Snorkeling is often the way that most people get into diving. It’s the least expensive way and means you can dunk your head under a little and check out what’s down there below the surface. Maybe you’re interested in knowing how a snorkel works? Or you’re looking for that perfect dry snorkel for your next trip?
What you may not have realized if you’re new to diving and snorkeling is that there’s more than one kind of snorkel out there. So before you get to your next snorkel destination, let’s take a look at the options out there.
In fact, there’s the traditional snorkel, semi-dry snorkel, and dry snorkel. Although these all have their pros and cons, we’re going to focus in this post on the one that’s perhaps the most popular – the dry snorkel.
Don’t have time to read our full review? No worries! Here are our 3 most popular Dry Snorkels;
- Float Mechanism
- Removeable Mouthpiece
- Quick-Release Keeper
- +20 Color Options
- Matching Mask Av.
- Low-Profile Dry Top
- Angled-Purge-Chamber
- +14 Color Options
- Quick Release Buckle
- Removeable Mouthpiece
- Easy Purge System
- +18 Color Options
If you’ve ever run a search on dry snorkels before, you’ll already know what a huge variety is out there. That’s why at Ocean Scuba Dive, we really want to help you out. Homework and research are important when buying any of the gear you need for diving, as you’ll want to avoid just buying any old scuba snorkel.
However, not all divers carry a snorkel when scuba diving. In fact, there’s a lot of debate about it. Where do you stand on the debate of is a snorkel necessary for scuba diving?
But if it’s a snorkel you’re looking for, you’ll want a snorkel that’s comfortable to wear, that’ll last and importantly, won’t let water in every other five minutes or so. With our guide of the best snorkel reviews, you’ll be ready for the worlds best snorkeling destinations in no time!
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
10 Best Dry Snorkels for Scuba Diving
1. Aqua Lung Impulse 3 2-Valve Flex Snorkel
Our Review Score
First on our list of best snorkel reviews is the Aqua Lung Impulse dry snorkel. Aqua Lung is another brand that has been featured many times before in many of our articles and buying guides here at Ocean Scuba Dive. This is with very good reason because they make high-performing diving equipment and solutions that are both functional and practical while having the durability you want to get the most from your investment. Which is no surprise as to why they have a place for the best scuba snorkel in our top 10 list.
There’s a reservoir positioned beneath the mouthpiece to keep your airflow free from excess water. To clear this snorkel, it just takes a couple of good puffs and you’ll be able to get rid of any water that does make its way into the tubing.
Thanks to its large bore, there’s very little to no breathing resistance, making it easy to breathe comfortably and enjoy a diving and swimming experience free of most of the drag you get with others. This model even comes with the option of a Flex model that means you can drop the COMFO-BITE mouthpiece out of the way when you switch from snorkeling to Scuba.
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2. Cressi Supernova Dry Snorkel
Our Review Score
Cressi are an incredibly popular and highly reputable diving accessories and equipment brand, especially among experts and professionals. They’re known for designing and manufacturing high-quality and durable items. The Cressi Supernova dry snorkel is no different. This comes equipped with a tube that’s very flexible and, will, therefore, move along with you to allow you the ability to turn your head easily without suffering from fatigue in the jaw area.
It’s also a very travel-friendly diving snorkel, due to its compact size and lightweight design it’s one of the best snorkels to travel with. It folds right down and will fit in your luggage without taking up too much space. At the bottom of this great accessory, there’s a one-way purge valve that’s very easy to clean, meaning you’ll never have to battle with any water. As if that all wasn’t enough, it’s worth noting that this snorkel is very low-priced and available in a wide variety of colors.
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3. Phantom Aquatics Dry Snorkel
Our Review Score
Next in our list is the rather awesome scuba snorkel from Phantom Aquatics. To start with, what we love about this model is that it’s so compact when folded up that’ll fit in virtually any sized day bag or pack, meaning you’re always ready and prepared to jump into the water. Minimum faffing guaranteed. The oval-shaped slick bore and angled mouthpiece make this a dream to use underwater, while the incredibly generous-sized self-draining chamber makes it easy to purge water.
You can detach it when you’re ready to put it away using just one hand thanks to the quick-release buckle. Another nice touch from Phantom is the fact that the angled mouthpiece can be replaced. This means you can get even more use out of this dry snorkel than others because you don’t have to chuck it away when the mouthpiece starts to fail.
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4. Cressi Alpha Ultra Dry Snorkel
Our Review Score
We’re looking at another great dry snorkel from the Italian masters of diving equipment and gear. The Cressi Alpha Ultra diving snorkel is evidence of just how much experience and skills they have in designing diving gear. It is built with cutting-edge tech and top-grade materials to produce a dry snorkel that’s as stylish as it is high-performance.
Flexible materials and lightweight design enables you to spend more time with your head under and will prevent jaw pain. There’s also the wide opening that means you can breathe almost similarly to you would out of the water. As a nice addition, it’s also equipped with an auto float mechanism.
When it comes to storing it away and transporting it, Cressi have made it foldable and at that size, it’s easy enough to fit it inside a travel pack or even a pocket in your BC.
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5. Scubapro Laguna 2 Dry Snorkel
Our Review Score
Scubapro are another one of those diving equipment and accessories brands that command a lot of respect within the community for their commitment to high-quality and high-performance products. That’s exactly what you get with the Scubapro Laguna 2 dry snorkel. This snorkling tube has a patented, lightweight valve design that opens and closes automatically when it comes into contact with water. This ensures that as little water as possible can ever enter the tubing.
Comfort was at the forefront of the design team who worked on this snorkel. It has a mouthpiece that’s ergonomically-shaped to provide you with the maximum amount of comfort during use. As the mouthpiece is not only adjustable but replaceable, you don’t necessarily have to buy a completely new snorkel if the mouthpiece starts failing. Furthermore, because it has a corrugated and flexible section, the snorkel will automatically drop away from your face when not in use.
This will give your jaw a break between dives. In terms of keeping it clear, there’s a large one-way purge valve at the lowest point to make it as easy as pie. All in all, this is a well-designed dry snorkel.
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6. Mares Ergo Dry Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Snorkel
Our Review Score
There’s a reason why you’ll always find a Mares product or 2 in any of our buying guides and articles here on Ocean Scuba Dive, and that’s because they have a sterling reputation for designing and constructing amazing diving equipment. This dry snorkel is no different. At just 4.8-ounces, it’s easily one of the lightest scuba snorkels in our guide and on the market and thanks to its flexible tubing, it’s incredibly easy to store away in your luggage.
Crucially though, it’s the one-way water purge valve that’s easy to use and the exceptionally comfortable curved mouthpiece, that really make this a winner. Those components and the high-quality silicone it’s made from, make it possible to enjoy longer and more intensive snorkeling sessions.
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7. Riffe Stable Snorkel
Our Review Score
It may have a slightly higher price tag than many we’ve featured in our guide so far, but it’s with good reason that the Riffe Stable Snorkling tube is highlighted. The low-profile of the snorkel’s design runs up to a mouthpiece that’s molded so that it fits perfectly. Riffe have used a durable and flexible vinyl material so that the tubing is easy to fold down into any pack or BC for while you’re traveling.
If it looks familiar, you may notice that this dry snorkel has a shark fin-style shape that makes it easier to move through the water while avoiding floating debris or seaweed. Because of this, it’s one of the easiest to clean scuba snorkels available right now.
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8. Oceanic Ultra Dry Snorkel
Our Review Score
Oceanic have produced a dry snorkel that utilizes their own patented tech to ensure there’s almost no water at all allowed to enter the tubing. With the drop-away flex-style mouthpiece, it will sit nicely inside your mouth to make your diving experience as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
One of the biggest concerns most snorkelers have is suffering from the rotten jaw fatigue and that’s something that just won’t happen with the Oceanic Ultra Dry 2. Much like others mentioned in this list, the mouthpiece for this snorkel is also completely removable and can be replaced. As such, there’s no reason to fork out the money for a new dry snorkel every time the mouthpiece starts to fail.
The ergonomic design of the snorkel also makes it excellent in terms of both performance and comfort, with the low profile allowing an unmatched volume of airflow through the snorkel.
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9. XS Scuba M-Line 3D Dry Snorkel
Our Review Score 
The M-Line 3D dry snorkel from XS Scuba is one of the top-performing diving aids on the market. One of the best things about this scuba snorkel is its valve system which allows you to descend further down under the water and it features a simple button that purges any water that makes its way inside the tube, in the rare situation that that happens. You also don’t need to be worried about exhaling in order to open the flap when you get back to the surface, as it will automatically do it for you.
Another huge benefit from investing in this affordable, silicone-based dry snorkel is that it has a mouthpiece that’s adjustable. So, you don’t need to compromise or just put up with an ill-fitting mouthpiece that could impede your enjoyment while diving or worse still, make it less safe. You can simply adjust it until it fits your mouth most comfortably. The fact that the tubing is also flexible means that you can adjust that, so it contours better with your body.
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10. Tusa Hyperdry Elite II Dry Top Snorkel
Our Review Score
Last, but certainly not least on our list of best snorkels is the Tusa Hyperdry Elite scuba snorkel. Tusa are known for their ingenious designs and high-quality diving gear, and that’s exactly what you get with this Hyperdry Elite II model – a well-designed, top-grade dry snorkel. The company has worked hard to reduce drag with this model and as it can even be positioned completely horizontally, you can gain greater speed through the water.
Whereas with some of the other scuba snorkels on the market, there’s always that worry in the back of your head that water is going to find its way in eventually, you don’t have that with the Hyperdry. Thanks to the high-tech valve they’ve incorporated into its design, it’s able to detect water and closes automatically.
As the tubing has a larger diameter than a lot of other dry snorkels, you’re also able to take fuller and deeper breaths without struggling afterward. This enables you to fully enjoy your diving experience longer and more safely. It doesn’t end there, as even the mouthpiece has had considerable work carried out on it to work in line with the tubing to produce as little pressure on the jaw and mouth as possible.
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Summary of the Best Dry Snorkels
There we have it guys, a look at some of the best dry snorkels available right now. We’re sure we’ve given you enough food for thought and from the 10 highlighted above you’re bound to find the right one for you. It’s important when choosing any diving equipment that, while you should pay attention to what other people’s experience have been, you still consider your own preferences.
Diving is quite a personal thing and the equipment must be the right match for your needs, capabilities and how often you’ve been diving for. Use reviews as a guide and take into consideration the cost (but don’t base your decision on price alone). Just because your diving buddy likes a specific model, doesn’t necessarily mean you will too.
Some people, for example, prefer dry snorkels with flexible tubes, because they offer flexibility that makes it easy to position it so that your mouthpiece is comfortable. However, others prefer rigid tubes because although they can be uncomfortable, they will stay in place and don’t tend to move around as much.
By looking at this guide, considering your options carefully, you’ll be able to find the right dry snorkel for you.
