Short version: a diving mask works perfectly for snorkelling, but a full-face snorkel mask must never be used to dive below the surface. A traditional diving mask covers just the eyes and nose, uses tempered glass, and lets you equalise as you descend; a full-face snorkel mask covers the whole face, can’t be equalised, and is built only for floating at the surface. If you might ever duck-dive or freedive, buy a diving mask.
Key takeaways
- A diving mask (eyes + nose, tempered glass) is fine for both diving and snorkelling.
- A full-face snorkel mask is surface-only — you can’t equalise it, so never dive with one.
- Diving masks have a nose pocket so you can pinch your nose and equalise on descent.
- Diving-mask lenses are tempered glass; many snorkel masks use plastic that scratches and fogs.
- One diving mask covers every use — it’s the more versatile buy.
What a diving mask is
A diving mask seals over your eyes and nose with a silicone skirt and a tempered glass lens. The nose pocket is the key detail: it lets you pinch your nose to equalise the pressure in your ears and in the mask as you descend, and to exhale through your nose to clear water if the mask floods. Tempered glass matters too — it resists scratches and, if it ever breaks, shatters into blunt granules rather than sharp shards. Everything in our main guide, How to choose a diving mask, is written around this kind of mask.
What a full-face snorkel mask is
A full-face snorkel mask covers your entire face behind a single clear dome, with a built-in snorkel on top, so you can breathe through your nose and mouth while floating face-down at the surface. They’re comfortable for relaxed surface snorkelling and popular with beginners. But that design carries hard limits underwater.
- You can’t equalise. There’s no nose pocket to pinch, so you can’t clear your ears — duck-diving even a metre or two becomes painful and unsafe.
- You can’t clear it. If it floods, there’s no easy way to purge the water like you can with a traditional mask.
- Larger air volume and breathing dead space. The big internal volume is why they must stay at the surface with the snorkel clear.
For those reasons a full-face snorkel mask is strictly a surface tool. If there’s any chance you’ll dip below the surface, it’s the wrong choice.
If you want to duck-dive, freedive or scuba dive — even occasionally — a full-face snorkel mask can’t do it. Get a diving mask.
Can you snorkel with a diving mask?
Yes — and it’s the better choice for most people. Paired with a simple snorkel, a diving mask does everything a snorkeller needs, and it’s ready the moment you want to duck-dive down to a reef or practise breath-holds. It’s also lower-volume, easier to clear, and uses better optics than most surface masks. The only thing you give up is the hands-free, breathe-through-your-nose comfort of a full-face unit at the surface.
At a glance
| Diving mask | Full-face snorkel mask | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Eyes + nose | Whole face |
| Equalising | Yes — nose pocket | No |
| Can you dive with it? | Yes | No — surface only |
| Lens | Tempered glass | Often plastic |
| Best for | Diving + snorkelling | Relaxed surface snorkelling |
So which should you buy?
If you snorkel casually at the surface and never plan to go under, a full-face snorkel mask is comfortable and easy. For everyone else — anyone who wants to duck-dive, freedive, spearfish or scuba dive — a traditional diving mask is the versatile, safe answer, and it snorkels just fine too. Choose it on fit first: run the 30-second fit test. For recreational masks that double for snorkelling, see the SoprasSub recreational masks range; for breath-hold diving, the SoprasApnea freediving masks range.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a diving mask for snorkelling?
Yes. A diving mask paired with a snorkel is ideal for snorkelling — it’s low-volume, easy to clear, uses tempered glass optics, and is ready if you want to duck-dive. The only thing you lose versus a full-face snorkel mask is hands-free breathing at the surface.
Can I dive with a full-face snorkel mask?
No. Full-face snorkel masks are surface-only. They have no nose pocket, so you can’t equalise your ears or the mask as you descend, and they can’t be cleared easily if flooded. Never duck-dive, freedive or scuba dive in one.
What is the difference between a snorkel mask and a diving mask?
A diving mask covers the eyes and nose, uses tempered glass, and has a nose pocket for equalising, so it works for both diving and snorkelling. A full-face snorkel mask covers the whole face for surface breathing only and can’t be equalised or dived with.
Why do diving masks have a nose pocket?
The nose pocket lets you pinch your nose to equalise the pressure in your ears on descent, and exhale through your nose to clear water from the mask. Without it — as on full-face snorkel masks — you can’t go safely below the surface.
Are full-face snorkel masks dangerous?
Used as intended — relaxed surface snorkelling with the snorkel clear — they’re fine for many people. The danger comes from using them to dive below the surface, where you can’t equalise or clear them. Stay at the surface, and don’t use one for breath-hold diving.