U.S. Diver's Snorkel

 

This is a review of the very basic U.S. Diver's snorkel you'll find at WalMart and other large retail stores. It often comes packaged with a generic, stiff mask. 
While I've long since thrown out the mask, I have actually kept using the snorkel on occasion. It doesn't have a nice dry snorkel/water blockage mechanism at the top, and easily fills with excess water in choppy conditions. However, the blowout purge valve at the base does work quite well and the snorkel is very comfortable. The plastic snap on the side for attaching to goggle is pretty flimy; it easily snaps off (I used a rubber band in it's place for a snorkel keeper), so be careful with it from the start. Overall, it's a very basic, limited snorkel and not one I would recommend to anyone wanting the more enjoyable experience offered by dry snorkels. Still, I'll  keep it around as a backup!