The Best Masks, Snorkels And Snorkel Sets Of 2017

A comfortable mask with proper fit is an essential piece of scuba gear — it will make any good dive even better. The 2017 scuba diving Gear Buyers Guide from our sister magazine Sport Diver will help you find the best scuba diving masks, snorkels and snorkel sets to fit your diving style.

More from the Sport Diver Gear Guide:
Scuba Diving Gear For Traveling Divers
Scuba Diving Gear For Thrill-Seeking Divers

The frameless design and broad, tint-free lens provide an unobstructed view, while the supple silicone skirt creates a soft, leakfree seal for dive-all-day comfort. Available with a clear or black skirt, the Frameless 2 mask comes in standard, medium and large sizes.

Atomic Aquatics Venom Frameless
UltraClear Schott Superwite™ glass lens for optical clarity | John Whittle

The Venom combines an aggressively styled subframe design with a doublelayer, dual-color silicone skirt for maximum sealing and comfort. The single-window mask offers a wide side viewing angle and low volume; and the frame mounted buckles adjust with a squeeze.

Cressi Metis
Available in a range of colored or mirrored lenses | Zach Stovall

Along with its soft, formfitting silicone skirt and wide, comfortable strap, the Metis lets you choose the lens option that's perfect for your particular kind of diving, from photography to spearfishing. Available lens choices include a yellow tint that increases the vibrancy of the colors in deep water, and mirrored lenses that hide your eyes from spearfishing prey.

Cressi Marea Jr.
Nose pocket is easy to grab for equalizing, even when wearing thick gloves | Zach Stovall

The low-volume Marea Jr. is a two-window mask suitable not only for snorkeling but also for scuba diving. It has tempered glass lenses and a double feathered skirt edge made from soft silicone that adapts to most faces and offers extraordinary comfort and fit. The mask is equipped with micrometric buckles to easily adjust the strap length.

Cressi Piumetta
Rapid-action buckles allow you to make quick and accurate adjustments | Zach Stovall

The Piumetta is a low-volume mask made especially for young people who love exploring the underwater world. Suitable for both snorkeling and scuba diving, the mask features a single polycarbonate lens and an ultrasoft face skirt with an internal seal ring that will fit most facial contours, providing a high level of comfort.

Indigo Industries Provantage
Dual-release buckles attach to the mask skirt to improve fit and create a low profile when traveling | Zach Stovall

The Provantage comes with a soft silicone skirt with a bi-angle design that minimizes pressure lines along the forehead and maximizes comfort. The large single lens offers excellent visibility for divers and snorkelers while maintaining a watertight seal. Available in blue, pink and gray.

Indigo Industries Provision
Tapered skirt design provides exceptional sealing qualities while reducing unsightly facial marks. | Zach Stovall

The skirt angles on the new Provision put less pressure on a diver's facial contours, especially along the forehead, creating a more comfortable fit while maintaining a watertight seal. This dual lens mask is low volume so it's easy to clear, and it provides an excellent field of vision underwater.

IST Sports MP110
Designed to form to a wide variety of face shapes for a comfortable fit | John Whittle

The MP110's frameless design allows a close, comfortable fit with a very low internal volume — good for a wide field of view and easy clearing. The skirt is available in black, clear or white silicone, and the easy-adjust buckles attach to the side of the skirt so the MP110 fits many face shapes and sizes to ensure the right fit.

Oceanic OceanVu
SureFit buckle tensioning system distributes tension evenly for a more secure seal and greater comfort | Zach Stovall

The ultra-lightweight OceanVu mask offers a low-volume design and dual optical glass lenses to dramatically improve field of view, enabling you to see more ocean than ever before on your dives. Available with either a black or clear skirt in eight color combinations.

SEAC L70
Semi-frameless design takes the skirt and overmolds directly on the frame | Zach Stovall

With internal volume so minimal that equalization is almost unnecessary, the L70 is a user-friendly mask for freedivers and scuba divers alike. Since the tempered glass lenses are placed so close to the face you can also enjoy an expansive field of view, plus excellent strap adjustment thanks to the skirt-mounted 3D buckles.

SEAC Italia
Polycarbonate frame incorporates chromed metal inserts and stainless steel screws into its design | Zach Stovall

SEAC spared no expense with its Italia mask. The soft silicone skirt is built with different thicknesses to optimize comfort and maintain a watertight seal. The large ultra-clear tempered glass lenses are 3mm thick and offer optical lenses from -1.0 to -6.0 diopter. A mirrored-lens version is also available.

TUSA M3001 Freedom Tri-Quest
Mask is designed with a reduced frame structure to minimize blind spots | Zach Stovall

With the Freedom TriQuest's domed side windows and single front lens you can enjoy a panoramic view. The mask skirt features a dimpled surface of varying thicknesses that ensures a comfortable fit. The three-dimensional strap includes a five-position strap angle adjustor for making micro adjustments

Atomic Aquatics SV2 Snorkel
Self-draining scupper valve for easy clearing and comes in seven colors to match your kit. | Zach Stovall

Based on a sea-worthy boat design, the SV2 prevents water from flushing into the mouth with a one-way scupper valve that directs water around the mouth- piece and out a purge valve. It's designed to work in con- junction with a semi-dry top that limits water intrusion into the breathing tube.

Cressi Tao Dry
Splash guard on top significantly reduces water entering the tube, and flexible lower tube and angled silicone mouthpiece help reduce jaw fatigue. | Zach Stovall

The Tao is a semidry snorkel that allows you to fully enjoy the underwater world. A contoured large bore tube provides ample airflow, while a lower purge valve enables water to be quickly expelled when necessary. An adjustable snorkel keeper is included.

SEAC Vortex Dry
Corrugated lower tube drops out of the way when not being used, and available with clear or black tubes, each with a choice of seven accents. | John Whittle

The Vortex dry-top design features a valve that closes as soon as you submerge, blocking water from entering through the top. The mouthpiece is made from liquid silicone; it fits comfortably in the mouth to eliminate jaw fatigue during long snorkel sessions.

SEAC Liquid
Convenient clip lets you attach the snorkel to a mask strap fast and easy, and simple J-style design is ideal for scuba divers as well as freedivers. | John Whittle

The classic Liquid snorkel is made entirely of high quality, flexible liquid silicone. This added flexibility enables you to easily fold the snorkel and stow it in a BC pocket while you're underwater. Once you're back on the surface it's ready to deploy

Cressi Marea Jr. & Mini Supernova Dry Combo
Uses 100 percent high-quality silicone that offers extraordinary comfort and fit | Zach Stovall

The Marea Jr. & Mini Supernova Dry Combo consists of a two-window mask and a mini- dry snorkel. The snorkel features a special valve that seals when submerged. The mask is designed to mold to most face shapes, with a small inner volume. The mini-dry snorkel ensures water will not enter and has a purge valve to eliminate water in the tube.

Cressi Perla & Supernova Dry Combo
The Perla mask is low volume so it sits close to the eyes, increasing field of view, and the large purge valve at the bottom of the snorkel expels errant drops of water quickly and easily. | Zach Stovall

This combo is suitable for snorkeling and diving without the worry of water entering either the snorkel or mask. The Perla skirt is made out of 100 percent hypoallergenic soft silicone and the lenses are anti-fog tempered glass.

Cressi Pegaso & Iguana
Comfortable, affordable snorkeling combo for kids | Zach Stovall

Paired together, the hypoallergenic, soft, leak-free Pegaso mask and dry Iguana snorkel is an ideal way to introduce youngsters to the underwater world. The silicone mask has easy-to-use strap adjustments and the snorkel has a simple, secure keeper to clip to the mask's strap. The combo is available in a choice of fun, high-visibility colors.

Cressi Ranger & Tao Combo
Large-bore snorkel tube allows easy air flow | Zach Stovall

This snorkel set is ready to travel the world. The low-volume Ranger mask features dual lenses for optimal field of vision underwater. The Tao snorkel offers a splash guard top and purge for quick, effortless clearing.

Cressi Marea Jr. & Top Jr.
Perfect for beginning and young divers | Zach Stovall

The Marea Jr. mask has a low-volume design and a soft nose pocket, making it quick and easy to clear and equalize. The Top Jr. snorkel, sized for younger divers, has a top splash guard and a large bottom purge valve to keep it nice and dry even in choppy water conditions.