So, you’re going snorkeling on your next vacation! GREAT!
That brings you to the ultimate question…
To buy snorkel gear or to rent snorkel gear?!
Here are your main options:
- Buy your snorkel gear at your local dive shop before you go
- Buy your snorkel gear online before you go
- Buy ONLY mask and snorkel (the thing that lets you breathe) before you go, and then rent or buy fins at your destination
- Buy your snorkeling gear at your destination and get rid of it at the end of your vacation
- Rent ALL snorkel gear at your destination!
Know of an option that you don’t see on this list? Okay, that’s an option too. đ
When you are going on a snorkeling tour, you may also consider bringing your own snorkeling gear even if it’s provided. Some of the reasons below can apply for why you might want to do that!
what to wear in hawaii – what to wear on a cruise
Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
So, which is the best option when it comes to buying vs renting snorkeling gear?!
Well, it depends on so many things that are entirely dependent on you and your situation, as well as what you like and don’t like!
But, what are some of those things that may have you lean more in one direction than the other?
How to get a snorkel mask that fits best
One of the most important parts of having a positive snorkeling experience can be to have a mask that fits your face well.
If you rent your snorkeling mask or buy it online, there is a chance that you’ll have problems adjusting your mask when you’re in the water, and that can get annoying, real quick! This naturally leads to a less positive snorkeling experience.
To have the best chance of getting a mask that fits you, heading to your local dive shop is probably the best thing you can do. You’ll have experts there that can help you figure out which mask is best for you.
Of course, there are plenty of people who rent snorkeling gear, as well as buy it online, with no problems at all! These are some success stories of people who bought masks online.
How much space in your luggage do you want to make for snorkeling gear?
As you’re thinking about what to pack for snorkeling, snorkeling gear can take up more space than you’d like in your suitcase. This is especially true for fins.
The mask and snorkel don’t take up so much space for too much concern, but fins like these on the other hand, can take up some space.
This is what can make it appealing to get the fins once you reach your destination.
You can get a mask that fits you before you leave, and then get your fins once you get there.
You don’t need fins to go snorkeling, but they can help you go further faster, which means you’ll be able to cover more area, see more fish and turtles, and be less tired! So you should definitely consider snorkeling with fins, but the question is whether to pack them along.
If you have the space, similar to a snorkel mask, getting fins at your local dive shop will give you the best chance to find fins that fit. While it’s of course important to have fins that fit, because ill-fitting fins can also be an unpleasant experience, it’s less of a concern with fins than it is with the mask. Here are success stories for fins bought online.
Most places that rent snorkel gear will likely give you the option to rent only fins for this reason. They recognize that travelers sometimes want to pack less.
Do you want to practice snorkeling before vacation?
Is snorkeling that hard that it’s necessary to practice before vacation?! Well, no, for most people, probably not.
But practicing in a pool or local lake can be more helpful for some kids who are snorkeling or snorkeling when you don’t know how to swim.
Being able to learn how to use your snorkel properly before you head off for vacation can give you more confidence in the water, if you need it. This can be important so that when it’s time to enjoy the fish and turtles, you can focus on that!
Even if you are confident in the water, if you’ve never snorkeled before, being able to practice at home means, again, that you can focus on the marine life instead of learning how to use your mask and snorkel!
How much do you care that someone else put their mouth on the snorkel that you’ll be putting in your mouth?
Yes, sure, the snorkel mouthpiece that was used yesterday by a complete stranger that you’re using today was rinsed and sanitized properly. đ
Really though, the vast majority of the time it’s probably just fine, so for this issue, it’s very much personal!
How many times will you be snorkeling during your vacation?
Renting snorkeling gear for a single day can make sense financially if you only plan to snorkel one time during your vacation. It probably starts to make more sense to have your own gear if you’ll be snorkeling even just more than once. That said, some snorkel rental shops have weekly rates too, so that may also make sense for you.
Will you be going on another snorkeling vacation?
Similar to how many times you’ll be snorkeling during your next vacation, you may also think ahead to the vacation after your next vacation. If there’s a good chance you’ll be going to another tropical destination with some of the best snorkeling spots, it could be worth it to buy your own snorkeling gear. That way, you know for sure you have gear that fits.
Where is the closest store that sells snorkeling gear at your destination?
If you’ll be snorkeling more than once during vacation but don’t want it to take up the space in your suitcase, you may consider the idea of waiting until you get to your destination to buy the gear.
At the end of your vacation, you can toss it. Or if you’re staying at a vacation rental like one of these, you may even see if your host would want to keep the snorkeling gear for future guests.
If you wait until you get to your destination to buy snorkeling gear, consider that you have to find some place to buy it. Maybe it’s actually rather convenient to buy decent snorkeling gear at the corner convenience store right by your hotel. Or maybe it requires you to spend some extra time to head to a proper store like a nearby superstore to get the snorkeling gear.
So if you’re thinking about buying the snorkeling gear once you get there, make sure you have a plan for getting it that won’t take up too much vacation time.
How environmentally friendly do you want to be?
Well, you’re going snorkeling to see marine life in its natural habitat, so hopefully on some level you care about the environment. đ
If you’re thinking about buying snorkeling gear at your destination, consider what you’re going to do with it at the end of your vacation. If it’s going in the trash, well, that may not be so environmentally friendly. đ
And of course…
How much does it cost to buy vs rent snorkel gear?!
Of course one of the most important considerations may be the added cost of buying vs renting.
Renting at your destination
So you’ll want to find out how much snorkeling rental is at your destination.
If you’ll be snorkeling in Hawaii, you can find convenient places to rent snorkel gear at two of the most popular snorkeling spots on Oahu. Here are snorkel rental prices on Oahu, at Shark’s Cove on the North Shore and Hanauma Bay, to give you an idea. You can likely expect comparable places to rent snorkel gear on Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island too.
Buying at your local dive shop
You can also find out how much snorkel gear costs by stopping by your local dive shop… or see if they have an online store.
Buying at your destination
This is something that may be a little more difficult to figure out. But it could be something that you are willing to compromise based on the reasons you don’t want to buy the gear before you go or if you don’t want to rent it.
Buying online
And as for how much snorkeling gear costs online, here are prices of some popular options:
- Standard mask and snorkel (no fins) – see here
- Set with mask, snorkel, and fins – see here
- Full-face snorkel mask (generally beginner-friendly and easier to use for many) – see here
- Fins only – see here
More things you might want for snorkeling
Now, here are a few more things you might want to take a look at to prepare for your snorkeling vacation!
- This type of case so you can take pristine underwater pictures with your camera. (Itâs cheap!)
- This type of pouch so you can take your valuables with you in the water!
- This personal buoy or this flotation snorkel vest so your family on the beach can spot you out in the water in an instant!
- These types of UV protection shirts to wear so you donât burn under the strong tropical sun rays when youâre in the water! If youâre on a desktop, use the far left column to filter by women, men, girls, or boys! Look at these types of swim shorts too, for women and men!
For a more in-depth look at what to bring, have a look at what to wear snorkeling!
HAPPY SNORKELING!
Explore pictures of Hawaii: oahu beaches | oahu snorkeling | waikiki snorkeling | north shore snorkeling
Explore pictures of Caribbean cruise ports: turks and caicos | aruba | curacao | st maarten | st kitts | nassau bahamas | san juan puerto rico
There are affiliate links on this page. Among other partners, as an Amazon Associate, I may receive a commission.
đ Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling