Best Snorkel for Swimming Laps: Top 8 Swimmer’s Snorkels

Are you looking for an awesome snorkel to grind out some laps and take your swimming to the next level? Well, look no further because, in today’s article, we’ll be looking at the best snorkels for swimming laps and some benefits of wearing one.

Over the past few years, the swimmer’s snorkel has exploded in popularity. I’ve witnessed this on my own pool deck with barely seeing a snorkel insight to having them being used at least 3-4 times a week at practice. And looking at all of the benefits that they provide, it’s easy to see why. 

I also just want to clarify that a swimmer’s snorkel is nothing like your standard snorkel that you can pick up at any local store for a couple of bucks. No, a swimmer’s snorkel is a specially and beautifully crafted device that allows you to swim with perfect stroke, full range of motion, and no worries of it coming off during turns or fast sprint sets.

So with all that said, why don’t we have a look at a couple of amazing benefits that these swimmer’s snorkels provide.

Benefits of Swimming with a Snorkel: Why You Should-

1. Balances Out Your Stroke (And Helps to Prevent Muscle Imbalances)

When you swim with a snorkel, there is no need to breathe to your dominant side as most swimmers do, which in return helps to balance out your stroke. This means that your muscles will be working the same amount on each side and will help you to swim with complete balance in the water.

It will also help to stop muscle imbalances from forming or if you already have an imbalance it can help to even things out a bit and make your swimming more comfortable and enjoyable.

2. A Swimming Snorkel Can Help to Improve Your Lung Capacity

Did you know that a swimming snorkel actually has the ability to improve your lung capacity? How you may ask? Well, when swimming with a snorkel you’ll naturally reduce the amount of oxygen you can inhale at once a slight bit. 

This probably isn’t going to make a huge difference in itself though, but you see it doesn’t stop there- a lot of swimming snorkel’s come with little tops that you can put on which will limit your oxygen consumption and will force your lungs to become stronger in order to inhale more oxygen and also to adapt so that you can still swim with good performance and optimal oxygen levels.

This creates possibilities for fun little hypoxic sets with your snorkel where you can focus on improving lung capacity which will help you to become a better swimmer, as you’ve probably already figured out…

FINIS has a cool add-on called a cardio cap that you can add to your snorkel to improve lung-capacity further.

3. A Snorkel Improves Your Swimming Technique

There are lots of ways that a snorkel can either directly or indirectly help you to improve your swimming technique. Let’s take a look at them-

Direct improvements in technique- Some examples here include things like teaching you to keep a straight head position and helping you to look down while swimming to find the optimal head position that will reduce drag and increase your swimming speed.

If you’re someone who rocks their head from side to side while swimming the snorkel will correct this, since you won’t be able to swim without receiving some water down your snorkel when you try to breathe. This will force you to keep a straight head position in the water, which will contribute to a better body position that can drastically improve your swim speeds.

Indirect improvements in technique- the options here are endless, when swimming with a snorkel it takes the hassle out of having to worry about breathing so instead you’ll be able to place all of your focus on a specific part of your stroke, such as for example- your hand entry or your body position, while still receiving all of the oxygen you’ll ever need. 

Over the course of time, this can lead to significant improvements in technique and can greatly improve your swimming and your speed in the water.

4. A Swimming Snorkel Can Help You to Swim Faster

As we just said, swimming snorkels can help to improve your technique in many ways- and this is usually translated into faster swimming. 

To give you an idea about how much faster you can swim while using a snorkel, a study published by the US National Library of Medicine found that on average swimmers were able to increase their speed by more than 6% for breaststroke and almost 5% for freestyle over the course of just a 100m.

This opens a lot of doors for creating some pretty interesting snorkel sprint sets where you will be able to focus on swimming super fast which will help to simulate your race and ultimately prepare you for swimming really fast when race time does come.

5. Great to Use with Kicking Sets

There are a few ways that the swimmer’s snorkel will actually help to enhance your kicking sets.

The first includes an improvement in the flutter kick while swimming. You see, a lot of the time when doing body position freestyle kicking swimmers will cross their ankles for a second when taking a breath, this halts the flutter kick motion behind them and makes you slower.

When using a snorkel, there’s no need to take a breath and you can focus solely on kicking as fast and effectively as possible.

The second area a snorkel comes in handy when doing kick sets is when we are using our kickboards. A lot of the time the kickboard doesn’t encourage the best body-position with your head looking straight up and it also removes the rolling motion in your stroke.

With a snorkel, you’ll be able to kick in a streamline position with max speed and good body position or you can also place your arms by your side and mimic the rolling motion of the shoulders and hips such as when swimming a full-stroke.

8 Best Snorkels for Swimming Laps

Here are the best snorkels for swimming laps-

• FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel
• TYR Ultralite 2.0 Snorkel
• FINIS Glide Swimmer’s Snorkel
• Speedo Bullet Head Snorkel
• FINIS Stability Snorkel
• FINIS Freestyle Snorkel
• A3 Performance Training Snorkel
• YLON-A YSTI Swim Snorkel

←Scroll to view full table on mobile→

Swimmer’s Snorkel	Mouth Piece	Adjustable	Purge Valve	Our Rating	View on SwimOutlet
Finis Swimmer’s Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	Yes	10/10	>View Price
TYR Ultralite 2.0 Swim Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	Yes	10/10	>View Price
Finis Glide Swimming Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	No	10/10	>View Price
Speedo Bullet Head Swim Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	No	9/10	>View Price
Finis Stability Snorkel	Silcone	Yes	No	8/10	>View Price
Finis Freestyle Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	No	8/10	>View Price
A3 Performance Training Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	No	7/10	>View Price
Ylon YSTI Swim Snorkel	Silicone	Yes	No	7/10	>View Price

1. FINIS Swimmer’s Swim Snorkel

The Finis Swimmer’s Swim Snorkel is easily the most popular swimming snorkel out there. It’s a bit more basic and simple in design but I think this is what makes it so great. That said, it still packs a ton of great features to maximize your swimming performance and experience in the water.

Firstly, the Finis Swimmer’s Snorkel Features a 1-way purge valve which allows for the quick release of water after a flip turn, making sure that none of that nasty pool water gets in your mouth or interferes with your swimming workout.

In terms of comfort and adjustability, the Finis Swimmer’s Swim Snorkel features an easily adjustable head strap which is also really comfortable and has a universal design that’ll fit all face sizes.

This snorkel also focuses on increasing your VO2 Max and lung capacity and an additional snorkel cap can be bought to further limit oxygen uptake and really take maximum advantage of developing stronger lungs.

The center-mounted design on this snorkel helps to cut through the water and maximize the hydrodynamics helping you to focus on improving your stroke, technique, and head-position in the water.

This snorkel is great for pretty much any type of swimmer and can be used with all of the competitive strokes while also supporting flip turns. The mouth-piece is designed using soft and comfortable, medical-grade silicone.

Overall, this is a superb snorkel for any swimmer, I can see why it’s such a popular option. The design is loaded with a ton of features, the snorkel is really durable, flexible, and makes a great and comfortable fit for any swimmer while coming in at an affordable price. 

This snorkel is also compatible with the Finis Snorkel Dry-Top, which ensures that no water can enter the snorkel when you’re submerged.

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2. TYR Ultralite 2.0 Swim Snorkel

The TYR Ultralite 2.0 Swim Snorkel is easily one of my favorite swimming snorkels. Personally, I really like the solid, simple, and super-lightweight design that this snorkel has to offer all while coming in at a really decent price.

This Snorkel also comes in an elite version with some added whistles and bells. And the elite version is only a couple of bucks more expensive, so you may consider opting for that over the standard Ultralite 2.0 variation, you can check out the elite version by clicking here.

The Ultralite 2.0 Swim Snorkel features a really hydrodynamic and lightweight shape which allows you to cut through the water while swimming. This will ensure that you can swim with maximal speed and minimal resistance helping you to focus on whatever task is at hand.

In terms of comfort, the snorkel is also pretty amazing with it featuring a sliding head piece which can be adjusted for targeted positioning, it also has durafit silicone padding which allows you to wear the snorkel with maximal comfort.

The Ultralite 2.0 Swimming Snorkel also has a one-way purge valve at the bottom allowing for clear and easy breathing while swimming. There are also cardio caps that come included for those swimmers who want to focus on building lung capacity. 

Lastly, this snorkel features a removable mouth piece which will help to maintain the durability and shape of the snorkel.

Overall, a superb snorkel for swimming some laps and having a great swim workout. I think you can see why I like this snorkel so much. 

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3. FINIS Glide Swimmer’s Swim Snorkel

The Finis Glide Swimmer’s Snorkel is the latest snorkel released by Finis. It’s also a really popular option and does come in at a slightly lower price compared to the other models, but it’s also a bit more basic which is fine depending on what your needs are.

The Glide Snorkel is a center mounted snorkel designed for improving technique and using during your training sessions. The stability on this snorkel is also pretty good with it being able to handle all of the strokes as well as flip turns.

Further, the tube features a hydrodynamic shape that curves around your head to reduce drag as much as possible and promote ideal body position in the water. This design aspect can lead to significant improvements in both speed and technique while swimming, which is great.

The Snorkel is quite comfortable while wearing and it has an adjustable head strap which you can use to change the fit to your liking.

The tube is also focused on improving your VO2 Max capabilities- meaning lung capacity. And the snorkel can be used with the Finis Snorkel Cap which allows you to further restrict your air supply and improve lung capacity even more.

Overall, this is a great snorkel for swimming some laps and getting in a good swim workout. Personally, I like the basic and easy to use design and construction of this snorkel. It makes it great for all types of swimmers. 

Something else to note here is that this snorkel is compatible with the Finis Dry-top which will ensure that no water will be able to enter your snorkel when you are submerged underwater.

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4. Speedo Bullet Head Snorkel

The Speedo Bullet Head Swimming Snorkel is another great snorkel for swimming laps. Something unique about this snorkel is the fact that it’s available in a standard and junior version, ensuring it’s also suitable for younger swimmers as well.

That said this snorkel also has an awesome design with a bunch of superb features packed in. 

Firstly, it is engineered to provide excellent stability when swimming, no matter what the speed or stroke. This is achieved by utilizing a tear-drop shape which cuts through the water as you are swimming some laps.

Secondly, the design is quite low-profile and promotes maximum vision, hydrodynamics, and drag reduction while swimming ensuring that you can swim uninterruptedly while improving your technique and skill in the water.

Thirdly, the comfort on this snorkel is really good. It has an adjustable headband which you can change to your preference to find that perfect fit. This headstrap is also designed using premium silicone and features a split strap which is going to maximize your comfort while wearing it. The mouthpiece is also designed using silicone and can easily be removed to give it a clean.

Something else that I quite like is the way the tube is designed. This snorkel specifically features a smaller tube to improve your lung capacity while swimming.

All in all, this is a really solid snorkel with a nice design and some great features. It’s quite popular and will make an excellent fit for pretty much any swimmer.

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5. FINIS Stability Snorkel

Finis is probably one of the most well-known swimming brands when it comes to snorkels, that said they also make some great tech suits, fins, and swim bags. Anyway, the Finis Stability Snorkel is one of the most comfortable and well, obviously- stable swimmer’s snorkels on the market.

The head brackets on the Finis Stability Snorkel feature a cushioned resting spot that perfectly fits the natural curve of your forehead while the dual silicone strap distributes pressure evenly around your head, also allowing you to adjust it to your desired fit.

Something that I really like about this snorkel, in particular, is the fact that the tube can adjust to 5 different lengths depending on what you prefer. 

Additionally, this snorkel has a great hydrodynamic design with the curve coming closely around your head allowing the water to be split and reducing your resistance as you swim. This allows the snorkel to be used while swimming at high speeds during fast sprint sets.

And for those of you chatty swimmers out there- this snorkel actually has a mouthpiece that can quickly and easily pivot to the side so that you can have a chat with your friends and teammates before the next set while also grabbing a drink and staying hydrated and fueled during your workout.

All in all, this is a great snorkel with a really nice, comfortable, and stable design. Give it a try… I’m sure you’ll love it.

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6. FINIS Freestyle Snorkel

The Finis Freestyle Snorkel is a unique concept with it being the first-ever snorkel specifically designed for freestyle swimmers. The idea behind this snorkel is that it’s going to allow you to swim with an even lower or more optimized head position which will further optimize your body position in the water.

Over time this can lead to big improvements in technique, and short term it will naturally increase your speed in the water since a better body position will mean less drag while swimming. 

If you are a casual swimmer that simply swims some laps up and down each week, then this might be the perfect option for you.

For competitive swimmers specializing in freestyle this can also be a great secondary option to carry around for those days where you are using your snorkel for those killer freestyle sets to ensure that you maximize your freestyle technique and efficiency and make sure that you are as fast as possible when it’s time to race.

All in all, this is a great snorkel, the features on this bad boy is pretty much the same as the standard Finis Swimmer’s Snorkel, but it does have some added stability and slightly less resistance while using- a great option in my opinion.

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7. A3 Performance Training Swim Snorkel

The A3 Performance Training Swim Snorkel is another pretty simple and basic snorkel with a nice design, a good price, and some solid features loaded into its design. 

Jumping straight into the specifications on this snorkel, we’ll see that it has a pretty hydrodynamic build allowing you to swim with minimal drag, maximum speed, and optimized body position.

This snorkel can be used for all of the strokes as well as flip turns, kick sets, and drills. It really is quite versatile making it a good option for any swimmer.

The tube is slightly narrower which will help you to strengthen your lungs and breathing patterns in the water helping you to become a better swimmer in the long run.

The mouthpiece is also designed using medical grade silicone which makes the snorkel quite durable and also easy to clean.

All in all, this is an awesome snorkel with some good capabilities and a nice clean and simple design that will help you power through those laps and swimming workouts.

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8. YLON-A YSTI Swim Snorkel

The Ylon-A YSTI Swim Snorkel is a simple, effective, and popular swimmer’s snorkel loaded with some nice features to provide a great experience while swimming laps or crushing a workout in the pool. 

Personally, I really like that this snorkel is available in a ton of color options, this really allows you to choose the snorkel that fits your style and preference most. And sure, that’s probably not all that important, but hey- I like it.

This snorkel features an ergonomic and hydrodynamic shape helping you to cut through the water and swim with minimal effort allowing you to focus on the technical requirement of your stroke.

The adjustable strap and easy fixing system ensures that this snorkel has maximum stability while wearing and prevents any vibrations from occuring when you swim. The mouthpiece can also be removed so that you can easily clean it and ensure proper hygiene and durability in the pool.

Overall, this is a great snorkel for pretty much any swimmer. It’s not quite as fancy as some of the other snorkels, but personally, I think this is great for those swimmers who just want to focus on their swimming and not on technical specifications of every piece of equipment that they’re using.

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How to Choose the Best Snorkel for Swimming Laps

Before picking up your swimmer’s snorkel for grinding our those laps, there are a few things you might want to consider, here they are-

1. Snorkel Shape

Although a lot of these snorkels have the same shape, there are some differences that you might want to consider, which will ultimately influence the hydrodynamics of the snorkel and also how it feels in the water.

Some snorkels are slightly bigger, some slightly smaller, others a bit more diamond-like, and some have longer tubes while others don’t. Ultimately, it’s going to be up to you to decide what shape suits you best.

2. Snorkel Mouthpiece

Most snorkel mouthpieces are designed using silicone, with some featuring more premium silicone mouthpieces and others just more standard silicone mouthpieces. Nevertheless, I find silicone to be the most comfortable.

Some snorkels also come with rubber or plastic mouthpieces which have terrible durability and the plastic ones lack a lot of comfort and mobility. Therefore, I highly recommend making sure that your snorkel has a silicone mouthpiece.

3. Snorkel  Purge Valve

A purge valve can be useful to have on your snorkel, but in some cases, they can also create a bit of problems if they don’t work like they’re supposed to. Nevertheless, the purge valve is meant to clear excess water out of your snorkel after a flip turn or something like that.

This makes it a bit easier to blow the remaining water out, whereas if you don’t have a purge valve you may need to blow extra hard to get the water out of your snorkel.

This one is going to be up to personal preference though, I know some swimmers like the purge valves and others don’t.

4. Snorkel Head Piece

The snorkel headpiece is a pretty important part of picking a good snorkel. You want to get something solid and comfortable that also features an adjustable strap so that you can change the fit to your preference and maximize both the comfort and performance of your snorkel while swimming.

Some snorkels may also have a soft cushioning on the headpiece which can further increase the comfort of your snorkel, so if this is important to you, you might want to be on the lookout for that.

5. Snorkel Splash Guard

This is something found commonly on standard “buy-at-your-local-store” snorkels. And what it is, is essentially a little flap that stops water from entering into your mouth if you go fully submerged or do a flip turn.

Some swimmers’ snorkels also come with little caps that serve the same purpose as a splash guard, for example, for the Finis snorkels, you can buy the dry cap, which is the same as a splash guard but more efficient and simple. 

Improve Your Swimming with a New Snorkel

The swimmer’s snorkel is a great piece of equipment that definitely deserves a place in your swimming bag. There are a ton of benefits that along with using these devices- from taking the stress of your trapezius muscles a bit, to balancing out your stroke, and even allowing you to swim faster.

I hope this article helped you to find the perfect snorkel for your swimming needs- whether you are a casual lap swimmer, triathlete, or competitive swimmer.