Snorkeling gear: rent or buy?

We (mom, dad and two teens) will be staying a week at a condo in S. Kehei (first time visitors) in late April. Would the learned posters on this board recommend buying snorkel gear and bringing it with us or renting it there?

Also, what%26#39;s are some recommended snorkeling places in the Kehei/Wailea area? Are there areas to avoid (currents, sharp rocks, cloudy water, etc...)?

Any help would be appreciated.

Snorkeling gear: rent or buy?

A great place to snorkel is Ulua Beach in Wailea. Public parking is just past the Reinnassance and before Elua Village. Go early while the surf is calm and before the parking fills up. Great protected crescent shaped beach. Snorkel at the right side around the reef. You don%26#39;t have to go far to see tons.

We bought our own at Longs and than bought an inexpensive duffel that we just check on with our luggage. I didn%26#39;t like the idea of sticking someone else%26#39;s snorkel in my mouth! It%26#39;s not expensive to buy it and by the time you rent it for a few days you may as well just purchase your own.

Snorkeling gear: rent or buy?

Some people buy the mask and rent fins on Maui. Boss Frog%26#39;s is one place to rent -- they%26#39;re all over the islands. When you get the fins, ask at the dive shop where the fish are being seen then.

Look here for beach info:

www.hawaiiweathertoday.com/maui.php

Since you will most likely NOT be snorkeling back at home (brrrrrr!), I%26#39;d rent. Boss Frog is good but don%26#39;t go for the bargain stuff. Pay the extra $4-$5 for the higher quality gear.

~Den~

I just bought snorkeling gear b/c I seem to be going on trips where I use it every year - but I went to hawaii twice and rented and the prices are very reasonable. I think you can rent all the gear you need for one person for about $15 a week if I%26#39;m remembering correctly. It%26#39;s kind of nice not having to pack all of that extra stuff. If you want to buy snorkel gear there are lots of good websites for it - I bought mine off scuba.com. (Nebraska doesn%26#39;t exactly have a huge selection of quality snorkel gear...)

I%26#39;d suggest buying a good mask that allows you to exhale via your nose...great for de-fogging while in the water. Some of the standard rental gear isn%26#39;t top notch. I%26#39;m using mine that I bought over 10 yrs ago...just keep it in a dry storage place and it%26#39;s available for your future trips.

snorkels are cheap, but since they don%26#39;t take up much space, pick one up too. fins are too big to pack, so rent those.

I%26#39;d consider a skin guard or swim-shirt...this can make or break your vacation...a nasty sunburn on the shoulders and neck while snorkeling can ruin an entire week.

We rented from Maui Dive Shop in December. I was happy with the quality of their gear and if you get the 2 for 1 coupons from Hilo Hatties (you have to ask for them) the cost will be aboput $25.00 per week for two sets.

We rented our first trip and had so much trouble it the next trip we bought our own gear. Snorkel, mask, fins, wetsuit, the whole ball of wax. But we knew we would be going back many more times so it was worth it to have our own gear that was comfortable and hadn%26#39;t been used by hundreds of other people. If you want your own gear Costco and I think Wal Mart both sell fairly decent sets that aren%26#39;t too expensive. If you ever plan on going back I would at least get a good quality mask and ';dry'; snorkel. They don%26#39;t take up hardly any room in your luggage. The rentals will either be a standard tube snorkel or the upgrade most likely have a splash guard but a true dry snorkel is so much better even though they still get some water in them but nowhere near as much.

If you have NOT been snorkeling before, then you should consider renting a set to see if snorkeling is for you. The inexpensive rental sets are not very good. I would definitely upgrade.

If you have been snorkeling before AND plan on either returning to Hawaii or traveling to other areas of the world to snorkel in the future, then it would be better to buy a set.

Regarding where to snorkel... look for the Ahihi Reserve, south of Wailea or if you are decent swimmers, you may want to try La Perouse Bay. The Dive Maui shops have free maps for snorkeling and diving areas on the island.

I have found that the morning is usually the better time of day to snorkel because the water is clearer and the wind is usually not a problem.

Aloha fellow Alaskan - for my first Hawaiian trip, we bought the el cheapo stuff at Walmart . . . and discovered that we loved snorkeling! The next trip, we bought our snorkel gear (Maui Dive Shop) . . .and they have gone on several vacations now - very happy we purchased. As suggested, you might try first, and then buy - but a good snorkel and mask makes a world of difference. Have a wonderful vacation! :)

Does everyone use fins when the go snorkeling from off shore-say by black rock?

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