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Swim snorkels are an excellent tool for improving technique and speed in the water. Here’s your ultimate guide to choosing the perfect swim snorkel.
Swim snorkels are a type of training equipment that can help swimmers improve technique in the water, correct stroke technique errors, and promote more efficient swimming.
By eliminating the need to turn your head to breathe, a swim snorkel removes the source of many common stroke technique errors, promotes a more balanced stroke, and allows you to develop muscle memory with awesome swim technique.
In this guide to the best swimming snorkels, we compare the top options for this performance-boosting aid for more efficient swimming.
Whether you are a youth swimmer, open water swimmer, or looking for a snorkel for high-velocity sprinting, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s dive right in.
Best Swim Snorkels
The best snorkels for swimmers include the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel, FINIS Stability Snorkel, and the Speedo Bullethead Snorkel.
Here is an overview of how the top swim snorkels stack up:
- Best overall swim snorkel — FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel
- Best snorkel for sprinting — FINIS Stability Swim Snorkel
- Best swim snorkel for extended use — Speedo Bullethead Snorkel
- Best snorkel for open water swimmers — Arena Pro III Snorkel
- Best snorkel for kids — FINIS Jr. Stability Snorkel
Next, we will evaluate each swim snorkel, highlighting the pros and cons of each snorkel.
Later, we will list some other swim snorkels that didn’t make the cut and a buyer’s guide for choosing the perfect swim snorkel for your swimming.
FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel
🥇 Best overall swim snorkel
The FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel is the original and best snorkel for swimmers. Whether you are a beginner or Olympic-level swimmer, this is the top swim snorkel for you.
Built with a one-way purge valve to build confidence with using the snorkel, and a front-mounted design that has become the standard for all the swim snorkels to follow, the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel continues to lead the pack in overall performance and comfort.
The FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel has an adjustable head bracket to lock the tube into place while swimming and stopping the tube from wobbling.
The mouthpiece is made of soft silicone which won’t tire out your jaw during extended swimming. And the one-way purge valve keeps water from flooding the tube when doing flip turns.
FINIS offers the O.G. Swimmer’s Snorkel in a junior size for youth swimmers and petite women who find the mouthpiece and tube length of the adult size too large.
The purge valve on the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel helps quickly eliminate water that enters the tube and mouthpiece.
Over the years, the only issue I’ve found with the snorkel is the bracket mechanism loosening over time.
Took around two years of consistent use (and zero care) for the head bracket to wear down, but it’s something to be aware of. FINIS does offer replacement brackets and head straps (at around $12).
Available in pink and FINIS gold, the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel is the original snorkel for swimmers and continues to lead the pack.
| ✅ Reasons to Buy | ❌ Things to Note: |
| Best overall swim snorkel | Bracket loosens over time |
| Soft mouthpiece; reduces jaw soreness | |
| Adjustable straps to reduce tube wobbling | |
| Multiple color options | |
| Available in Youth size |
FINIS Stability Swim Snorkel
⭐ Best swim snorkel for sprinting
How do you improve on the best swim snorkel in the pool? Remove the head bracket, add a second strap for increased tube stability, and add a rotating mouthpiece that makes it easy to talk to your coach between reps.
Combined, these features make the FINIS Stability Snorkel the top swim snorkel for swimmers who want to hit maximum speeds in the pool without worrying about the tube twisting or wobbling.
The dual strap design helps swimmers get that perfect tube position that reduces turbulence, and the minimized head bracket eliminates forehead soreness during longer bouts of use.
The swiveling mouthpiece is also an upgrade compared to the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel. It can be swiveled to the side when resting on the wall, whether to drink from your water bottle or communicate with your swim coach. No more twisting the entire snorkel, mount, tube, mouthpiece and all, to chat.
The only thing I didn’t love about the FINIS Stability Snorkel compared to the Original is the dual straps can feel “busy” on your head when you factor in swim goggle straps.
Our suggestion to avoid this?
Wear a swim cap and tuck your goggle straps underneath the cap to tidy things up on your head.
FINIS offers the Stability Snorkel in black and navy and it costs approximately the same as the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel.
| ✅ Reasons to Buy: | ❌ Things to Note: |
| Best swim snorkel for sprinting | Dual straps plus swim goggle straps can make things feel busy on your head |
| Bracketless design | |
| Rotating mouthpiece | |
| Curved tube design is perfect for high-speed swimming | |
| Dual straps for steady tube placement |
Speedo Bullethead Swim Snorkel
⭐ Best swim snorkel for extended use
The Speedo Bullethead Swim Snorkel is comfortable, hydrodynamic, and has the widest color and print selection on the market.
Speedo was a bit late to the swim snorkel market, but the Bullethead is an excellent swim snorkel with a hydrodynamic design and a comfortable head mount for longer swimming workouts.
The head straps split at the back of the head, which helps swimmers lock the snorkel into place, reducing tube wobble. Speedo also offers the Bullethead Snorkel in various colors and prints.
The Speedo Bullethead Snorkel isn’t the right swim snorkel for beginner swimmers as it doesn’t have a purge valve, requiring swimmers to really “push” air to clear the tube of water, which can be challenging for swimmers new to snorkels.
That said, the Speedo Bullethead has a crisp, hydrodynamic design, a soft head mount comfortable for long swim workouts in the pool, and Speedo’s legendary brand name behind the product.
| ✅ Reasons to Buy: | ❌ Things to Note: |
| Excellent option for swimmers comfortable with snorkel use | No purge valve |
| Very comfortable head mount; reduces forehead soreness from extended wear | |
| Clean, hydrodynamic design | |
| Lots of bright colors and prints to choose from | |
| Mouthpiece is easy to remove for cleaning |
Shop the Speedo Bullethead Snorkel at Amazon.
FINIS Jr. Stability Snorkel
⭐ Best swim snorkel for kids
While FINIS offers a junior version of its best-selling Swimmer’s Snorkel, designed for swimmers aged 10-13, the recently released FINIS Jr. Stability Snorkel is the perfect swim snorkel for younger kids.
The FINIS Jr. Stability Swim Snorkel is suitable for swimmers aged 6-10 years looking to get comfortable with their face in the water and want to improve their swimming technique. The Jr Stability Snorkel has a shorter tube and smaller mouthpiece, perfect for younger swimmers.
See also: 7 Best Swim Goggles for Kids That Don’t Leak
The head bracket is also simplified and reduces drag while also eliminating the parts of the snorkel that deteriorate and break over time.
The head bracket on the FINIS Jr. Stability Snorkel is made of 100% silicone, which is comfortable for extended use. Silicone also does a much better job of not corroding from chlorine and UV exposure compared to plastics and rubber.
FINIS offers the Jr. Stability Snorkel in blue or magenta, and the bracket can be slid up and down the tube to find that perfect fit. The only limitation of this snorkel is the one-size-fits-all head strap.
| ✅ Reasons to Buy: | ❌ Things to Note: |
| Best snorkel for younger, developing swimmers | Head straps are one-size-fits-all |
| Silicone head bracket, comfortable for extended wear | |
| Shorter tube and smaller mouthpiece for 6-10 year old swimmers | |
| Very durable |
Arena Pro III Swim Snorkel
⭐ Best swim snorkel for open water
The Arena Pro III Swim Snorkel is the ideal snorkel for open water swimming. It features a straighter tube compared to other swim snorkels on the market, which reduces water from errant waves from entering the tube.
Arena bundles the Pro III with two additional top holes that can be used to restrict air flow, acting as a form of respiratory training. Additionally, and this is something other snorkel brands don’t typically do, Arena includes two mouthpieces with the Pro III.
The head straps are easy to adjust, and the head bracket is slightly padded to reduce forehead soreness during those long swims at the pool or in open water. The main drawback to the Pro III is that is has no purge valve, making it more suitable for swimmers comfortable purging the tube with their breath.
The Arena Pro III Swim Snorkel is available in multiple colors and retails for about the same price as competing swim snorkels.
| ✅ Reasons to Buy: | ❌ Things to Note: |
| Best snorkel for open water swimming | No purge valve |
| Extra straight tube to reduce water entering the tube | |
| Padded head bracket for enhanced comfort | |
| Multiple top holes for respiratory training |
Other Swim Snorkels We’ve Tested
Swim snorkels are one of my favorite tools to use in swim training, and over the years, I’ve tested and tried all of them.
Outside of the top five swim snorkels listed above, there are some other options that we looked at but ultimately didn’t make the cut, including:
Aqua Sphere Focus Swim Snorkel – Formerly the MP Swim Snorkel, Aqua Sphere’s snorkel is very comfortable and has a triangular-shaped tube that I really liked. However, the tube was prone to sliding and didn’t always stay in place during my swim workouts.
The (formerly MP) Aqua Sphere Snorkel. Hydrodynamic design, but in my experience, the bracket tends to slide down the tube during use.
FINIS Freestyler – Yet another FINIS Snorkel, the Freestyler has a tube that tightly wraps around the top of the head, making it ideal for freestyle specialists. The tube wraps around the head so tightly, in fact, that the hole at the top dips into the water if you pick your head up to look forward while swimming.
Arena Swim Snorkel III – Very similar to the FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel, the Arena Swim Snorkel III comes in several colors, has a one way purge valve, and a more expensive price tag compared to the FINIS snorkel.
Next, we will drop some knowledge on what you need to know about choosing the best swim snorkel so you can shop and swim confidently.
How to Choose the Perfect Swim Snorkel
Swim snorkels are an awesome type of swim equipment that can help you become a better and faster swimmer.
When shopping around and looking for the right swimming snorkel that matches your goals, there are certain key things to look for.
They include:
Front mounted tube
Look for a snorkel that is specifically made for swimming. This means a front-mounted design with a tube that extends straight up or curves around the top of the head.
Swim snorkels have tubes designed for drag reduction compared to leisure and traditional snorkels.
Purge valve
Purge valves allow for easy clearing of water that enters the tube and mouthpiece of the swim snorkel.
Snorkels with a purge valve are ideal for swimmers new to using a snorkel as it allows for quicker water removal, ensuring uninterrupted breathing when swimming.
The Speedo Bullethead (L) has a clean, valve-free design. On the right, a swim snorkel with a one-way purge valve.
Fit
Look for a swim snorkel that offers a customizable fit for both comfort and a watertight swimming experience.
Ensure the head strap can be easily adjusted while also allowing for height adjustments of the head mount along the snorkel tube for the best fit and comfort possible.
Durability
Swim snorkels are relatively simple tools with limited moving parts. That said, the head bracket and strap buckles are the components where you’ll have the most issues with longevity.
Head brackets loosen and break down over time, especially if you are prone to not rinsing swim gear after use to reduce the corrosive effects of chlorine and other pool chemicals.
Mouthpieces
Swim snorkels use soft silicone or rubber mouthpieces to reduce jaw fatigue and keeping a watertight seal while your face is pointed at the bottom of the pool.
Additionally, several swim snorkels, including the FINIS Stability Snorkel, feature a swiveling mouthpiece that can make it easier to talk or drink water between repetitions and sets in the pool.
Air caps
Swim snorkels can be used as a respiratory training tool. By restricting the amount of air flow, you challenge pulmonary muscles to work harder to push air in and out of the lungs.
Snorkels such as the Arena Pro III feature multiple air caps that can restrict air flow for a more challenging breathing cycle.
Easy to clean
Swim snorkels should be washed frequently to avoid bacteria growth in the mouthpiece and tube from constant exposure to moisture.
Look for a swim snorkel that can be broken down easily for quicker cleaning. Regularly washing the mouthpiece and tube will keep bacteria and mold from taking root.
Wrapping Things Up
Swim snorkels are one of my favorite tools for improving technique, endurance, and focus in the water.
Whether you are trying to balance out your stroke, improve swim-specific kicking, raise your hips for better “downhill” swimming, or simply want to do some sculling without picking your head up to breathe, there are endless ways that a swim snorkel can enhance your swimming.
Using the tips and comparisons above, pick out the best swim snorkel that aligns with your abilities and goals and take your swimming performance to the next level!
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