3 Ways to Snorkel with a Mustache (In order of effectiveness)

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Last Updated on June 23, 2023 by Snorkel Ken

seal-mask-mustacheIt’s been brought up a few times in the comments here, and I often get emails from readers, about what to do with a mustache getting in the way of  a good seal with your snorkel mask.  I’ve never had a mustache so I had to do some research.  I went to some of the SCUBA and dive forums that I like to visit and below is what I came up with as the best options for snorkeling with a mustache.  Of course, numbers 2 and 3 in the list below wouldn’t work for SCUBA but I think they are legitimate work arounds for snorkeling.

How to Get A Good Seal with a Mustache and Snorkel Mask

1.  Companies actually make mustache wax and sealers that you rub onto your facial hair that will help to create the seal between the mask and your face. The logic being that a layer of wax and a snorkel mask skirt will seal exponentially better than facial hair and the skirt.  Just be careful, though, because even with the wax and sealer there is probably going to be some leakage.  It’s best to snorkel with a mask that has a purge valve in the nose pocket in this case so that you can just blow out the water that leaks into the mask.  As long as water is no pouring in, then you should be fine.

2.  The next, and second most effective alternative I can come up with is to go “old school”. Instead of getting a full snorkel or dive mask, you can purchase a quality pair of underwater goggles and nose clip With the goggle you should still be able to see great underwater and the nose clip will take your nose out of the equation which will make it possible to breathe through the snorkel.  The only issue I see with this is that you’ll need a snorkel keeper that is able to adapt or attach to your goggle band.  See images below for goggles, nose clips, and snorkel keep.

3.  Lastly, there is a very effective way to snorkel with a mustache and maintain a total seal around your face. The reason this works is because the snorkel mask is a full-face mask and not just an above the lip mask.  It’s called the Tribord EasyBreathe Snorkel Mask. The Tribord takes the upper lip seal and mustache issue right out of equation and instead forms the seal around your entire face.  Some people find this mask more comfortable because of the wider seal.  Note:  Not an option for SCUBA and even free-diving beyond 10 feet of water would be difficult as the Tribord is not a low volume mask.

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