snorkeling Masks Be Dangerous For You?

There are some risks associated with using full-face masks, as they can build up exhaled carbon dioxide if the mask is unable to evacuate it properly. This will potentially lead to headaches, dizziness, or even unconsciousness with prolonged exposure. However, this concern is typically isolated to poorly manufactured masks, which we'll certainly avoid.

Will You Find It Difficult To Breathe With A Snorkel Mask Under the Water?

The top of the tube should stay above the water to allow you to breathe properly. The full face mask will be covering your whole face, enabling you to breathe both through your mouth and nose.