How to choose a snorkel for scuba diving? If you are a beginner swimmer, then this device should not be in the first place among swimming accessories. Additional accessories will be more useful for professional divers or those who decide to expand their knowledge of deep sea diving. In such cases, to feel comfortable in the water, a snorkel for swimming is indispensable.
General information
Finding the right snorkel for the first time can be difficult because everyone's breathing patterns are different. Before buying, you should familiarize yourself with the variety of designs, offers from manufacturers and destinations. In addition, you can ask for help from a consultant equipment store. With the right choice of tube, breathing and moving at great depths will be easy and free, otherwise, the shortest swim will turn into a real torment. Divers love this accessory becausethanks to the breathing tube, you can save a lot of air.
Materials of production
The snorkel is a hollow tube that helps you swim shallow underwater without floating up. The first ever pipe was made from reed. There is now a huge variety of accessories on the market, designed to meet the smallest physical requirements.
Today, tubes are made of plastic. Mouthpieces and valves for water purification are made of silicone.
Destination
The immersion snorkel can be used in the following cases:
- Scuba diving. In this case, a set of breathing tubes with a flexible knurled silicone insert is the best choice. These models have a nozzle, thanks to which water does not get into them.
- Hunting under water. For those who like to hunt underwater, there are options that take into account the anatomical structure. They exclude loss, thanks to the coverage of the head. Their feature is a small hydrodynamic resistance.
- Diving. For simple diving, a snorkel with a valve at the bottom is great. She quickly gets rid of the water during her ascent.
- Snorkeling. With this type of water activity, it is important that the tube is straight and the mouthpiece is on the side.
- Sport swimming. Frontal varieties of tubes are suitable here.
Device features
Before purchasing an airway tubeit is recommended to find out what it consists of. A quality product is distinguished by the presence of a fastening system, which consists of a plastic clip and a movable ring. There are also devices that can be attached directly, without the use of a clamp. It is worth saying that such an accessory is not safe. In the process of cleaning the tube, special valves are activated. They work according to the following principle: air and water go out, while water cannot get back.
The following snorkel option is great for snorkelers and spearfishers. The structure is simple. The swimmer simply holds it in his mouth and breathes. Nothing extra is needed. When surfacing, the tube is cleared of water that has entered it.
The presence of a drain valve in the product is not suitable for diving enthusiasts. When diving, you have to dive to a certain depth. The drain valve can interfere with comfortable breathing, as pieces of algae may remain in it. However, many professional divers do not consider this a serious drawback and in most cases prefer the drainage system to remove fluid.
The valve can be located either on the side of the breathing tube or at the bottom of the mouthpiece. Typically, this design has a unidirectional valve with a poppet system that facilitates the process of removing trapped liquid.
How to use the accessory?
During diving, some water gets under the mask. To remove it, you need to tilthead slightly forward, press on the top of the mask, then exhale through the nose. If there is a valve to remove the liquid, it is not necessary to compress the upper part of the mask. In this case, excess fluid is removed through the bottom flange. Manipulations are made until the complete disposal of water.
Because the temperature is different on the surface and in the water, the lenses of the mask may fog up. To prevent this from happening, you must use a solution specially designed for such cases or simply rinse the glass.
After diving, spearfishing or snorkelling, the breathing tube should be flushed under a tap. Store the product in a specially designed box.
How to swim with a snorkel?
Before you start diving, you must install the tube and put on the mask, following certain rules. You need to follow the following steps in sequence:
- Put on the mask and adjust it to a comfortable position.
- Insert the tube into the mouth and hold the mouthpiece with your teeth.
- Gradually dive into the water and lower your face along with the tube, while trying to breathe through it.
- Rise and fall until breathing through the tube becomes habitual.
- If liquid gets into the tube, blow it out quickly.
- Keep calm and remember that you can always rise above the water.
How to use your handset effectively
The breathing tube is comfortable to use at homewater surface. When diving more than 30 centimeters deep, the pressure begins to rise. This causes difficulty in breathing. Some models have an elongated tube to prevent water from entering it. The most optimal tube length is 40 centimeters, and its inner diameter should be 2.5 centimeters. Experts do not recommend using long tubes for a long time, as this increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the lungs. This in turn adversely affects human he alth.
Usage Tips
Snorkeling is very exciting. Anyone can learn how to use it after a few trainings. The main thing is to stay calm and try to overcome your fear. Before diving with a snorkel for the first time, it is necessary to get training from a professional, as strict adherence to safety measures is necessary.
It is recommended to listen to the following advice from experienced swimmers and specialists:
- For deep-sea diving it is better to choose flexible tubes. With them, it is faster to switch to the breathing apparatus and back.
- If a tubing with multiple segments is used, check their integrity regularly.
- The handset must fit the individual.
- Use disposable breathing tubes or thoroughly rinse reusable accessory after each use.
