Salvimar Bite Air Snorkel

It depends what you are doing. The Cressi Calibro is a simple tube with no purge valve at the bottom, which is what most freedivers prefer. If you are snorkelling on the surface, a bottom purge makes clearing much easier — the Cressi Tao is the one we would point you at. For the most comfortable experience, the Cressi Epsilon has both a dry top and a bottom purge, so it stays clear whether you duck under or get hit by chop.

It is a one-way valve at the bottom of the tube that lets water out with a short sharp breath instead of you having to blast the whole snorkel clear. On the surface, over a long swim, it makes a real difference. Freedivers often go without one because it is one more thing to flood or fail.

A float valve at the top of the snorkel that seals when it goes under, so the tube stays empty when you duck down or a wave rolls over you. Combined with a bottom purge it is the most comfortable setup for snorkelling.

Scrub the inside of the lens with Sea Buff before the first use to strip the manufacturing film off — that is a one-time job. After that, Sea Gold anti-fog gel before each swim keeps it clear.