Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I live on Oahu and recently discovered a fondness for snorkeling.I bought this kit for myself (shoe size 8) in the smaller size and the larger size for my husband (shoe size 10.5). The fit of the mask is great, as long as you don't have any hair in the way and have the straps adjusted properly, the seal is tight and the soft, thin silicone makes it as comfortable as can be. I found I had to wear the strap pretty high around the back of my head to maintain a tight seal, but that was fine because the straps are also pretty comfortable. The unobstructed view you get in this style mask has really made it annoying for me to wear ones that are divided down the middle, now. It feels much less claustrophobic and there's no mask in the corner of your eye. Just a beautiful, clear view through toughened glass at whatever you're looking at. With a little mask defogger (or good old saliva, it's your mask!) my mask stayed clear and fog-free for about an hour at a time. I popped up onto the boat/sat on the shore to apply more defogger maybe once every 60 minutes. Not a huge inconvenience, and keeps the view lovely and clear. The snorkel has a nice, soft mouthpiece, and the clip attaching it to the mask seems pretty sturdy. The set has been on maybe 6 snorkeling trips and the construction of it has held up pretty well. The snorkel is a dry snorkel, meaning that if your snorkel goes under the water, the top will seal to prevent water from rushing in. It's also pretty good at keeping out splashes from waves in open ocean (I snorkeled on a kind of choppy day in open ocean for a turtle tour). The flaw with this design is that if you tip your head too far back while snorkeling or adjusting your mask, the mechanism in the snorkel will block your air-flow and you won't be able to breathe. Remember to keep your head and neck straight while you're relying on the snorkel for oxygen! Now I come to the only reason this isn't a five star review for an affordable snorkeling set... I don't like the fins. Compared to the mask and the snorkel, they feel cheap. When I'm snorkeling in shallow or still waters, I prefer just to wear beach shoes, but when I've done open ocean dives and fins have been required, these have not really cut it. They're too short to offer much power in choppy seas, and I managed to kick one almost completely off with very little effort. They're probably best suited for reasonably still waters, their short length is great for reef, but I would prefer to just wear beach shoes. An additional point I like; this set is available in all kinds of colours and the colour on the end of the snorkel makes it easy to find your buddy/family in crowded areas. Unusual colours like green or orange or bright pink really stand out. In summary, the mask and snorkel are great value for the price, even if you never use the flippers. If you do use the flippers, don't use them in open ocean.