U.S. Divers Snorkeling Combo

Snorkeling requires very little gear to enjoy - snorkel, fins, and a mask. This kit includes all that, plus a handy carrying bag at a reasonable price. There are cheaper kits, but when you think about it - you are in open water, head submerged, and likely surrounded by wildlife. Do you really want the cheapest set for the task?That being said - how does it work and fit? The new "patent pending" snorkel has a water purge value at the bottom, which does a great job of keeping water from building up and choking you. It does not, however, prevent water from getting in at all times. There is bound to be water entering at times (turning of the head, a wave hits you, etc.) and when that occurs, a quick exhale and the water purges out. Not bad. The top of the snorkel is fairly innovative as well - as it includes a "close valve" that will automatically close when you dive down, keeping water out of the snorkel when you surface. Handy, but again, not perfect. It does far better than not having this feature though - so a plus. The final little "bonus" on the snorkel is an emergency whistle attached right next to the mouthpiece. If you happen to get into a situation and need help, surface, move the whistle out, and blow. The emergency, ear piercing sound will certainly get someone's attention.The mask fits my large face well and has a "purge" value below the nose as well. It works fairly well, but I am still getting used to "blowing" out air through my nose to purge my mask when snorkeling. Not a normal habit, to be sure. The "panoramic" angle is more hype than reality. While it does give you more side-to-side viewing, the glass viewing under water kind of limits your ability to see things out of the corner of your eye anyway.The fins are fairly comfortable. No rubbing, no slipping off during the swim, no problems noted. The blades seem fairly sturdy and provide good motion through the water. As is noted on the insert, larger feet may not fit entirely in the "sock" and smaller feet may have to really tighten the band, with toes potentially poking out the bottom (within the range of this particular size kit). I'm right towards the top end of the max for this size and my feet fit just fine. My heel does poke out the back, but only just - and it doesn't affect me at all.Overall, the kit is a great value. The bag just makes things easier. The only thing that would make this even better - a slighter larger bag w/more pockets to store other snorkeling gear (water camera, knife, etc). There is a pocket on the front, but I would not put too many things in there, as it isn't all that large. If you like water sports or are just interested in learning how to snorkel, this is an excellent kit for the price, with quality made pieces.

My wife and I purchased this set for an upcoming trip to Hawaii. In the past we had always rented snorkel gear and hated the fit and comfort of what we found at the rental places. This set was a nice surprise. The mask fits perfectly and has a great field of view, the silicon provides a very comfortable fit without leaks and I love the drain located in the nose piece. We purchased a Cressi mask strap cover for my wife, which fit well and added a level of comfort for her. 'The snorkel really may be the best snorkel I've tried. The mouthpiece and drain are comfortable and work well. My wife likes the added whistle near the mouthpiece so she can get my attention without having to try to yell. The dry snorkel flap at the top works so well, I can't imagine using a snorkel without one again. This one feature makes the experience so much nicer, that it alone makes the purchase worthwhile.I have a size 9.5 foot in men's, and my wife wears about a size 6. I ordered the large size, and my wife ordered the small/medium. Both fit us well, but I would tell you that in a pinch I could even comfortably wear her smaller size fins. The fins themselves are well made and very comfortable, we don't see any pinch points or foresee issues with chafing or rubbing like I found in other fins. We do plan on using neoprene swim socks, but with how well the fins fit, I don't think it is necessary. The heel strap has a quick release on both sides for easy on off and secure adjustments for a range of foot sizes. The bottom of the foot-bed is a firm plastic with some rubber traction pads.The carry bag that is included really surprised me. It fits everything nicely, and seems to be very well made. There is a single strap on the back that seems to be made to carry over your left shoulder, and is comfortable to carry. The mask fits in a separate compartment at the top of the bag, with the fins and snorkel having plenty of room in the bag, with mesh fabric at the top and bottom for ventilation. I stuffed a pack of anti-fog in the front pouch to keep with our equipment.All in all I'm surprised at the quality of all of the items in the kitFor the price, I don't think you can beat this value and quality. I'll update my review when we get back from our trip.Update 26April2015.Based on the experience we had, I'd say I am comfortable with my initial impressions. We snorkeled Oahu for 8 days straight, often multiple times a day. My wife and I both thought the mask, snorkel, and fins were very comfortable, and had nothing but good to say about all of it. The mask fit us both well, and the fins were comfortable either barefoot or with our neoprene socks that we added for extra comfort. One of the most surprising points that my wife and I both enjoyed the most was the carry bag that was included. It fits well, has room for all pieces of the kit, plus a beach towel and some sunscreen in the main pocket and a phone/ wallet/ etc. in the front pocket. The bags proved to be very durable and comfortable to carry for both of us.We saw lots of other brands on our trip, some with a carry bag, and some without. None were anywhere near as nice at this kit. Is it a bit costly? Maybe. but if we had rented equipment at even half of the places we visited in Hawaii to snorkel we would have spent twice as much on rentals that didn't work well. This was by far a better option. We plan on buying two more sets for our two boys for an upcoming family trip. Excellent product.

Used for a trip to Mexico ; snorkeling as much as possible. Great item / brand with a solid comparison price. The bag holding the items is nice and durable as well.

Excelente

Good qualityReally liked the carry on bag too, surprised how much you can fit in itI was able to fit a beach size towel, extra pair of jeans, shirt, Sandles , Sun Tan lotion, sunglass, along with fins, Goggle's and snorkelMy scuba instructor said goggles were good quality

Muy buen equipo tanto para snorkeling como para buceo. Soy de cara redonda y el visor me quedó sin problemas, el sistema que tiene de purga es de mucha ayuda.Calzo del número 9 y las aletas XL me quedaron sin problema, además de que al ser de correa tienes la posibilidad de ajustarla a tu medida, eso si recomendaría comprar unas botas o calcetines para buceo para que te queden aun mejor y no te rosen o lastimen.La maleta que con la que viene es un super plus ya que facilita mucho su traslado y correcto guardado del equipo, ademas de que tiene espacio extra para guardar otras cosas, como una toalla pequeña por ejemplo.

Works perfect, might be a bit pricey but its honestly worth it, I have used it a dozen of times already and no issues to be found.