A snorkel is an essential piece of equipment for any diver, allowing you to reserve the air in your tank when you’re near the surface. But not all snorkels are created equal—for the best experience, you should use a dry snorkel to breathe easy and keep water out of your mouth.

But what exactly is a dry snorkel? Find out what dry snorkels are and what you should look for when getting one of your own.

What Is a Dry Snorkel?

A dry snorkel is a snorkel that’s designed to seal off completely while the tube is submerged. That means you won’t ever accidentally inhale saltwater during your dive. It doesn’t matter if you’re using it after diving deep into the ocean or swimming in choppy waves; a dry snorkel is always ready to use. 

How Do Dry Snorkels Work?

A dry snorkel stays dry by utilizing a float valve at the top of the snorkel. When it is above the water, the float valve drops, allowing air to freely move. However, when you go under the water, the float valve rises to the top of the mechanism, blocking water from getting into the snorkel. 

Most dry snorkels include a one-way purge valve at the bottom of the snorkel, near the mouthpiece. With one puff of air into the mouthpiece, the purge valve quickly clears out any water that might happen to sneak inside the snorkel. 

There is also a splash guard to help keep the snorkel dry, even when you’re on the surface. This protects the snorkel from getting filled with water when swimming through crashing waves.

What Are the Best Times to Use a Dry Snorkel Tube?

After a dive is one of the best times to use a dry snorkel. If you have to wait for a boat to pick you up, or if you need to swim to a boat, a dry snorkel can help you conserve energy while on the surface without having to continually purge your snorkel.

Dry snorkels are also great to use while you prepare yourself to dive deeper into the body water. Perhaps you’re waiting for other scuba divers to get in the water or you simply need to survey the route while you’re closer to the surface. Your dry snorkel will help you conserve the gas in your tank and breathe comfortably. 

Get Your Dry Snorkel Today

Dry snorkels are the ideal snorkeling tube for frequent divers, which is why you should add one to your kit.

Oceanic’s Ultra Dry snorkel has efficient dual exhaust valves to keep it clear of any water. It also features a drop-away, flexible mouthpiece that is made with 100% liquid silicone, offering optimal comfort.

Designed to be comfortable and dependable, check out our best dry snorkel for your next dive.

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