Dry vs Semi-Dry Snorkel: Which Should You Buy?

Semi-dry snorkel: a tube and mouthpiece, plus a splash guard at the top that shunts water away from the opening when a wave sprays you. Water can still enter if you fully submerge, but far less gets in during normal surface snorkeling.

Dry snorkel: everything the semi-dry has, plus a dry valve that seals the tube completely when you go underwater, so you never have to clear it.

Classic snorkel (technically there’s a third option worth a quick mention): a simple tube with a mouthpiece and nothing else. Water comes in whenever a wave hits the opening, and you clear it with a sharp exhale.

The photo above is me with a classic, rigid, J-style snorkel I rented during my early snorkeling days at Black Rock in Maui. They are budget-friendly.

Freedivers and minimalists still love them for the low bulk, but for most snorkelers, the real decision is dry versus semi-dry.

The dry snorkel sounds like the obvious winner. It was my first purchase for exactly that reason: no clearing, no worries if a wave submerges me or I dive down.

Here is what actually happened. In choppier conditions when we were snorkeling more challenging sites like Little Lameshur Bay in St. John, the valve sealed up frequently while I was still at the surface trying to breathe.

Every false seal meant a moment of sucking against a closed tube. Over a long snorkel session, it is exhausting, and for a newer snorkeler it can feed real panic.

Dry snorkels also add bulk at the top of the tube, which I found added unnecessary drag in the water.

The semi-dry snorkel is the goldilocks option.

The splash guard keeps the random wave spray out, and the tube never locks up on you, because there is no valve to falsely seal.

Yes, water will occasionally get in during choppier conditions.

As long as you are comfortable clearing your snorkel with a strong exhale every now and then, and every snorkeler should learn this basic skill anyway, it is a complete non-issue.

My Pick: The Mares Ergo Splash

My semi-dry snorkel of choice is the Mares Ergo Splash, and I have my husband to thank for it.

He had this snorkel first, and after listening to me complain about my dry snorkel one too many times, the fix was obvious: I got the same one.

His is black, mine is blue, and that was the end of my snorkel problems. You can see our matching black and blue Mares snorkels in the photo above, taken recently while snorkeling Los Tuneles in the Galapagos.

It has handled everything from glassy lagoons to legitimately choppy days, including bumpy sessions in open ocean while keeping up with hammerhead sharks at Kicker Rock and manta rays at Nusa Penida.

The Details That Add Up

A few things I genuinely appreciate about this snorkel after years of use.

The silicone mouthpiece is soft enough that my jaw does not ache after a long session. This matters when you snorkel the way we do, hours at a time like when did back to back sessions at Concha de Perla and Playa Isabela in the Galapagos.

There is also a purge valve at the bottom, so clearing water takes one easy exhale instead of a forceful blast.

Buy a semi-dry snorkel if you snorkel at the surface in a mix of conditions and want easy breathing with minimal water intrusion. This is my recommendation for most snorkelers, from beginners to experienced.

Buy a dry snorkel if you snorkel exclusively in calm, protected water and the idea of ever clearing a tube genuinely stresses you. Just know its limits in chop and if its valve gets clogged with debris.

Buy a classic snorkel if you want maximum simplicity and minimum bulk, and you are confident clearing your tube. Freedivers often go this route.

One more choice within any type: flexible or rigid.

I personally prefer a flexible snorkel. The bendable section at the bottom of the tube makes it easier to line the mouthpiece up with your mouth, and it drops away from your face when you are not using it.

It also reduces jaw fatigue. 

Some snorkelers prefer a rigid tube because it does not flop around as much while swimming. This one is genuine personal preference, and neither choice is wrong.

This tip came from my husband’s diving instructor, and it surprised us both: the first thing you should replace on a new snorkel is the plastic clip that connects it to your mask.

That factory connector breaks easily.

Swap it for a silicone double loop snorkel keeper, which is far more durable and holds the snorkel securely to your mask strap. A tiny, cheap fix that prevents an annoying failure mid-trip.

I’ve shown how it looks attached to my snorkel and mask when we were getting ready to snorkel the Coral Gardens in Taha’a.

Dry or semi-dry comes down to where you snorkel and how you feel about clearing a tube.

For most people in most conditions, the semi-dry hits the sweet spot: protected from splash, never sealed against your own breath.

I paid for that lesson with one frustrating dry snorkel. You get it here for free.

For the rest of my tested-everywhere snorkeling kit, from my favorite mask to the fins the Galapagos sea lions kept nibbling, see my full snorkeling gear guide.

REACH OUT, FOLLOW, OR SHARE THIS POST WITH A FRIEND!