To rest on the surface of the water … that is what snorkeling is all about, right? You will need a means of effecting negative buoyancy or you could spend all of your energy moving from one place to another in the water. Thankfully, the best snorkel vest should be able to help you in this regard. If you are looking forward to a snorkeling adventure at home or even abroad, then you need the best snorkel vests in the market.
Pack your snorkel vest
When packing their dive gear travel bags, many people remember all the foremost things, which include the best diving computer, best diving knife, scuba regulator and the best BCD for diving. But then, we have to agree that diving is far different from snorkeling because it involves going under the water, perhaps even deeper than 60 feet. That is why you would require to have the best scuba tank for diving, diving regulator and even the best computer to calculate data for you, and log the dive.
However, snorkeling is a different kettle of fish altogether. To get ready for the adventure, you need to pack your snorkeling fins, your full-face snorkeling mask, and for the protection of your feet, you need t wear the best water shoes because when snorkeling, you stay closer to the shore and if there are rocks and stuff, you may hurt your feet.
However, almost every snorkeling enthusiast seems to forget this one very important thing, and that is the snorkeling vest. From a casual glance, this seems like a simple item, a jacket filled with air to make you float, but it will help you a great deal. You should not leave home without your snorkel vest. In any case, it packs so small it will hardly take any noticeable space in your bag. It is one of those small items that you think are negligible, yet it can serve you so well.
Snorkeling Vests Reviews
Phantom Aquatics Snorkel Adult Vest – inflatable snorkeling vest
The Phantom Aquatics Snorkel Adult Vest is a high quality inflatable snorkeling vest that is ideal for every snorkeler since it provides the much-needed neutral buoyancy while in water. This vest comes with an adjustable waist strap and crotch for a more secure fit. It is made of the durable nylon material and it comes in a bright yellow color for easier spotting.
The vest features an oral inflation tube that facilitates for an easier and quicker inflation. When it comes to buoyancy, this vest does quite an excellent job and it is able to seal enough air in order to keep even a heavy person (over 200 pounds) afloat easily.
The fact that this vest can be spotted from far away is a very crucial safety feature and it can save a distressed snorkeler during an emergency. In addition, the vest is very comfortable and it has been designed in a comfortable over-the-neck horse collar style.
Pros
- Great build quality
- Easy to inflate
- Comfortable
- Brightly colored for better spotting
Cons
- The sizes tend to run small for some adult users. Order a size larger
Typhoon Snorkel Vest- 2 Pack – Best Snorkel Vest
The Typhoon Snorkel Vest is a great quality snorkel vest with a reliable performance. These vests are available in three different sizes. The youth size for youths up to 80 lbs, the adult size for adults between 80-180 lbs and the adult extra large size for adults of above 180 lbs.
However, a customer’s package comes with two different sized vests where they are allowed to mix and match any two sizes from the three available sizes. The two adult vests feature a zippered pocket that is ideal for keeping your diving knife near and easily accessible for more convenience when snorkeling.
The vests are made from the high quality 420-denier nylon and highly visible neon yellow that makes the vest to be easily spotted form far. The locking oral inflator valve makes inflation very quick and effortless. This vest is able to seal a good amount of air to keep the user afloat for a quite a long time. It is comfortable and the removable strap keeps the vest from riding up when inflated.
Pros
- Comfortable and easy to use
- Zippered pocket comes in handy
- Great performance
- Can be easily spotted
- Easy to inflate
Cons
- The youths vest is quite small for some youths
OMOUBOI Snorkeling Vest – Snorkeling vest for non-swimmers
The OMOUBOI Snorkeling Vest is an excellent inflatable snorkeling vest for adults. You can also use it for swimming. It comes highly recommended to the learners and experienced snorkelers alike. This vest is an ultimate snorkeling gear that comes with great buoyancy to keep adults of up to 220 pounds floating with a lot of ease.
The vest has bright neon colors that give an awesome visibility and it makes the vest to be easily spotted from far, which is great especially in case of an emergency.
The vest comes with a mouth inflator valve that facilitates for a fast and easy inflation and deflation. The adjustable waist and crotch straps provides for a comfortable, customizable and secure fit even in rough waters.
In addition, the straps have easy pinch buckles and together with the heavy-duty front zipper, they allow for an easy donning and doffing. The package includes a free mesh bag that allows your wet vest to dry with ease.
Pros
- Excellent visibility in water
- Easy to put on and to take off
- Quick inflation and deflation
- Very comfortable and lightweight
- Good quality build
Cons
- Not many colors available
Scubapro Snorkeling Vest – Cruiser Jacket Vest
The Scubapro Cruiser is a premier quality snorkeling vest that comes in a sleeker and more streamlined design. Although this vest is considerably expansive when compared to most vests, it has so much to offer in terms of performance and features. To begin with, this vest comes with increased flotation control and buoyancy, and a higher comfort and convenience level.
The mouth inflator and the dump valves are very simple to use which makes the vest very easy to use. Courtesy of its design, the user experiences much less resistance even in deeper waters. The neoprene ensures that the user remains warm in cooler waters but it does not comprise on comfort in warmer waters.
The vest protects the user’s entire torso preventing them from being excessive sun exposure. A convenient pocket sewn onto the vest allows the snorkeler to keep their small snorkeling effects. The vest is available in orange or yellow colors that make them an easy spot even from a distance away.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Very comfortable
- Easy and quick inflation
- Great flotation control and buoyancy
Cons
- Pricey
Innovative Scuba Concepts Snorkel Vest – Horse collar vest
The Innovative Scuba Concepts Snorkel Vest is made from the long lasting 210 denier urethane-coated nylon. This vest is designed to enhance your buoyancy while snorkeling and at the same time maintaining your comfort.
The vests adjustable straps provides for a secure, customizable and comfortable fit. The screw down oral inflation mouthpiece allows the user to inflate the vest even when underwater.
This vest comes in ranging sizes to cater for everyone. The children size is ideal for kids up to 100 pounds, the adult’s size is ideal for adults of between 100-190 pounds and the extra large size is ideal for adults of between 190-230 pounds.
The vest is able to keep the user afloat effortlessly for a considerable amount of time and it is lightweight can be folded to a more compact size and thus convenient for travel. It comes in bright colors that are easy to spot even from far.
Pros
- Easy inflation and deflation
- Easy to don and doff
- Comfortable and lightweight
- Great quality
- Excellent buoyancy
Cons
- A bit pricey
SealBuddy Snorkel Vest – Jacket Vest
The SealBuddy ZipUp Snorkel Vest is an excellent snorkeling vest that offers great buoyancy and comfort while snorkeling. This vest is ideal for learners and experienced snorkelers alike and since it comes in bright neon colors, it provides great visibility and it can be easily spotted from a far off. The vest comes with a great fit, cut to size; it is very comfortable and delivers an excellent performance in water.
The convenient mouth inflator facilitates easy and quick inflation and deflation and when fully inflated, it is able to keep the user afloat with much ease. The vest comes in an adjustable size that is large enough for most adults. The front heavy-duty zipper allows for an easy and quick donning and doffing. The bag additionally comes with a bonus mesh bag that is ideal for your wet gear allowing it to dry much quickly.
Pros
- Adjustable and comfortable fit
- Bright easy to spot colors
- Lightweight and ideal for travel
- Easy to inflate and deflate
- Easy to put on and to take off
Cons
- Could be better with many diverse colors
DeHui Globle Life Jacket – Inflatable Snorkel Vest
The DeHui Globle Life Jacket is high quality snorkeling gear that can be recommended to every snorkeler, whether a beginner or an advanced one. This vest is made from the premium quality and durable canvas material and composite laminated TPU film. It is able to deliver an excellent level of buoyancy since it conveniently and effortlessly keeps persons weighing between 80 to 240 pounds afloat.
This vest comes in neon colors that facilitate clear visibility and since it can be spotted from a distance, it enhances the security of the user in case of an emergency. For further security enhancement, the vest also comes with a whistle that the user can use to alert others if in distress.
The adjustable crotch straps facilitate for a more comfortable and secure fit and the oral inflation tube allows for an easy and quick inflation and deflation. The front heavy-duty zipper makes the vest easy to be put on and to be taken off and the back part features a grid that is very breathable.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Comfortable fit
- Easy donning and doffing
- Great buoyancy
- Durable construction
Cons
- Not necessarily true to size
Rrtizan Adult Inflatable Snorkel Vest
The Rrtizan Adult Inflatable Snorkel Vest is an amazing snorkeling vest that is highly recommended among consumers. The vest comes with an adjustable 46-inch waist strap with a buckle that allows you to adjust your fit according to your size. This vest provided excellent buoyancy and it is ideal for people weighing from 80-220 lbs. this vest comes in bright colors that makes it as easy spot even from a distance, which enhances the safety of the user since they can easily be spotted if they are in distress.
The front zipper design facilitates for an easy and quick donning and doffing and the grid back makes the vest to be very breathable and cool. Additionally, it is very lightweight and therefore convenient for traveling. The oral inflator tube facilitates for an easy and effortless inflation and deflation and the product comes with a one-year warranty.
Pros
- Excellent buoyancy
- Easy donning and doffing
- Simple and quick inflation
- Durable construction
- Great visibility
Cons
- No crotch strap
Ivation – Best Snorkel Vest
The Ivation Snorkel Vest is a great snorkeling vest for beginners and experienced snorkelers alike. The vest is very comfortable and it offers great buoyancy to its users. The oral inflator tube is conveniently positioned to enable easy and quick inflation and deflation. The vest is very versatile and the simple over the neck design allows easy donning and doffing.
The vest is very tough since it is made from durable material that is wear resistant and can withstand some considerable abuse. Additionally, it features adjustable waist and crotch straps, helps the user to have a more comfortable, customizable and secure fit even in rough waters. The vest comes in bright colors that facilitates for an easy spot even from a far distance.
Pros
- Comfortable fit
- Great buoyancy
- Easy and quick inflations
- Easy to put on and take off
- Durable construction
Cons
- Might not be true to size
Kingswell Adult Inflatable Snorkel Vest
The Kingswell Adult Inflatable Snorkel Vest is a high quality snorkeling gear that is made from the durable 210 D polyester fabric with a thickened PVC inner section. The vest offers excellent buoyancy and it is able to keep adults of between 80-220 pounds effortlessly afloat.
It comes with a 46-inch adjustable waist strap with a buckle, which helps you to adjust its length according to your size. Together with a convenient front heavy duty zipper, the waist strap also enables easy put on and take off.
The vest comes in a compact and lightweight design that makes it very convenient for travel. It is designed to offer optimum comfort and the mesh back makes the vest very breathable and cool. The mouth inflator tube is conveniently located to enable for an easy inflation and deflation. This vest is brightly colored to enhance visibility and safety since it is an easy spot from a distance.
Pros
- Durable construction
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Excellent buoyancy
- Easy donning and doffing
- Simple and quick inflation and deflation
Cons
- No crotch strap
Types of Snorkel Vests
There are many types of snorkel vests, unlike what many people wrongly think that there is only one type. As you will see here, there are three main types of snorkel vests designs.
Here they are:
Horse collar snorkel vest
This is the most common snorkel vest in the market today. It just an inflatable piece with a hole in the middle through which your head goes. It also has straps for securing it on your person. It is not complicated at all, rolls up and packs small and so you can use it for traveling or even to relax on the beach sand. Once you wear it, it will help you float as you study the life in the water.
How to wear the horse collar snorkel vest
It is very simple. As we said, this is a one piece bladder and you just slip your head through the middle. That way, the front and the back piece will drop to the back and to the front. Then you will secure it to your waist with the strap or straps provided for just that. These straps are adjustable so the bladder should be able to fit just about everyone, except children who would need a snorkel vest for kids.
The good thing with this vest is that it helps you float. For safety, you can even wear it when you are using your inflatable surf board.
Jacket snorkel vest
This one, and the best BCD for scuba diving made in the jacket design, come designed like a jacket. You wear it and secure it with a zipper, Velcro straps or adjustable straps. This is not a full-sleeved jacket though, it is a sleeveless jacket that you wear by slipping your arms through the holes cut for just that.
Since floatation is enabled by the air bladder, this jacket-design snorkel vest for floatation has its air bladder on the front. The back has just the material so you will not look like a bulbous onion. Make sure you secure the vest on your person lest it breaks away from you and starts to float away.
Hybrid snorkel vest
This one is indeed a hybrid between the horse collar and the jacket snorkel vest. It comes mainly in the horse collar design but it also has a neoprene vest inside. This vest is sleeveless so you just slip your arms through the holes cut for just that. It also has a nylon bladder for air to help you float but when you wear it, the nylon part does not come into contact with your bare skin and so it cannot irritate you.
Try one for size, do not order blindly. However, because of adjustability, you will find that people across a certain size range can wear just one vest and adjust it to their size.
Snorkel vest for non-swimmers
Almost every kind of snorkel vest can be used for swimming. However, when looking for one, ensure you go for one that is best for snorkeling beginners. Also, before you get into the water, make sure the vest is secured nicely and snugly on your person. That way, you will not risk losing it. As a non-swimmer, you want to stay afloat. That is what is important. Also, do not go to the deeper waters.
snorkeling vest vs. life jacket
These two are different in that a snorkel vest is designed to keep you afloat and level with the water while the life jacket is designed to just keep your head out of water. Of the two, the snorkeling vest is much safer and would be advisable for beginner snorkelers as well as non-swimmers than the life jacket.
Even the materials used in the design of the two are different.
With the information that you have read here, you can now be able to make a good choice when buying the best snorkel vest. Death by drowning is so real when snorkeling, but with the best gear for snorkeling, you should be very safe.
