WSO Wishlist: Essential Summer Snorkeling Kit

Take up snorkelling and marvel at the abundance of life in our seas – you actually need very little kit to get started…

Cressi Alpha Dry Snorkel £24.95

We love this new and streamlined dry topped snorkel by Cressi – great all round performance but it excels in keeping the water out of the snorkel when diving below the surface, thanks to its patented valve, which closes when under the water. There’s also a drain purge valve, which means any splashes of water entering the snorkel while at the surface are easily cleared. Using this is as close to amphibian we’re going to get!

Atomic Sub Frame Twin Lense Mask £55

This is the king of snorkeling masks, offering wide vision, high optical quality, distortion-free UltraClear lenses, allowing you to experience marine life in all of its majesty. We are yet to see a mask offering better durability and resistance to breakage. We find these to be a great fit and you just squeeze to adjust the buckles. The lenses in the Atomic Sub are removable, so you can have corrective lenses fitted if needed – bonus.

GUL Fins £15.95

Fins make snorkeling so much easier. Amplifying the movements you make swimming requires less effort so you can stay in the water much longer and they allow you to glide through the water without splashing, so you don’t scare the marine life. This adult set from Gul come in a range of sizes and offer a soft and comfortable fit with silicone open-toe foot pocket, so there’s no need for booties.

GUL Response 1.5mm Steamer Wetsuit £49.90

A great (anti)stinger suit for snorkeling in warmer waters, the Gul Response 1.5mm Steamer features X-flex super stretch arm panels for flexibility and freedom of movement and D-flex lower body panels and Powertex knees for durability. Despite the low price, it also boasts flatlock durable seam construction and tech-Neck single layer seal. The Dura Skin chest and back panels prevent wind chill and Titanium 2 lined neoprene reflects the heat back in – all in all a brilliant wettie for snorkeling.

Swox Face Sunscreen £13

Snorkeling in a wetsuit is best practice as well as providing buoyancy, they protect your skin from anything that’ll sting and stop you from getting sunburnt too. Make sure you don’t forget to use a good sunscreen to protect your face from the sun though. We recommend this SPF 30 sunscreen by SWOX – it’s highly effective water resistant with UVA/UVB filter systems combined with natural zinc and titanium blockers to provide protection from sunlight induced damages.