Promate Youth Snorkel Combo Set with Snorkeling Fins

My husband and I are scuba divers and we took our 6 year old to cozumel. He had frequent ear infections as a toddler and had tubes put in his ears so when he was younger his ears couldn't be submerged in water. The tubes are out now, but he is afraid of putting his face in water. I was apprehensive about getting him to snorkel because I wanted it to be fun for him but I knew we would be battling his fear. Anyone with a child knows that once they get afraid, they freak out and it is nearly impossible to get them to keep doing something let alone enjoy it.We started a few weeks before the trip in the bathtub. I started with the mask. I got the mask on and slowly got him to put his face in the water. He kept getting scared and this process took a long time, but he liked that he could see in the water. He said he was too afraid because he couldn't breathe so he asked to use the snorkel with the mask. (Yay!) We put the snorkel on the mask and he did it! He excitedly put his face in the water and breathed through the snorkel!Here is where product quality comes into play. First, my son was afraid of the mask. If it had been uncomfortable or biting in any way, he would freak out. This mask is very comfortable. He even told me that.Second, while working through his fear, we took the mask on and off and on and off about a million times. This mask is very easy to loosen and tighten and get on and off. Helpful in keeping his fear from rising to panic and keeping me from getting frustrated.Third, the mask had a great seal. No water got in. A couple times, we didn't have the seal quite right and water got it and he freaked out. It helped me show him where the mask should be and what tightness. When the mask was on right, no water got in at all.Fourth, the snorkel is a great design. It traps the little excess water at the bottom so it doesn't sound or feel like he is breathing water. It was clear and easy for him.The fins were comfortable although he usually preferred not to use them.We took him snorkeling in the pool a few times and in the ocean. He saw fish, coral, lobsters, and even a shark. Despite this being a collection of some of his worst fears, he did very well and actually enjoyed himself. I am very glad I did lots of research ahead of time and picked this particular snorkel set for him to work with.

Snorkel let some water in.

I have compared the mask and snorkel that comes with this set to others and have to say that they are just okay.The Snorkel:It is true that if you want a truly dry snorkel you need to buy an Oceanic dry snorkel. I use an Oceanic and gave the Promate snorkel that came with my set to my son. He likes this snorkel better than the one that came with his U.S. Divers set. It is comparable to other non-Oceanic "dry" snorkels but I hate the clip on it, which is extremely stiff and difficult to manage. Not a huge problem if you plan on leaving it permanently clipped to your mask but otherwise. . .The Mask:The mask starts to leak water after I've been diving for 30-45 minutes and I cannot restore the seal on it which has been frustrating. I've worn my husbands U.S. Divers Cozumel mask w/o this issue but haven't used it for long periods. Both masks have poor peripheral vision and I'm thinking of replacing mine with a higher quality mask that has larger side windows. I don't know if the leaking is a reflection on the quality of this mask or just the way that it fits my face.The Fins:I have never worn any other fins but can see just by looking at these (compared to my sons and husbands fins) why some people say that these are stiff. They work well in the water though and I love how fast I can swim in them. I wear flipper slippers for comfort and don't think I'd want to wear these fins w/o them.The bag is not good at all, just a mesh bag with a drawstring on top - awkward to carry. You really need a backpack style bag.Overall this probably isn't the best snorkeling set out there but it is comparable to other sets in this price range. I think the U.S. Divers set that my husband got for around $30 is probably just as good, although I wouldn't buy that set for any of my still growing children b/c the fins are not adjustable. The U.S. Divers youth set has adjustable fins but my 8 yr old son has trouble w/ that snorkel b/c it is too small. Therefore, and really this is the bottom line, this set is probably good for kids in the 6-14 age range. I wish I had bought this set for my son and purchased the same U.S. Divers set my husband got for myself.Whether or not this set is for you will also depend on how serious you are about snorkeling and how often you plan on using it - good for light to moderate use, fins and mask definitely won't last forever.

Honestly, I was a little hesitant to purchase this set on line, but am glad I did. The mask is perfect, no hard, scratchy spots. The fins are smooth to the feet. I've purchased a child's set from the store, only to get home and notice it was cheaply made and uncomfortable. Granddaughter has already learned to snorkel with the on-line set.

Perfect! First off, I have a 4 yr old who wears a shoe size 10/11 toddler so I ordered the small size. The mask and snorkel fit perfectly and are extremely easy to adjust, and the fins fit him both barefoot for the pool and with 5mm booties for when I take him snorkeling in a few months! I’m actually quite shocked at the quality, usually when I buy sporting goods for my 4yr old they end up being cheap or toy like versions of the regular size item, but these are fantastic. Absolutely can’t beat the price for something that will clearly last.