If you spend all your time cleaning your goggles and blowing salt water out of your mouth piece, can you really call it snorkeling? We don’t think so.
Too many people have given up on snorkeling because of experiences like the one above.
We’re going to invite you to give it one more shot, but this time strap on a full face snorkel mask, and you’re almost guaranteed an awesome time.
These full-face masks have been re-engineered to eliminate all the problems found with the old style of mask and goggles, giving you an un-restricted viewing area as well as enabling you to breath just as easy as if you were on land. We dove in head first to find the best full face snorkel mask reviews you need to consider before your next snorkeling trip also the best full face snorkel mask amazon that you can look for
Using a snorkel mask is fairly easy and straightforward. Here are some basic steps to follow:
- Adjust the straps: First, adjust the straps on the mask to ensure a secure and comfortable fit on your face.
- Check the seal: Place the mask on your face and press it gently against your skin. Inhale through your nose to create a seal. If the mask stays in place without leaking air, you have a good seal.
- Adjust the snorkel: Adjust the snorkel so that it fits comfortably in your mouth and allows you to breathe easily.
- Test the snorkel: Before you start snorkeling, test the snorkel by inhaling and exhaling a few times to ensure that it’s working properly.
- Get in the water: Once you’re in the water, put the mask on your face and place the snorkel in your mouth. Take a few deep breaths and begin exploring!
Seaview 180° V2
After so many rave reviews is it safe to say the Seaview 180 V2 is one of the best full faced snorkel masks on the planet? We think so, and that’s why it’s our favorite. This mask is a great option for several reasons, not the least of which is its anti-fog design.
To eliminate that frustrating aspect of snorkeling, this mask is built with a separated breathing chamber that doesn’t release the air anywhere near your eyes. Another annoyance this mask eliminates is the gag-inducing backwash of saltwater down your mouth piece.
The Dry Snorkel Technology essentially creates a one-way valve at the top of the snorkel itself to only allow air to release, not water to come back in. Just as the name of the mask itself, you’ll get 180 degrees of full uninterrupted viewing angle so see everything around you. Comes in 5 different stylish colors, each of which are equipped with a GoPro camera adapter to record everything you see.
Seaview 180° V2
- LOWTECH ADVANCED AIR INTAKE SYSTEM- Breathe naturally and comfortably through your nose and mouth. Flowtech has two chambers and 4 intake valves to allow air to circulate in and out freely. Using one-way valves and a separate breathing chamber ensures fresh air is always circulating through the mask.
- DESIGNED AND TESTED IN THE USA – The Seaview 180° V2 snorkeling mask was created by our team of experienced product designers and engineers.
Vaincre 180°
The sleek look of the Vaincre full face snorkel mask will be the first thing you notice when it arrives. The mask features the anti-fogging easybreathe technology where it diverts the air away from the lens, as well as an extremely tight and resilient seal.
This mask doesn’t feature the complete rounded lens; it squares off on the sides. This is a preference, but if you’re just transitioning from normal standard snorkel masks this is an excellent choice as your depth perception will be similar.
While they say this mask isn’t suitable for free diving, you can take the full mask and snorkel underwater as long as you’re able to hold your breath. Features a GoPro Mount to record all the beautiful fish. Comes in 4 different colors.
Vaincre 180°
- Offering superior views over a standard diving mask, our 2-in-1 mask and snorkel offers a 180° view for beautiful underwater adventures.
- Taking in undersea sights is made easier with a unique full-face design that lets you breathe without holding a snorkel in your mouth, easier than ever before and can breathe naturally through your mouth or nose while you are snorkeling. Dry Snorkel system at the top allows the valve to close automatically to prevent water from entering the breathing tube.
GARDEN V PRO Full Face Snorkel
You know what would be really cool? Being able to see as many fish as your heart desires! Luckily for us, ProvLux makes that a reality with its 180-degree panaramic view full face snorkeling mask. The huge viewing space isn’t inhibited at all because of the fog free technology built into the gear.
This mask boasts a longer snorkeling tube with easy breath technology — the familiar, easy and natural breathing system full-faced snorkel masks are known for, and makes you wonder why this wasn’t invented sooner.
In the rare case you don’t seal the mask properly and water makes its way in, the Provlux mask has an exclusive drainage purge valve at the bottom so you can simply drain the mask above the surface without having to remove the entire thing.
The ProvLux ultra-dry snorkel system features an automatic valve that prevents water from entering even while diving underwater. The adjustable straps and silicon skirt ensure a perfect fitting and air tight mask that can be used by your whole family. Go on a wonderful adventure, without the gagging reflex or mask leakage.
The mask features GoPro screw adaptor for that amazing underwater photography and video capturing with GoPro camera. The mask also comes with a bonus sports bag and survival bracelet with features such as can opener, whistle and flint fire starter. A perfect setup for being stock on that remote island!
GARDEN V PRO Full Face Snorkel
- Take your snorkeling to a new level. With Provlux snorkel that features 180° high definition vision, we will give you a sea adventure like you have never seen before.
- No more mouth tubes! Stop the salt water from entering. The best and newest model available in the market today! Breath through your mouth or nose like you are out of water.
- To make your snorkeling stress free, this mask was designed with double airflow channels to ensure no fogging up and a continuous fresh airflow.
Tower Full Face Snorkel Mask
Tower is a company that became known for their high quality paddle boards on the popular ABC show, Shark Tank. With an investment from Mark Cuban the company has exploded into all other water related categories, but their quality remains the same.
The mask features the full 180° view through a completely shatterproof lens. The mask features double-air flow engineering so your breath never is exhaled towards the lens of the mask. The light gray sleek look of this mask makes it an excellent choice for your next snorkel adventure.
Tower Full Face Snorkel Mask
- the silicone lining does not put too much pressure on your nose bridge to ensure that you are comfortable to wear. Food grade silicone that does not irritate your skin.
- Relity snorkeling mask can tightly and softly wrap your full face to form a better seal, ensuring it dry inside all the time and prevents exhaled CO₂ from reaching your mirror and causing fog.
- Above water, the ball goes Down-The air valve close,water is prevented from entering the mask. Under water ball goes Up-The air valve open, the air enters into breathing tube. This design will stop water entering through top of snorkel mask into your mouth.
Canwryn
The newest Canwryn full face snorkel mask is an excellent choice for the avid adventurer with a full list of specs specifically designed for you to capture everything your eyes can see.
The superior manufactured quality of this mask makes it a great choice for the type of snorkeler who will use this not just for vacation. The universal mount on the top of the mask is molded to hold basically any action camera like GoPro, or any of the other several action cameras.
The mask itself is ultra-lightweight making it buyout. This snorkel masks design allows you to breath completely naturally underwater, making the experience much more pleasant.
The adjustable straps on this mask are made of high quality silicone and can provide a complete air-tight and comfortable seal throughout your entire snorkeling trip. Comes with a mesh travel bag, and available in 2 adjustable sizes.
Canwryn
- this superior grade snorkeling mask features a modern and optimized design that’s becoming more and more popular with amateur and professional snorklers with each passing year. Contrary to classic designs, it features a full face visor that allows unrestricted 180⁰ panoramic view.
- One of the first problems every diver has to deal with is fogging – condensation inside the mask. By utilizing a separate breathing chamber and a top quality glass visor, this mask will provide an unparalleled diving experience with minimum fogging.
Full Face Snorkel Mask Buying Guide
After looking through several snorkel mask product descriptions, they can start to seem rather redundant. Even writing this guide, the discrepancies were not immediately obvious and the average consumer may just buy one without considering all the different options available.
We looked at the best masks above, but if you’re having trouble comparing a few before you purchase this guide will help you finalize your decision in picking the best mask for the money, and you’ll also be the #1 expert in your family for snorkel mask gear to boot.
Full Face Snorkel Mask vs. Traditional Snorkel Mask
Obviously if you’ve made it this far down the review you’ve noticed that there are some stark differences between the new full face snorkel mask and the older more traditional snorkel goggle mask. When it comes to ocean snorkeling it makes sense in almost every situation to buy the full-face type of mask instead of the simple goggles and snorkel tube.
We’re not recommending this because it’s more money, but because you’ll have a much better overall experience.
Snorkel Mask Considerations
Fog
One of the coolest, if not the coolest, features of these new masks is the natural anti-fog design. People who have yet to try these will notice as they start hitting 30-60 minutes into their snorkel that they’re not having to come up above the surface, take their mask off, spit on the lens, and pray that the clarity improves. Most of the new full face snorkels have a designated breathing chamber separated from the lens, which allows the expelled CO2 to be taken out and up vs in and around your eyes.
Another added benefit of the bigger breathing snorkels is it allows you to breath with your mouth and/or your nose simultaneously. If you’ve snorkeled using old technology you may not be able to even realize how awesome this is until you test your mask out. Almost all snorkels with the separated breathing chamber have this benefit built in. Having these separated engineered breathing chambers should be the first thing you make sure the mask has before you buy.
Dry Snorkel
A dry snorkel refers to the snorkel tube itself being able to prevent water making its way down into your mouth and lungs. This technology isn’t necessarily new to snorkel masks in general, but it’s now very necessary to have this built in because you’re now breathing through your nose and mouth, and getting salt water in both at the same time would be a terrible experience.
The way the dry snorkel works is by having a buoyant round mechanism inside the snorkel valve itself which immediately floats up as soon as it hits the water line. When it floats higher the mechanism seals the breathing valve close preventing any moisture to make its way down inside your mouth. Luckily most full face snorkel masks have this technology built in, but it’s always great to make sure it’s not missing.
Lens Shape
A subtle difference you’ll start to notice as you look across our list of top snorkel masks is that the lens types vary in size and shape between models. Some masks have a completely rounded lens, while others have a rounded lens with squared off sides. Others have the breathing chamber inside the lens area, while others it is separated.
Something snorkelers who are new to the full-face masks is that the fully rounded lenses create what is commonly referred to as a “bubble effect.” A regular snorkel mask is typically flat allowing your eyes to see through them naturally and gauge distance easily. The rounded masks, however, can play a trick on your eyes, making objects feel like they are further away than they are. This is something you’ll more than likely get used to within a couple sessions, but if you’re concerned about it, maybe opt to get a full mask with a flat lens across the front.
Lens Material
When you’re floating sometimes almost a mile or more from the nearest shoreline, the last thing you want to worry about is a cheap lens. Since the lenses are so much bigger on these new masks you want to make sure you’re protected from even the harshest environments. Nobody plans on their snorkel lens to fail until it does. We recommend making sure the mask is made from a shatterproof material such as polycarbonate. This will ensure a safe clear view 100% of the time.
Skirt
A term not a lot of novice snorkelers know is the skirt of the snorkel. This just refers to the flimsily silicone type material that provides the suction to your face. Since the full masks are now covering not only your eye area but also your jawline and mouth area you want to make sure that the mask comes with an adequate skirt.
Mask Color
Color may seem like it’s a purely stylistic attribute when picking the mask, but it’s important to consider your color choices if you’re going to be swimming around ocean predators such as sharks. Sharks are thought to be attracted to brighter colors such as orange, yellow, and red; as well as contrasting hues.
If you’re going to be mainly swimming in known designated snorkeling areas this is probably not something you need to worry about, however if you’re choosing between a few opt for a style that isn’t bright like a black, blue, or even clear.
Straps
The added benefit of opting to go with a full-face snorkel is the adjustability it provides with the full head straps. Most masks have at least 2 adjustable straps, some even have 4 on there to make sure the mask contours to your face even better. Even if you pick a mask with only two adjustable straps you’re going to feel an improvement over the traditional snorkel goggles and mask.
Buying vs. Renting Your Snorkel
If you’re still on the fence about whether buying a full face snorkel mask makes more sense than renting, and not just from a financial stance. Here are why we think it’s better to just buy the mask upfront.
Price: Since there is so much competition in the market for these masks, the prices have dropped significantly. Even you’re most expensive snorkels are less than $100. Now this is largely dependent on the destinations you’ll be visiting; however, we think average mask will pay for itself with 2 snorkel rentals.
Quality: The mask you buy for yourself will be more than likely better quality of the masks found at rental shops as they buy cheap masks in bulk and rent them out for years.
Hygenie: Rental shops claim they clean their masks, but do they really? Who knows most of the time they know you’re on vacation and have nowhere else to rent gear. At least with your own mask you’re the only one that’s going to be using it.
Fit: Getting your mask to the perfect setting can take multiple adjustments throughout the day to finally get it right. Who wants to be fumbling with adjustments while trying to snorkel. Once you figure out the settings of your own mask, they’re set for if you want.
Snorkel Accessories
GoPro Hero5 – I remember when I first started snorkeling I used to take my flip phone inside a Ziploc bag and try and snap a few shots. Obviously, GoPro has improved that scenario 1000x and with the right full faced snorkel, you can easily mount the go pro to the mask and record everything you see. How cool is that?
Telescoping Pole – If you go snorkeling but don’t have any pictures of it, did you actually go? With a water proof telescoping pole, you can snap candid shots of your friends and family all below water’s surface and get them online as soon as possible.
Anti-Fog Spray – While the new full face snorkel masks do eliminate the lens fogging because of your breath, there can still be fogging of the lenses, especially if there are big differences in the waters temperature and your bodies temperature inside the mask. It’s always a good idea to carry some of this with you.
Snorkel Vest – If you want to snorkel for longer and further away from shore without feeling uncomfortable, a snorkel vest would be a great investment. These are inexpensive as well, so if you have several kids on your snorkeling trip, snorkel vests will keep them buoyant all day long.
Snorkel Flippers – If you’re going to be snorkeling, it’s always a good idea to have flippers on. If you have dive style flippers, which are usually longer that should work fine. However, if you’re looking at buying some new ones, the shorter snorkel style flippers are great for quick deliberate moves.
Snorkel Gear Bag – Many companies ship their masks with a travel type bag, but some can be made only for the mask itself. If you want to keep all your gear together (finds, mask, anti-fog, selfie stick), then a mesh bag like this one would work great.
In conclusion, finding the best full face snorkel mask for your next underwater adventure can be a challenging task, but we hope that this review has helped you in your search. With safety, comfort, and quality in mind, we have highlighted some of the top-rated full face snorkel masks available in the market. Don’t forget to check the size, fit, and features before making your final decision. Remember, the right snorkel mask can enhance your experience and make your next snorkeling trip an unforgettable one.
