How to Pack Snorkel Gear in Your Luggage

If you plan to snorkel more than a couple times when you travel, it’s worth the luggage space to bring your own gear. I checked in with a handful of experts—a PADI scuba instructor, an Aqua Lung executive, and TSA airport security—to uncover their space-saving snorkel gear packing tips and hints for getting it there in one piece. Here’s their advice for how to pack snorkel gear when you travel.

1. If you have a mask with your prescription in the lens, be sure to pack it in your carry-on bag. Losing it could ruin your whole trip.

2. Protect your mask’s glass lens from getting scratched or crushed. Wrap it in layers of clothing or put it in its original hard plastic case. Pack it in the center of your bag.

3. Lay your fins across the top of your suitcase. They act as an additional barrier of protection for all of your belongings.

4. If you’re traveling with a soft-sided duffel bag, make a protective frame using your fins and shoes. Put your shoes on each end of the bag with the soles facing out.

5. Save room by stuffing socks and small items in your mask and in the foot pockets of fins. Travel snorkels made of soft silicone can roll up and tuck inside tiny spaces.

6. A mesh bag with a shoulder strap takes up hardly any space and is all you need for toting snorkel gear once you’re at your destination. It can double as a bag for groceries or the kids’ sand toys.

7. Before packing up to return home, rinse your snorkel gear in fresh water and allow it to dry completely. You’ll prevent mold and stench as well as prolong the life of your snorkel gear.

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• 10 Unique Snorkeling Sites Around the World
• The Most Amazing Caribbean Diving and Snorkeling Sites
• 10 Best Snorkeling Spots in the World