Neck Issue, Considering Snorkel....Advice?

I've been away from the forums for a while, but I haven't been away from swimming...until recently, that is. A few weeks ago I started having issues with my neck (herniated disc - degenerative disc disease - wah) and it affects my ability to look right and left. I can swim fly and *** with no problem, but I can't swim free without turning my whole body as a unit to breathe and I can't swim back without doing the same. It's kind of a drag. This may get better in time or it may not. While I wait to find out if this is just an "episode" or the beginning of a major issue, I'd like to use one of those finis snorkels so I can do some free without the agony of turning my head. Anyone ever used one of these swimming snorkels and want to weigh in on whether the "freestyle" model (with an angled pipe) or the regular straight model is the better way to go? What about the cap feature that keeps the tube from filling with water when submerged. Worth the money? Thanks, Forum!
  • I have a old style blue Finis freestyle snorkel that I use every practice during warmup. That along with a bouy is one of my favorite ways to warm up. I have also used it on EZ breaststroke sets to "try" to learn how to keep my head down and properly aligned. I don't have a cap for it so I can't weigh in on that one. Absolutely love it.
  • The advantage of the freestyle snorkel is that it is much easier to do a flip turn with.The disadvantage is that it is much easier to get water in,converting it from a snorkel to a straw.I love my regular one.I also have neck issues and it causes me no problems.The only cap I know of for them is to reduce the intake to simulate high altitude.I have never used it as it seemed unlikely to work and if I want less oxygen I just breath less often.
  • I agree with what other have said. I have the standard model and it works fine for me. I've had it for a few years and it's still going strong, too. Yes, there's a learning curve. Don't get discouraged at first because you will get the hang of it. The only thing I don't like about using a snorkel is it's difficult to look at the pace clock during a long swim since you aren't turning your head to breathe.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    I use my regular Finis snorkel all the time - perhaps as much as 1/3 of my swimming, all of my kicking, and the majority of my pulling. I wear a nose plug, much to the amusement of my kids, who learned to swim with their Finis snorkels sans plug at their swim club. Master the flip turn, and the "clearing blast" - forcefully blow air out after the turn to clear the snorkel. Pull the side straps tight enough so that the snorkel doesn't shift sideways due to the water pressure after the turn. YMMV.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    I use the regular pipe. I like the purge value on it, which is something missing on the freestyle snorkel. I have suffered through some issues upper back/neck issues the last few years due to nerve damage. The only way I could swim long repeats or multiple repeats of freestyle is with a snorkel. Anything more than a few hundred yards of freestyle, required me to use a snorkel because of the pain that comes with turning the head to breath. Flip turns would make the issue worse with the slight jarring that comes from the wall. When I started using a snorkel, the majority of my issues went away. As others have said, once you get comfortable with the flipturn and snorkel, you can swim freestyle pretty close to your non-snorkel times.
  • Thanks everybody - I think I'll get the "freestyle" model and find my nose clip. I'm surprised I got so many responses to this considering that I have literally never seen anyone using one of these. I had the feeling that no one used them at all. I'll be ordering ASAP - thanks again everyone! Gigi
  • I learned snorkel free without the nose clip. It took several weeks of practice but eventually you learn to bleed off nasally before water goes up there. I have the standard snorkel now, it does grab water in turns a little, might try the one you mentioned this year. Hope your neck recovers with snorkeling!
  • It took me a solid month to figure out how to turn without :drowning: with the standard yellow model. Once you figure it out, you'll be fine and use it for more aggressive sets. Best wishes.
  • I use my regular Finis snorkel all the time - perhaps as much as 1/3 of my swimming, all of my kicking, and the majority of my pulling. I wear a nose plug, much to the amusement of my kids, who learned to swim with their Finis snorkels sans plug at their swim club. Master the flip turn, and the "clearing blast" - forcefully blow air out after the turn to clear the snorkel. Pull the side straps tight enough so that the snorkel doesn't shift sideways due to the water pressure after the turn. YMMV. I borrowed my coach's snorkel today and gave it a try (sans noseclip) and your words of wisdom were mocking me the whole time nose full of water snorkel shifting sideways after turn incomplete "clearing blasts" resulting in comical choking and gasping I was getting the hang of it by the end of practice, but I think to master the clipless snorkel thing, one has to learn young.
  • Am I the only person who thinks they are too darn painful to wear for any length of time?
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