U.S. Divers Panoramic View Lux Platinum Snorkel Set

I went snorkeling for the first time in Laguna Beach and had an absolutely great time. Goggles: Will comfortably stay on anyone's face without trouble. And the large lens does increase your vision. The only problem is that the goggles constantly fog up. However the purge valve in the nose piece nicely lets water out in the goggles. Snorkel: Stays closed as you submerge under water. The silicone mouth piece fits good. And the purge valve at the bottom easily lets water out of the snorkel without trouble. Fins: Made out of decent material. The pivot joints does allow water to slip past for good propulsion. They are a bit hard to use for the first time. The strap allows most foot sizes to feet comfortable. I also suggest maybe buying fin socks because the rubber sometimes scrapes against your feet. Bag: Excellent bag that perfectly holds all 3 items Conclusion: This set is top of the line for beginner and average snorkelers. It allows you to enjoy the underwater world while giving you the freedom from fear.

After first use the strap on the bag broke. The heel strap on one of the flippers also broke on the first day. The flippers were functional but really after first use, a broken strap? Nobody wants to buy a gift for someone that breaks right away. These were not cheap.

Just got back from Grand Cayman and this set worked wonderfully. My husband & I both have a set and are beginner snorkelers (only one brief session years ago) and both of us had no problems w/ this set. Didn't have a problem w/ fit on anything or leaking on anything at all. The dry-top snorkel is a no-brainer. I really can't figure out why anyone -- beginner or otherwise -- wouldn't use a dry-top snorkel. It closes off if a wave slops over you or if you dive down. So you don't get that awesome mouth full of salt water. On one of the trips we took w/ a group, we were the last ones back to the boat and we're convinced it's because the water was a little choppy and everyone else had the tour-provided, standard snorkel. Agree w/ other reviewers that the fins are a bit stiff but have nothing to compare them to so may try other fins in the future. Something to note -- I bought this exact set from Amazon, my husband's came from a discount club. His were about $20 cheaper but they didn't have my size. The only difference appeared to be that this bag is MUCH nicer. Initially I didn't think it would justify the $20 price difference but after using them I think it does. The zip pocket on the outside gave us a place to keep the defog spray, keys, tissues etc. The BEST aspect is the sturdy mesh on the bottom. I was just cleaning both sets for storage and my husband's (with a closed nylon bottom) was full of sand (even though we rinsed them after use) and mine were sand-free and clean and dry. I also heeded recommendations from others and got the neoprene mask strap cover U.S. Divers Snorkel System to stop pulling out my long hair and the neoprene socks Phantom Aquatics 3mm Neoprene Fin Socks. I reviewed those as well. Hints for any other beginners out there -- here's some things I found online before we went that made a HUGE impact on our experience... -- use a soft toothbrush and plain-old ordinary colgate and clean the inside of the mask. Brush around the inside of the lens, rinse, repeat. -- best defog spray is little bit of baby shampoo mixed w/ water in a spray bottle. -- practice in a pool before you go out into the ocean. Getting everything to fit right and getting used to how they feel & work kept us from wasting time on snorkeling trips.

overall excellent and carrying case was a big bonus. Only slight negative: I think the fins would be better for scuba than snorkeling. They were very buoyant, making it hard to get a good kick going.

Tip from a snorkeling guide. With the tempered glass of these goggles, a bit of abrasive cleanser (ajax or equivalent) will take the film off that causes fogging. Once we did that it was clear diving. The only negative that I've seen is that the foot straps will loosen as you go, so you do have to tighten them while swimming or risk having it slip off.