A good mask can mean the difference between a snorkeling expedition you’ll never forget and one you wish you could forget. So, let’s highlight a few of the best masks we’ve seen online – both with snorkel and without (you can always buy a separate snorkel).
Best Full-Face Snorkel Mask
WildHorn Outfitters Seaview V2
The Seaview V2 offers a great balance of features at a good price, with easy breathing, a wide field of view, an intelligently positioned action camera mount, and a cool design. Most importantly, this snorkel mask has undergone significant safety testing, making it a good choice if you’re worried about full-face mask safety concerns.
The Seaview has been put through the safety wringer, with outside experts brought in to tweak and test the design. This snorkel mask was the result of a Kickstarter campaign and is a US-designed product, designed to solve the CO2 safety issue that plagues inexpensive masks from the East.
You can breathe easily through your nose and mouth, thanks to a series of one-way valves that ensure fresh air comes into the mask and the CO2 leaves. Thanks to this anti-fog snorkel design, you can see 20 percent more without the snorkel dipping under the surface of the water.
The Seaview also has a very smartly placed action camera mount, which should give a decent approximation of what you see on the recording without getting in the way.
It may seem a little pricey compared to other full-face options, but this should be balanced against the extra research and development that has gone into creating a safer option for full-face mask fans.
The Seaview V2 really does seem to be one of the best all-round full-face masks you can buy today. Users remark that the mask is comfortable, and features such as the one-way auto drain mean you don’t have to take the mask off when you surface in order to get water out.
As with all full-face snorkel masks, you can’t dive below the surface without experiencing pressure-related discomfort, but if all you want to do is take in the beauty of a reef, it seems this is the best way to do it.
Main Features
- Breathing system: Angled 4-intake snorkel tube
- Mask Type: Full-Face
- Usage: Surface use
Best for No-nonsense Minimalist Diving
Scubapro Solo
The Scubapro Solo takes the art of mask design down to its very essentials. No fancy looks, no unnecessary bits sticking out, and a low-volume space between the wide-view lens and your face. This could very well be the purest diving mask for snorkeling or scuba on the market.
No frills, no fussing. Just a sleek design with a simple strap and buckle with low profile. The small air volume makes the mask more comfortable when dealing with pressure changes.
Thanks to the clear skirt, frameless design, and wide, clear lens, the Solo offers an amazing field of view for a mask with such a low profile and relatively small overall size.
With such a low profile, inevitably, some people with longer noses are simply not going to have a good time. The small nose pocket is an issue mentioned by various users, so if you know you’ve got a longer than average nose, this probably isn’t the mask for you.
If your nose is of the average to below-average size, this is one of the best snorkel masks you can get. It’s very comfortable to wear, produces crystal clear wide views, and has little to none problems with fogging.
Main Features
- Mask Type: Single Lens
- Window Material: Tempered Glass
- Usage: Snorkel or Scuba
Best of Both Worlds for Scuba and Snorkeling
Cressi Panoramic Wide View Snorkel Mask
If you want to move from snorkeling to scuba diving at some point in the future, you can buy the Cressi now and keep it when you transition. Lauded by users as an exceptionally comfortable mask and snorkel set, this is a fantastic option if your facial features fit!
This panoramic mask is very comfortable. With a soft silicon seal and wide view, the Cressi offers a versatile snorkeling mask that also won’t break the bank.
The included dry snorkel is submersible and resists the entry of water. There’s a built-in purge valve as well, so you don’t end up breathing in the little bit of water that does make it inside the pipe.
People who have prominent facial features complain that the mask doesn’t fit properly. If you have a thin face and a nose that doesn’t protrude much, it should be fine. However, make sure the return policy allows you to send the mask back if it doesn’t fit right.
The Cressi is a great mask at a reasonable price and makes for a nice snorkel set, albeit sans fins so it’s not a complete kit.
If I were looking for a quality set for getting started, this seems to be a step above the typical mask and snorkel sets you’d get at a beachside dive shop.
Main Features
- Mask Type: Twin-window mask
- Window Material: Tempered Glass
- Usage: Snorkel or Scuba
Best for Forgetting You’re Wearing a Mask
Aqua Lung Micro-Mask
The Micro-Mask is a unique and exciting product with some pretty revolutionary ideas; designed to minimize the size of the mask, and its effect on your movement, without compromising visibility or field of view. There’s a lot to entice at this price.
The Micro-Mask has a patented design which actually puts the lenses into the user’s ocular orbits. That is, the recesses of your eyes. Because the lenses are positioned so tightly and in alignment with your eyes, peripheral vision is vastly improved.
An innovator of the frameless mask, this is quite possibly the most compact mask you can buy.
The main issue with a compact mask like this is that a significant portion of people are likely to have facial features that just won’t play ball. Fitment before going out in the water is an absolute must.
The Micro-Mask is in a class of its own. Suitable for diving and snorkeling, it’s also a good choice for spear fishing or exploring reefs. Its compact size and special matte materials work to reduce instances where you’ll startle sea life.
Main Features
- Low internal volume improves clearing
- Mask Type: Dual window
- Usage: Scuba, Snorkeling, Spear Fishing
Best Snorkel Mask for Cutting Glare
SeaDive Eagleye RayBlocker
Looking rather like a pair of snowboarding goggles, the Eagleye mask sports a special coating that reduces distortion and glare. Diving in clear tropical waters, in particular, should benefit from filtering out UV rays and bright points of blinding light.
The lens coating of this mask enhances the look of underwater scenes and makes it easier to see detail, yet the natural colors of the underwater world are retained.
The built-in purge mechanism makes it much easier and convenient to purge the mask when necessary. The mask is also noted for exhibiting significantly less fogging than others in this price range.
Some users complain of nose pain caused by this particular purge valve design. It doesn’t appear to be a common issue but should be noted.
This is one of the best snorkeling masks for divers who explore brightly lit waters such as tropical reefs. It will literally show you a whole world that other divers in masks without this anti-fog coating might miss.
The mask is well-priced, notable for comfort and a lack of fogging, and has only isolated complaints of the otherwise praiseworthy purge valve causing nose pain for some users.
Main Features
- Mask Type: Single Lens
- Window Material: Tempered Glass
- Usage: Scuba and Snorkeling
Best Mask for Full-face Safety on a Budget
Wstoo Full Face Snorkel Mask
The WSTOO offers an improvement on the standard and much-maligned full-face snorkel mask design; promising to solve the core safety issues of these products while still costing about the same as the problematic models of the past.
The WSTOO is very affordable and doesn’t stray radically from the first full-face snorkeling masks that entered the market. The 180 degree panoramic view is a tweak of the classic design rather than a complete rework.
The anti-fog design and anti-leak technology of this snorkel mask seem to work as designed, very few users complain about fog or water entering the mask. Multiple, independent air channels prevent CO2 rebreathing, and the mask features quick-release straps to release the mask with just a single button.
Some users complain that the inlet valve is too small and makes it harder than necessary to draw breath.
If you want the full-face panoramic experience without paying for the up-market, safer redesigns, the WSTOO is a good compromise—increasing safety without reinventing the wheel.
A minority of users report difficulty breathing and quality issues, so make sure to test yours thoroughly in a safe environment before snorkeling.
Main Features
- Mask Type: Full-face
- Breathing system: Foldable tube with inlet/outlet channels
- Usage: Surface snorkeling only
Best for Seeing the Big Picture
TUSA M-1001 Freedom HD
The Freedom HD is an almost entirely clear mask with an impressively wide field of vision and a design centered around comfort, thanks to its micro-adjustment strap and rounded skirt. Despite the large frame, there’s an optimal amount of internal volume.
The Freedom HD promises 180-degrees of view without obstruction so you can clearly see what’s going on under the waters as you swim along.
There are numerous comfort features. The skirt is dimpled and rounded, silicone thickness varies, and stability ridges counteract mask pressure. It all adds up to a more comfortable experience. You can just forget you’re wearing a face mask.
The buckle can rotate 180 degrees, so it will work for a wide range of head sizes. The strap is also designed to fit the curvature of the head and can be micro-adjusted.
Some users report that the lower mask seal isn’t always reliable and there may be a fogging issue in some cases. This doesn’t seem to be widespread.
For a fair price, you could own a mask that gives excellent visibility and sits on your face with extreme comfort. These are basically the two most important parts of any snorkel mask, and the Freedom HD nails both categories.
We would, however, recommend testing the seal for your face well before snorkeling or diving, since some users with certain facial shapes report cases of leakage.
Main Features
- Easy to Adjust 180 Degree Buckle System
- Mask Type: Single Lens
- Usage: Scuba and Snorkeling
Best for Looking Cool
This is an amazingly bad-ass design. There’s no way around that. It might not be enough to justify the price tag, but you’ll feel like James Bond wearing these.
The glass lenses are a special, ultra-clear type designed by Atomic Aquatics. They claim it’s the clearest UltraClear glass in any mask, letting through the more than 96% of light you’ll find offered by other high-end products.
There’s no external frame; the subframe can do all the work and is key to the look and feel of the mask. The frame comes with a lifetime warranty.
While most people seem to really like the Venom, a fair number of users complain about fogging issues and that traditional anti-fog methods don’t quite work with the unique glass and coating. The manufacturer does provide clear instructions on how to treat the mask, however.
A premium dive mask with killer looks. If you have the cash and can appreciate advanced materials and design, this is definitely a dive mask you’ll want to have on your shortlist.
However, using this simply as a snorkeling mask feels like overkill; if you’re only going to stick around the surface, you’re probably better off buying a cheaper, dedicated snorkel mask.
Main Features
- Mask Type: Single Lens
- Window Material: UltraClear Glass
- Usage: Diving and Snorkeling
Differences Between Snorkel Masks and Other Types of Diving Mask
At first glance, all masks might appear to be basically the same. But snorkel masks are different from other types of underwater face masks, and you need to be careful where and when you use certain mask types.
The most important thing you need to know is that masks designed specifically for snorkeling should be used only at the water’s surface. They are not rated for the deeper parts of the water. As such, you should not use a snorkel mask for (as an example) scuba diving, unless the manufacturer explicitly lists that use case for the product.
The reverse isn’t true, however. You can use scuba masks and other masks rated for use at depth to snorkel. However, there may be some disadvantages to this. These masks may have thicker glass, a narrower field of view, and other features that make the snorkeling experience less magical (this isn’t the case for the diving masks we selected on this page).
Types of Snorkel Masks
If we look at snorkel masks designed for the hobby, then there’s a fair amount of variety in the designs on offer. There are a few things a good snorkel mask should offer. It should be comfortable, leak proof, and provide a clear, fog-free view.
The type of mask most people think of when it comes to snorkeling is probably the single-window design. This type of mask offers a good view and is generally a great, affordable choice for most people. Depending on the specific mask, this design is good for both snorkeling and scuba diving, based on the manufacturer’s recommendations, of course.
Another design is the so-called “double window” mask. Here each eye has its own separate glass piece. One advantage of this is that it becomes possible to get a special prescription set, since each piece of glass can be customized. While it is possible to snorkel with contact lenses, using a double-window prescription set avoids potential problems such as a contact falling out or malfunctioning without an easy way for you to fix the problem.
Most single- and double lens snorkel masks are commonly also scuba masks, depending on their rating and quality. Full-face masks are usually a different story, though. You can’t equalize and pinch your nose with these masks, so they are mostly designed for surface use only (where clearing isn’t a problem). This way they make breathing easy and offer unparalleled visibility.
Full-face scuba masks do, of course, exist, but they are much more expensive than traditional masks. There have also been some concerns over the safety of full-face masks. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these before making your final decision. Full-face masks that have been designed specifically for scuba also share some of those safety concerns, but they are becoming rather popular since they make it easier to breathe and really provide an amazing view of the underwater world.
It’s also worth discussing freediving and spearfishing masks. These masks can be used for snorkeling in a pinch, but they are designed for an entirely different purpose. They have smaller lenses and are made not to scare off fish. Freediving goggles are also designed to help with issues that can plague that sport in particular. I wouldn’t recommend using these masks for snorkeling as well. Rather, buy separate units if you plan on taking part in multiple activities.
Multi-material vs Transparent Skirts
The “skirt” of a mask is the flexible material that sits between the mask itself and your face. It’s meant to keep water out and create a good seal between your face and the mask. In general, there are two types of skirting.
Multi-material skirts have a reputation for providing better comfort and sealing. However, some people don’t like the blinkered effect that having a dark material around the edge of the mask causes.
That’s where transparent skirts come into play. The single-material approach means it may not be as comfortable or flexible, but the soft silicone skirt does provide a much more immersive experience by letting light in through your peripheral vision.
Tempered Glass vs Polycarbonate
When it comes to the material that your mask lenses are made of, there are two main choices. Polycarbonate windows are tough as nails, won’t shatter, and are a good all-round choice. The problem is that polycarbonate windows scratch with relative ease. So, you may find your snorkel mask will eventually have to be replaced as scratches become bad enough to spoil the experience.
A tempered glass lens won’t have this issue, but there’s always a small chance that the glass could break. The good news is that it’s designed not to break into large shards, but it’s still nowhere as tough as polycarbonate.
Mask Size and Fitment
It’s important to get a snorkel mask of the right size. If your mask fits poorly, water will flood the space between your eyes and the glass, or you’ll have to tighten the mask so much that it becomes uncomfortable.
Usually, a well-fitting mask will sit on your face without a strap, simply using light suction through your nose that proves the mask is sealing properly.
Wet Snorkel or Dry Snorkel?
The difference between a wet snorkel and a dry snorkel is probably what you’d expect. Wet snorkels pass water through the tube and the mouthpiece when underwater, while dry snorkels have a float valve that seals the tube and prevents water from entering. This mechanism only works well when fully submerged, so in addition to that you often see a splash guard at the top of the snorkel to block any water spray.
The best snorkel is a dry snorkel (for most people), but there’s also something to be said for a wet snorkel. They’re cheaper, lighter, and smaller than dry snorkels, and therefore less cumbersome to use. So if you don’t mind getting water in your mouth and clearing the tube, you might want to try a wet snorkel first.
Mask or Snorkel Kit?
The last thing I want to highlight is the option of buying a snorkeling kit or buying a mask by itself. Not even the very best snorkel set will contain each individual component that you want, so it’s almost always better to buy your mask, snorkel, and fins separately.
Snorkel kits are generally a budget option where one component is pretty likely to be bad and require replacement. It’s generally worth selecting each piece of kit on its own merit. If you just want a casual set of equipment for a once-off snorkeling experience, a kit might be OK. If you’re shopping to support a long-term hobby, stay away from kits.
Blub-blub!
Snorkeling is a great hobby that’s inexpensive to get into compared to scuba diving. It’s also safer and doesn’t require certification. So, if you want to begin the adventure of exploring the world beneath the surface, this is the perfect place to get started.
Ready to Dive In?
Click Here to jump back to our list of the best snorkel masks.
