Buying Cheap Snorkel Masks
When we went to work at a beautiful campground in Florida for the winter, we received some great suggestions for snorkeling. We had only snorkeled twice before this and our snorkel masks were the cheap kits from Amazon that included the flippers for $25. So, we decided to purchase different snorkel masks for our winter adventure. Unfortunately, we have this bad habit that usually costs us more money in the long run. When we first want to try a hobby, we tend to buy cheap versions of the tools we need just to see if we like the hobby. For example, when we decided to try our simple boogie boarding, we purchased cheap styrofoam boards. However, after playing for a day, we went and purchased new slick, better quality boards. Buying the cheap boards cost us $40 more than just buying good boards from the start.
We made the same mistake purchasing additional snorkel masks. Phil Foster in Riviera Beach was our absolute favorite place to snorkel, and we went twelve times during our stay! We decided to upgrade our snorkel masks (we thought) and purchased a couple more cheap masks that we thought would work. We could see out the side and they looked so clear. However, they did not fit very well, especially on Jessica. They leaked and fogged up. Jessica even missed a cool nurse shark messing with her mask!! After some researching and YouTubing, we learned that we needed snorkel masks that fit our face. One size does not fit all in snorkel masks!
Determining Whether A Snorkel Mask Fits
To determine whether a snorkel mask fits – you take a breath in and hold it. Then put the mask on your face without using the strap. If the mask sits on your face without the strap, then it fits your face. We tried several masks with this method that did not fit our face! Eventually, Jessica purchased a small adult Cressi mask from Amazon. What a difference it made! No leaking and it is so comfortable! Windell went to a scuba shop to get fitted for his new mask. Now we both enjoy snorkeling for several hours and seeing all the awesome marine life. Although we do use baby shampoo on our masks and then rinse them to help prevent fogging, they still fog every once in a while in a small spot. But purchasing our snorkeling masks and Cressi fins have made our adventures so much more amazing. So, again we spent approximately $100 more on cheap equipment than we should have. Hopefully, we are learning our lesson. Every hobby that we have wanted to try, we have enjoyed. It is much better for us to go ahead and spend the money for good equipment rather than waste money and not have as much fun!