Snorkeling is a popular way to enjoy and explore the ocean. But, one way to surely ruin your snorkeling excursion is the annoyance of your mask becoming flooded or fogged up. This isn’t a problem for most people, however for people with beards it can certainly be more common. In this article we will be covering tips on how to snorkel with a beard.
It’s not difficult to lose yourself in the serene marine surroundings, but having a leaky mask is never any fun! While sometimes you may have to deal with the occasional leakage, you really don’t want to be spending half of the time trying to get water out of your mask.
6 tips on how to snorkel with a beard
If you are marine biology enthusiast or just want to give snorkeling a try but worry that having a beard will make your experience less enjoyable- make sure to stick to these tips to make snorkeling with a beard much more pleasant!
1. If you can part with your beard, shave
Now this is the most extreme of these tips and also the most obvious. But it is also the most effective way to make sure that your beard does not prevent you from getting a proper seal.
This may be a deal-breaker for some people that aren’t willing to part with their beard! But if you intend to snorkel often, or even perhaps have a trip planned where you will be snorkeling a lot, this option is worth exploring.
2. Make sure your mask fits
The most important thing when selecting a mask is to make sure that your mask fits your face properly. By having a mask that fits, you should manage to create and keep a seal- which is crucial to keeping water out!
To test that your mask fits, you can push your mask against your face firmly. There should be enough suction that the mask will remain on your face, even without the strap.
3. Wear goggles
Goggles are a great option because they cover your eyes only and therefore wouldn’t be affected by a beard. Keep in mind though that these goggles aren’t great for diving down deep because of the pressure that the seal puts on your eyes.
But as long as you stay near the surface goggles can be a great option for somebody with a beard wanting to snorkel.
Here are a couple of options:
4. Trim your mustache
In most cases, it’s the mustache that prevents a proper seal and not actually the beard. However, if your beard goes quite far up your face then this may also prevent your mask from getting that seal.
So the most common place where the seal breaks when snorkeling for people with facial hair is right above your mouth and right under your nose- right where a mustache would be!
So, while it might look a little bit funny, if you trim the top portion of your mustache, it could really help to help get that seal that will keep water from leaking into your mask.
5. Use a sealer on your facial hair
There are a few products you can apply to your facial hair that will come into contact with the mask skirt (the silicone material that creates the seal on your face). These products are typically a waxy like material that help to keep the seal with your face.
You can use chapstick, mustache sealer, or even hair wax!
Be sure to use a small amount and apply directly onto your facial hair. Avoid products like Vaseline as the ingredients can break down the silicon on your mask and damage it.
6. Buy a mask recommended by fellow bearded snorkelers
Snorkeling with a beard certainly isn’t impossible, and there are many people that enjoy snorkeling with a beard! So luckily there are lots of resources and recommendations for others wanting to learn how to snorkel with a beard.
Here is a list of a couple of masks- highly recommended by bearded snorkelers!
Conclusion
Having a leaky mask or a mask that won’t seal can really ruin your snorkeling experience, and unfortunately for beard-sporting people a leaky mask is not an uncommon experience. But luckily there’s no need to worry about snorkeling with a beard, there are many people that have managed to find ways to make it work!
Hopefully these tips will be helpful if you find yourself wanting to dive in and see life from a different perspective but worry that your beard will put a damper on your snorkeling experience.
