snorkeling rentals clean?
 

We will be visiting Maui in July and plan to snorkel. Everyone seems to say rent the snorkeling gear. Is the mouth piece sterilized or do they give new mouth pieces to everyone?

I like Rick Steve's suggestion travel light,& buy it new when you get there. In your case, best deal probably at WalMart or KMart. :S-

Can't comments on Maui, and I'm no expert on hygiene, but I know what they do in Bermuda to sterilize them, and a local guy there swears by it: Store the mouthpieces in ice.

Please, please, please, buy your own. I know a guy who got sick twice on cruises after using the rented snorkle gear. Yuk!! Peace of mind is worth whatever it costs for your own snorkle.

Rented gear from 3 different places when I was there this past Feb. and had no problems whatsoever.

dfo
We always buy alcohol swabs to take with us and clean the mouthpiece with them before using.

Would you use a stranger's toothbrush if it was "sterilized" with ice?

I have seen travelers with all kinds of sores on their feet from ill fitting fins and with masks that were simply not fitted properly. Not to mention what you will put in your mouth and inhale.....Oh God!
Take 1 hour before your trip and go to Walmart, Sports Authority or a similar store and buy proper eqiupment.

Depending on how much snorkeling you intend to do, you may want to go to a dive shop before or after you get there and buy equipment. A professional dive shop will know how to fit you properly for a mask, snorkel and fins.

Okay, here is another concern in life I never thought of - LOL. Snorkle Bob's dips them in something.

The snorkel trip I took on Big Island also used a dippity do. We brought our own equipment and skipped the dip. Anyone know what it is? :?

Agree with Miramar, if you're planning to do a lot of snorkeling, properly fitted gear is important (especially masks) and you cannot do that at Walmart. Sometimes we only bring our mask and snorkel and use the rental/provided fins as they are much bulkier to pack.

Reply to Patty, I would not be concerned about sharing a mask with someone, however the snorkel tube one can pick up at Walmart etc without any special fitting.

If anyone stops in Oahu you can get cheap, nice sets at Sam's or Costco.

My word, such worries.

When you open a doorway, do you know where every hand has been that touched that door knob? And where have those hands been before that? Have any of those hands been exposed to cold germs?

When you get a fork in a resturaunt, can you be sure it is clean? How about that glass of water? Aaugh, that is the stuff that made Howard Hughes a recluce.

Sometimes when you get sick on vacation it is from exposure on the plane or your rental car or anything you have touched. Salt water (sea water) is a great way to heal a wound on your skin or clean anything. That is where your snorkel equipment will spend a great deal of time.

Don't be so worried. Do you want to pay $100+ in a professional shop for equipment you will use for a week? If you are really worried and can afford it, go ahead. I have spent the $10 to 12 per week rental fee for years and have had no problems. I start taking Airborne(you can get it at drug stores or at Trader Joe's) a day before I leave and finish the bottle. I start taking it again a day before I leave. I no longer get colds when I travel. It is a ton of cold fighting vitamins.

The worries about ill-fitting equipment will probably not be a problem unless you plan so swim a couple of miles on the first day. Paddling around with the fish will probably not take you more than a couple of hundred feet and if you have a problem you can exchange it befor the next days trip.

Take a breath and enjoy your vacation. You will be fine.

When in tropical destinations, I'm a snorkel fanatic!!! Ask the little missus. I try to get in 2 hours or more EVERYday in clear, pristine waters so I tend to place high importance on having my own personalized gear.

dfo, if you're really concerned about mouth pieces, you can purchase your own snorkel which are very lightweight and inexpensive. The better, modern ones significantly minimize water intake and are easier to clear of water and used air than the simple tubes the rental shops distribute. Or to save some dough, you could always purchase a separate mouth piece which should fit the generic snorkels used by the rental shops.

Re a mask, it's not necessarily the sharing that I'd be concerned with. It's having the proper fit!!! Nothing's more bothersome during snorkeling than having to clear water from your face mask every so often. Try scuba diving and you'll know how important a good mask is. Obviously, everyone's face shape is different, so yours may not fit the ones from the rental shops or those avail at Walmart or Costco. If you're a casual snorkeler and only do it once in a great while, then just go with the standard equip and hope that it works out with very few leaks. If you're an enthusiast like myself, check out gear reviews at websites like scubadiving.com (Rodale's), then go to a local dive shop and try on different masks for the best fitting ones. A store employee should help determine which ones fit you well and within your budget. And remember to buy anti-fog gel and an extra strap in case the original one breaks (happens).

BTW if you take JohnD's well-advised sugg to travel light, definitely don't purchase and pack fins, just rent it there. Get some thin, lycra aqua socks if you're worried about getting your feet thrashed. But don't go so far as to getting booties, which will then require you to get open-heel fins.

I'm sure you'll enjoy snorkeling on Maui no matter the decision. July is a great time to do it...just don't get burnt. Hope this helps!!!

8-)

Excellent points bluefan.

I agree that Walmart masks may not fit everyone. I was thinking of fins that cause blisters.

When I rent in Hawaii I have had my mask fitted each time and it was made clear that I should come back if I have any problems. I would recommend renting instead of buying because of that fact.

I don't put my hands in my mouth after touching a doorknob.

I guess I shouldn't tell you that people warm up wetsuits by peeing.

Much ado about nothing here, in my opinion. Rental gear gets rinsed well, and germs just don't live that long outside of your warm, moist mouth. If you're really worried about this, just dump some alcohol over the mouth piece.

Instead of buying anti-fog stuff, just spit in your mask and smear it around. It prevents fogging. Agh! More germs, I suppose.

Cheap gear doesn't usually fit well, but you won't know that until you try it out. With rentals, you can exchange problem gear and get to try out different styles and sizes. That's useful in case you become a serious snorkeler and want to buy your own.

I guess non-island folks don't know about the solution for taking the sting out of stepping on a sea urchin. Just like warming up your wetsuit, you pee on it.