Snorkel Equipment?

My wife and i will be in Kauai from June 4-14 for our honeymoon and will be doing a lot of snorkeling. I was wondering if we should buy our own equipment or just rent it their? If anyone knows some of the places to rent from and their prices that would be helpful. We are staying at Kuhio Shores and know that there is a great spot to snorkel right outside from the condo. Also do you really need the fins to snorkel or can you get by the same without them?

Snorkel Equipment?

You can snorkel without fins but I don%26#39;t recommend it. Fins aid maneuverability and make it easier to move through the water, especially if you need to get away from a coral head or swim through a current.

I like to have my own equipment, especially since I%26#39;ve been hard to fit with a mask. Costco has good sets for $39.99 if you choose to buy.

Snorkel Equipment?

We always pack our own snorkeling gear in a duffle bag and bring it with us. We leave the bag in the trunk of our rental car and that way it%26#39;s there when we want it. You can pick up some decent but inexpensive equipment at Walmart or K Mart and I would definitely recommend fins as well- they%26#39;ll help you swim through rough spots more safely and easily. If you don%26#39;t want to buy your own equipment, there are lots of places around that will rent to you for $5-10/day or less and will often give you a better price if you rent by the week. Call around when you get there and compare prices. Snorkel Bob%26#39;s is one place that Frommer%26#39;s recommends.

SNORKEL GEAR:

We have always brought our own mask, snorkel, and gloves on any sailing, or snorkeling vacation. caribbean, Tahiti, or any of the Hawaiian Islands.

Why: One thing is that when you purchase a good mask and snorkel at a dive shop you are assued of a proper fit. Not to mention using a rental snorkel that has been in several other peoples mouths. A mask that fits means no leaks, and comfort.

Fins: Except for dive ( SCUBA ) trips, we just rent those. The main reason being is fins take up more room, and we travel with just one small duffel each for two to three week visits.

Would not even think about NOT using FINS. As mentioned you will run into currents, and fins will be a great help in the ocean. Fins are going to make swimming in the ocean much,much easier, and will add to the safety factor.

Also, we always, rinse off our snorkel gear with fresh water, either at the beach, or back at the condo. That means mask, snorkel, fins, and gloves....an us also, of course.

DIVE BAG: Our dive bag, huge puppy, does come with us on Dive trips, ie: Australia, the great barrier reef and coral sea. But not necessary to snorkel Kauai.

Where to rent beach and snorkel gear:

Snorkel Bobs, on Poipu Road just before getting to Koloa Town.

NUKUMOI at Poipu Beach. We use NUKUMOI for the fins, and a sand chair. And since we book our tours next door with Brenneckes Activity desk, we get a 50% discount on rental items at Nukumoi.

You might want to learn about ocean, and snorkeling safety, techniques, and proceedures to prepare you for your fun snorkeling. IMPORTANT.

Lots of great reefs to explore...have a ball.

Denny

I%26#39;d purchase if I were you. A good silicone mask will last many years. Not like the old rubber ones. You should try the mask on before you buy. No point getting all the way to Kauai only to find yourself with an uncomfortable or leaky mask.

Gotta have fins.

Enjoy.

If you haven%26#39;t snorkeled before, you might try renting (we used Snorkel Bob%26#39;s), and then use their purchasing option if you get a mask that fits. Just buying off the shelf somewhere doesn%26#39;t work for either my husband or me--we%26#39;re too hard to fit, and need expert help (have tried several masks before choosing to buy one, and Snorkel Bob%26#39;s actually gave me a brand new mask to try, on my third visit back there with a leaky one, so I ended up liking that one and bought it). However, we did buy US Divers snorkel sets at Costco for very little money, and even though the masks weren%26#39;t quite right, we did get a nifty carrying pack, split-fins (short and wide, with adjustable straps on the heel, which is much preferable to the longer, closed heel fins we got from the dive shop), and dry snorkels! Much better than those that allow water in!! So, we bought other masks and kept everything else from the Costco purchase, and figured we still came out way ahead in savings. Also, be sure and get anti-fog goop right away--Snorkel Bob%26#39;s sold us a bottle for a dollar or two, or provided it free with a rental---it is very important to have your masks prepped before trying to snorkel, and the spray we bought at a local dive shop didn%26#39;t work half as well as the goop from Snorkel Bob%26#39;s. (Bob%26#39;s also gave us a snorkel map with descriptions of lots of local beaches and difficulty ratings!)I would also recommend purchasing diving gloves--not the super thick ones, but just something to protect your hands from rocks, etc. My husband got a pretty deep cut on his palm from a lava outcropping when we first started snorkeling and it was sore for days--now we always wear gloves. (We bought some from sungrubbies.com and they were about $10 or $15 a pair).

P.S. If either of you has a moustache or beard, that is a whole other topic of discussion when it comes to getting a mask to fit... my poor hubby actually shaved off his moustache, to try and get a better mask seal, and still had trouble...

Anyway, snorkeling is really a great way to see Hawaii--there is alot of beauty above ground, but then, again, so much of it%26#39;s beauty is below the surface...

The moustache thing is a pain. I%26#39;ve got one. I start to thin it out a couple of weeks before snorkeling. My new mask has a very thin lip that seals pretty well. I%26#39;ve heard that vaseline smeared over the moustache can work.

We also purchased three sets from Costco. Snorkel Bob%26#39;s appears inexpensive but that is only for a very basic set-up. once you upgrade to a silicone mask (and other options) the price per week can be more than the $39.99 Costco price. We were, however, planning to snorkel every day (and did) and to RETURN to Kauai (just got back yesterday so sad about leaving). We had bought inexpensive snorkel sets (not silicone masks nor the good snorkels that prevent you from ingesting water) and these new sets were such an improvement.