How to Attach a Snorkel to a Mask – Step by Step Guide

Last Updated: May 12, 2023

To have a great time snorkeling, it is important to ensure your snorkel is correctly attached to your mask. Among many advantages, this keeps your snorkel from dropping to the sea floor in case your mouthpiece accidentally falls off your mouth.

Now, if you incorrectly attach your snorkel to your mask, your snorkeling time may be ineffective. You will keep clearing the fog accumulated in your mask, constantly shifting your focus from enjoying the experience.

Therefore, always ensure you have correctly attached your snorkel to your mask before jumping into the water.

To do this, you need a snorkel keeper.

What is a Snorkel Keeper?

A snorkel keeper is a small appliance designed to secure your snorkel to your mask. There are two types of keepers: figure-8 rings and clips.

The clips are made of hard plastic material, while the rings are made of neoprene or silicone.

These devices help to hold the snorkel vertically when your head is facing down in the water, making them extremely useful.

So always have some snorkel keeper with you.

Find out more about snorkel keepers here.

Choosing the Right Snorkel Keeper – Ring or Clip?

Whether experienced or a novice, choosing the right snorkel keeper ensures you have a great time during the adventure.

Both the ring and clip work fine in securing your snorkel to your mask. However, they are slightly different.

The clips’ material is hard plastic, making it more fragile and easy to break.  Long hairs can also get stuck in them as you snorkel.

The figure-8 style ring’s material is neoprene or silicone, thus more durable than its counterpart. However, it may get out of place if you set it inappropriately.

So, which is the right one for snorkeling?

If you want something that is more flexible and durable, consider the ring keeper. But if you want something more solid that can stay in pace even in rough waves, a clip keeper would be ideal.

Generally, most snorkelers prefer the ring keeper.

Can I Replace My Snorkel Keeper?

Just like many devices, snorkel keepers are subject to the effect of wear and tear. Over time, they can crack, dry out and break; if this happens, you can replace them, instead of buying a whole new snorkeling set.

However, it is essential to note that snorkels come in different forms. Some have their keepers sliding over the snorkel while others have theirs popping onto the tube. With these differences, the keepers are fixed differently in each of them. So it would be best if you take your snorkel with you to the store in order to buy a compatible snorkel keeper.

Attaching the Snorkel to the Mask – Step by Step

Follow these steps to correctly attach your snorkel to your mask.

1. Wear Your Mask

Before anything, put on your mask as if you were to go snorkeling and secure it in the right place. The importance of this is to help you identify where to attach your snorkel for best effectiveness.

2. Hold the Mouthpiece with Your Mouth

Next, take your snorkel’s mouthpiece and hold it in position using your mouth. Ensure you hold it in the most comfortable position to ensure that the tube is in the right place as you snorkel.

3. Position the Snorkel Tube Correctly

Once the mouthpiece is in a comfortable position, tilt the snorkel tube’s position to ensure that it stays above the water surface for easy and safe breathing. This is arguably the most important step of attaching your snorkel to your mask as it ensures you have unrestricted air flow.

The snorkeling tube should run vertically along the side of your face. You can place it on either side of your face, left or right.

4. Line up Your Snorkel with the Strap

The snorkel and the mask are attached at the point where the two intersect, so you should ensure you accurately note this point.

How do you do this?

While still having your mask on, use your fingers to feel where the snorkel and strap intersect. This is the point where the two should be attached, so get it accurately.

If using a clip keeper, slide it to the point where the mask strap and snorkel connect. It guarantees that you have connected the two in the correct position.

If using a ring keeper, slide it to the point where the mask strap and the snorkel connect to attach the two in the right place.

5. Get Your Mask Off

Hold the snorkel and mask together using your hands at their point of intersection and carefully remove the mask.

6. Connect the Snorkel

If using a clip, attach the snorkel to the snorkel keeper clip using the allowance between them.

If using a ring, hold the mask strap against the snorkel just above where the snorkel keeper ring is. Take the second free ring, pull it to the top of the snorkel and sown the tube on top of the first ring. This should have secured your snorkel in place.

7. Test it

Finally, put on your mask and your snorkel mouthpiece. Mimic your head’s movement as if you are snorkeling to ensure that your assembly is tight and properly attached.

Alternative Methods for Assembling a Snorkel to Your Mask

Apart from using the traditional clips and rings, you can employ different methods to assemble your snorkel.

1. Using a Holder

Nowadays, snorkels come with a holder to help you secure it in place. The steps for this method are:

1. Wear your snorkel mask
2. Connect your snorkel to the strap using the holder.
3. Place your mouthpiece and position your snorkel and mask correctly.

2. Mounting Your Snorkel under the Headgear

As long as you’ve aligned it well, you can mount your snorkel under your headgear. Here are the steps:

1. Put on your mask and loosen the straps a bit.
2. Position your mouthpiece in a comfortable position.
3. Tighten your mask straps
4. Position your snorkel and mask correctly.

3. Sewing Your Snorkel to the Straps

This method is ideal for regular snorkelers since it saves more time and is more convenient.

1. Put on your snorkel mask and place your mouthpiece in your mouth.
2. Correctly position your snorkel facing up.
3. Connect your mask headgear to the snorkel clip.
4. Mark their meeting position and remove them.
5. Sew the snorkel clip to the mask strap using a needle and thread.
6. Put on your mask to confirm that everything fits well and is correctly positioned.

Can You Attach a Snorkel to Goggles?

It is recommended that you avoid attaching your snorkel to swimming goggles because they aren’t designed to support the additional weight and drag caused by a snorkel. The goggle seals can easily break causing water leaks into them.

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