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To go snorkelling you need at least

• A mask
• A snorkel, and
• A pair of fins

Depending on sea conditions and your level of experience you might also want to use

• A suit, and
• A floating vest

How to choose a mask for snorkelling

To check for a properly fitting mask, put the mask against your face and inhale slightly through your nose. Make sure your eyebrows or hair isn’t caught between the soft mask skirt and your face. The mask should stay put without using the strap while you try to inhale. Then put the strap on and adjust it. A common mistake is to tighten the strap too much which will only lead to a sore upper lip and even a leaking mask. The strap should run straight back from your face and sit where you head is at its widest. Water pressure will keep pushing your mask onto your face so the strap should only be lightly tightened. Another common mistake is to place the mask too high on your face. Make sure you have only a small distance between your upper lip and the mask skirt. If the skirt is too high and covering your nostrils, the mask might leak at that spot.

How to choose a snorkel

A snorkel can be placed either on the left or the right hand side of your face. Attach it close to your face, not far back near your ear. The mouthpiece should rest easily in your mouth without you having to bite it. If not, then the lower adjustable part of the snorkel should be turned until the mouthpiece fits properly. And/or the snorkel should be lowered or raised in its connection to the mask. A snorkel with a valve at the bottom is much easier to clear if flooded than a snorkel that only has an opening at the top. Most modern snorkels come with a valve. Choose a snorkel that has a tube with a large opening. It makes breathing easier.

How to choose fins for snorkelling

Fins come in two types, full-footed fins and adjustable ones. The full-footed fin is worn directly on your feet while the adjustable one is normally worn with boots. You might find that an adjustable fin, together with boots, is a little clumsy to wear for snorkelling. Adjustable fins are normally larger than full-footed ones. And because the boots float, it might be hard to keep your feet down. Then you end up splashing on the surface rather than being able to make fin strokes under the water. But for areas where you must walk across a stony or sharp beach or bottom to reach your snorkelling site, boots might be necessary.

To choose full-footed fins don’t go for the size that fits tightly on the foot but rather one that is a little bigger. A tight fin can lead to cramp in the foot. To choose adjustable fins try the boots first and then the fin. The wider and longer the blade of the fin, the more power you will have. But that also means you need to have enough strength to move your legs if you choose a powerful fin.

Suits and vests for snorkelling

Depending on water temperature you might need a wet suit for snorkelling, or a thin Lycra suit to protect you from the sun. Click here for Red Sea water temperature. A wet suit is made of neoprene and it floats, which means you will be more buoyant as well while wearing one. Wet suits come in various models; some covering the whole body while other have short sleeves and legs for warmer climate. A Lycra suit is simply a thin extra skin, which doesn’t provide any buoyancy.

A snorkelling vest is an inflatable jacket that keeps you afloat while resting or swimming on the surface. This device can also be used while swimming under water, to provide a little extra buoyancy (see Skin Diving). It can be easily inflated and deflated with a mouthpiece depending on need.