Snorkelling Gear in South Africa

This page is for snorkellers buying a mask, snorkel and fins for a holiday, and for families kitting out children. Our snorkelling range is online and at our Glenvista shop in Johannesburg. The full range by category sits in the Snorkelling Store.

Summer and holiday picks

Six sets and masks from the current range, each chosen for a different kind of trip.

• SCUBAPRO Go Sport Set: boot-fit fins with an Ecco mask and Vent 2 snorkel, for rocky shore entries in boots or warm-water trips.
• TUSA Travel Right Set: barefoot fins that pack into carry-on, plus a Freedom Ceos mask and a semi-dry snorkel.
• Cressi Palau Snorkel Set: open-heel barefoot fins that adapt across three or four adjacent sizes, so one set can be shared around a family.
• Cressi Quantum and Itaca Ultra Dry Combo: a mask designed to manage fogging, with a dry snorkel.
• Mares Nateeva Keewee Junior Snorkelling Set: mask, snorkel and fins that Mares recommend for ages 8 to 14, with a buckle-free fin strap on six adjustment levels.
• SCUBAPRO Zoom Lite Mask: impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses, and optical or bifocal lenses fit by hand with no tools.

Masks

A leak or a fogged lens ends a snorkel early, so the mask is the piece to get right first. Single-lens masks give one open window and suit snorkellers who want a wide view. Twin-lens masks keep volume low, and many of them take optical lenses. Browse every style in snorkelling masks, or go straight to single lens masks and twin lens masks. Full face designs have their own section in full face masks.

Snorkels

Snorkels differ mostly at the top of the tube. A dry snorkel closes when it goes under, a semi-dry one carries a splash guard against chop, and a classic snorkel is a plain open tube, the simplest of the three. Many also have a purge valve below the mouthpiece that clears stray water on a short blow. See the full range in snorkels, split into dry snorkels, semi-dry snorkels and classic snorkels.

Fins

Fins come in two fits. Closed-heel fins, also called full-foot fins, go on a bare foot or a thin sock and suit warm water and boat snorkelling. Open-heel fins have a strap or bungee behind the heel. Many are cut to be worn with boots, which protect the feet on rocky entries, though some, such as the Palau, are made for bare feet. Compare closed heel fins and open heel fins, or see every pair in snorkelling fins.

Sets

A set takes the guesswork out of matching parts, since the mask, snorkel and fins were picked to work together. Mask and snorkel pairs are in mask and snorkel sets. Complete kits with fins are in mask, snorkel and fin sets. Sets that come with a carry bag go straight into a suitcase, which saves sorting loose parts at the airport.

Kids and family

Junior kit is made in smaller sizes for a child's face and foot. The kids sets collection groups complete junior sets. Junior and kids covers single masks, snorkels, fins and wetsuits in junior sizes. Several junior sets list an age range on the product page, so check it against the child before you order. Bring the child to the shop to try kit on if you can.

Prescription lens masks

Glasses can't be worn under a mask, so some snorkellers fit corrective lenses instead. The prescription masks collection lists the models that take optical lenses, including the SCUBAPRO Zoom Lite, the Cressi Big Eyes Evolution and the TUSA Freedom Ceos. The product page for each one sets out which lenses suit it.

Fit guide

Mask fit: the no-strap seal test

Hold the mask against your face with the strap pushed forward out of the way, breathe in gently through your nose and let go. A mask that fits stays on by suction alone. One that drops off has a gap, often at the cheekbones or the bridge of the nose.

Choosing a snorkel

A dry snorkel has a valve at the top that shuts when the tube goes under. A semi-dry snorkel cuts down splash with a guard at the top while the tube stays open. A classic snorkel has no valve at the top, so there's less to rinse and less to wear out. For most holiday snorkelling the choice comes down to how much water in the mouth you're willing to put up with.

Fin sizing

Full-foot fins are sized to a bare foot and should feel snug, with the toes near the end of the pocket and no pressure across the top of the foot. Open-heel fins are sized to the boot, so choose the boot first and try the fin over it. Sizing differs between brands, and the size options on each product page follow the maker's own chart. A fin that slips at the heel tends to rub and comes off in the surf.

Kids sizing

Buy junior kit for the child's size today, not the size they may reach next year. An oversized mask leaks, and a fin that's too big rubs or slips off. Some junior fins have a bungee heel that stretches across a size, such as the GO fin in the Go Small Set. That gives a little margin without the fin sitting loose.

Set Specials

Ready-made sets from the brands we stock sit together in Set Specials, covering adult, junior and travel sets for snorkelling. SCUBAPRO's sets also have their own page in SCUBAPRO snorkel sets, from the Go Sport and Supernova sets to the Go Small for children.

More snorkelling gear

Sun and water temperature decide the rest of the kit. For warmth and sun cover there are snorkelling wetsuits, including shorties and full wetsuits, plus rash vests, hoods and gloves. For feet, see boots and water shoes and fin socks.

For time at the surface there are buoys and floats and surface marker buoys. To carry it all, browse bags, including mesh bags, dry bags and travel bags, and dry off with towels and robes.

Small parts keep a set working. The accessories section holds mask straps, mask cases, defoggers, snorkel accessories and fin spares. Ear and nose protection, first aid and sun and skin care finish the bag.

Snorkelling questions

Where can I buy snorkelling gear in South Africa?

Scuba Evolution stocks snorkelling masks, snorkels, fins and complete sets online and at Shop U44, Glenvista Shopping Centre, Johannesburg. Delivery is fast and tracked anywhere in South Africa, next business day in Gauteng.

Do you sell full face snorkelling masks?

Yes. They're listed in the full face masks collection. Read the maker's guidance, sizing and age information on the product page before you buy, and ask us in the shop if you have questions.

Can I get a snorkelling mask with prescription lenses?

Yes. Masks that take optical lenses are grouped in the prescription masks collection. The SCUBAPRO Zoom Lite, for example, takes optical or bifocal lenses fitted by hand in under a minute. Check the product page of the mask you like for its lens options.

What size snorkelling gear should I buy for my child?

Buy for the size the child is now. Junior sets often list an age range, such as 8 to 14 for the Mares Nateeva Keewee Junior Snorkelling Set, but trying it on in the shop is the surest check.

What's the difference between a dry and a semi-dry snorkel?

A dry snorkel has a valve at the top that closes when the tube is submerged, keeping water out. A semi-dry snorkel has a splash guard at the top against chop and spray, but the tube stays open underwater. Both types often carry a purge valve below the mouthpiece.

Can I try a mask on in the shop?

Yes. Visit us at Shop U44, Glenvista Shopping Centre, and try masks, snorkels and fins before you buy. The no-strap seal test takes a few seconds and shows whether a mask suits your face.