The Difference Between Dry Snorkel Tube and Semi Dry Snorkels?
Did you know that snorkels on snorkeling masks actually come in different styles? Two popular styles include dry snorkels and semi-dry snorkels. Both do a good job of keeping the mask out of the water but serve very different purposes. Depending on how you want to snorkel, you'll need to choose a snorkel that suits your preferences. We'll make this easy for you by explaining the differences for the rest of this article!
What is a Snorkel?
You probably know what snorkeling entails, but do you know what a snorkel actually is? To understand a snorkel, one needs to understand what snorkeling equipment looks like. Necessary snorkeling equipment includes a mask that covers the eyes and plugs the nose. You'll need to put the other piece in your mouth and bend it up through the plastic tube. This fun-looking tube is called the snorkel, and it's the part that actually lets you breathe!
Depending on how you want to approach the water ultimately determines which snorkel you will use. There are three main types of snorkels: conSnorkelional snorkels, dry snorkels, and semi-dry snorkels. We’ll cover dry and semi-dry snorkels, as they are the most common varieties used by most snorkelers. Traditional snorkels also tend to contain a lot of water, making them rather unpleasant to use.
Dry Breathing Tube
When you think of snorkeling, the word "dry" probably doesn't come to your mind. However, a dry snorkel definitely doesn't stay dry, at least not completely. The most notable feature of a dry snorkel is that it has a floating object in the tube that creates a seal to keep the inside of the snorkel dry. This is great for short dives underwater as the object will float and snorkel any water from seeping in.
Once you return to the surface, the object falls through the dry snorkel, removing the seal and allowing you to breathe through it. One problem with this is that the snorkel has to be kept perfectly straight. If not, water could get into the snorkel since there's really nothing to stop it from getting in.
The dry snorkel is great for getting you really under the water, perfect for spotting some beautiful fish while snorkeling. Dry snorkels, on the other hand, do create air-filled tubes when floating objects form a seal. This will buoy your dry snorkel, which can become very difficult for deeper dives.
Semi-Dry Breathing Tube
Another popular type of snorkel is the semi-dry snorkel. As the name suggests, this is actually a combination of a traditional snorkel and a dry snorkel. There are no floating objects inside the tube to form a seal. Instead, it has a splash guard on top to help filter out any water. Since there is no dedicated seal, this is not a snorkel that will work very well underwater. Conversely, semi-dry snorkels are better for staying on the surface.
Which Should You Use?
If you're trying to decide between dry and semi-dry snorkels, you need to know what both types of snorkels are really for. The design of the plastic pipe will ultimately affect its performance. Proper use of a snorkel means you can breathe comfortably with your preferred method of snorkeling (floating or underwater). At the same time, the amount of water (if any) entering the snorkel should be minimal. If your snorkel is filled with water, you're most likely using the wrong style.
Here's What Each Snorkel Does:
Dry Snorkel – Due to the way the floating seal works on dry snorkels, this mechanism only works when the snorkel is actually submerged. This means the best time to use it is when you really want to stay underwater. You can use this if you just want to float, but it requires concentration to stay aligned. However, dry snorkels are actually very ineffective if you want to dive to greater depths. Above 15 feet or so, the pressure inside the dry snorkel can cause it to rupture.
Semi-Dry Snorkel - With this in mind, semi-dry snorkels are better at doing the opposite. It works best when you mainly just want to float. If you want to dive underwater, the semi-dry snorkel will inevitably fill with water. By the way, if you're interested in diving deeper (eg scuba diving) then this is actually a positive effect as there won't be any resistance trying to pull you up.
The above introduces the difference between a dry snorkel and a semi-dry snorkel. If you want to buy a snorkeling snorkel, please contact us.
Shengbailong is a professional custom swimming and diving equipment manufacturer. Professional snorkels, diving masks, swimming goggles, silicone swimming caps and other products. The factory is equipped with mold CNC machines, injection molding machines, hydraulic presses and related anti-fog mirror processing equipment. The production cycle is less than 30 days, and the monthly production capacity reaches 300,000 pieces. We are proud to be a reliable partner of some of the world's most famous brands.
