There are a few essential steps to customizing your gear when you unpack it.
Firstly, check the fit. The easiest way is the sniff test. Gently put the mask against your face and take in a small breath. Make sure you have no hair sitting under the skirt on your forehead. While you inhale through your nose, the mask should sit against your face without your hands holding it in place.
If air leaks in, the skirt may not be the right size for you. You may need a smaller mask, or one with a different shape skirt. If when you look in the mirror, the edge of the inner skirt is not as wide as your eyes, you may need a larger size.
Pinch your nose to make sure you can block off both nostrils while wearing the mask. You will need to do this if you dive underwater, to equalize your air spaces and sinuses and avoid a mask squeeze, and to damaging your eardrums.
Attach the snorkel to the left-hand side of the mask. The mouthpieces on all snorkels are angled to fit into your mouth. If you have it on the right-hand side, the mouthpiece will be upside down and uncomfortable and may irritate your gums.
Next clean down the inside glass lens with regular white toothpaste. During manufacture the components are coated with a silicone product to make the parts easy to assemble (by machines).
You need to clean this off before you use your mask, or it will fog up on you.
So now you have the family’s gear organized, but you need to pack it safely and make sure nothing goes missing on your trip.
First thing, get a mesh snorkel bag for each diver, or for younger snorkelers, a bag big enough for an adult to carry it for them. For individual snorkel bags a sturdy carry strap is preferable and a bag with a panel for the family name, makes for easy identification at a crowded dive site.
On larger bags, put an empty luggage label. When you check into your hotel, take a business or name card from the front desk and put it in the luggage label.
If you leave your gear anywhere it will make its way back to the hotel. At most tourist destinations they will put any lost or left-over items, on the bus back to your hotel. If your bag has a family name on it, it is easy for the staff to reunite you with your gear. This has happened hundreds of times on our expeditions where snorkel bags have been left under tables at coffee shops or the like.
Also make sure each item is clearly marked with your initials, or the family surname to make sure no one takes your gear by mistake. On larger snorkel boats, you hand up your fins and mask as you climb back on. They are placed in a bucket for you to reclaim. All blue face masks look alike… make sure you get your nice fitting, high quality, silicone face mask back.
Before you dive, dob some anti-fog on the inside lens of your mask, make sure all children’s masks have some – as they tend to fog more than adults.
Check each family members gear. That their mask is clear of hair and the mask strap is not over tightened. The fins straps are loose enough to get a finger between the fin sock or reef walker and the strap. Otherwise, if on too tight, they may cramp.
Enjoy your dive! Remember, when you finish your snorkel session, claim your gear, rinse it in fresh water, under a beach shower or in a tub on the boat and repack it in your mesh snorkel bag.