How to choose a breathing tube for diving? If you are a beginner swimmer, then this device should not be in the first place among accessories for swimming. Additional devices will be more useful to professional divers or those who have decided to expand their knowledge of deep sea swimming. In such cases, in order to feel comfortable in the water, a breathing tube for swimming is indispensable.
General information
For the first time it can be difficult to find a suitable tube, because the breathing features are different for everyone. Before buying, you should familiarize yourself with the variety of designs, proposals of manufacturers and destination. You can also ask for help from an equipment store consultant. With the right choice of tube, breathing and moving at great depths will be easy and free, otherwise the shortest swim will turn into a real torment. Divers adore this accessory, because thanks to the breathing tube you can save good air.
Materials of manufacture
The swimming tube is a hollow tube that helps to swim shallow under water without floating. The first ever pipe was made of reed. The market now has a huge variety of accessories designed to meet the smallest physical requirements.
Today, tubes are made of plastic. The mouthpieces and valves for water treatment are made of silicone.
Appointment
The diving tube may be used in the following cases:
- Scuba diving. In this case, the best choice would be a set of breathing tubes with a flexible corrugated silicone insert. These models have a nozzle, due to which water does not get into them.
- Hunting under water. For lovers of hunting under water, there are options that take into account the anatomical structure. They exclude loss due to head coverage. Their feature is a small hydrodynamic resistance.
- Diving. For snorkeling, a snorkel with a flap below is perfect. She quickly gets rid of water during the ascent.
- Snorkeling With this kind of water entertainment, it is important that the tube is straight and the mouthpiece is on the side.
- Sports swimming. Frontal tube versions are suitable here.
Fixture Features
Before purchasing a tube for the respiratory tract, it is recommended to find out what it consists of. A high-quality product is characterized by the presence of a fixing system, which consists of a plastic clamp and a movable ring. There are also devices that can be mounted directly, without using a clamp. It is worth saying that such an accessory is not safe. In the process of cleaning the tube involved special valves. They work according to the following principle: air and water go out, while water cannot get back.
The next breathing tube option is great for snorkelling and underwater fishing. The design has a simple structure. The swimmer just keeps her in the mouth and breathes. Nothing extra is needed. When surfacing, the tube is cleaned of water that has got into it.
The presence of a drain valve in the product is not suitable for diving enthusiasts. When diving, you have to dive to a certain depth. The drain valve may interfere with comfortable breathing, as it may contain pieces of algae. However, many professional divers do not consider this a serious drawback and, in most cases, give their preference to a drainage system.
The valve can be located both on the side of the breathing tube and at the bottom of the mouthpiece. Typically, such a design has a valve with unidirectional action and a poppet system, which facilitates the process of removing fluid that has entered the inside.
How to use the accessory?
When immersed in water, a little water gets under the mask. To remove it, it is necessary by tilting the head slightly forward, push on the top of the mask, and then exhale using the nose. If there is a valve for liquid outlet, it is not necessary to compress the upper part of the mask. In this case, excess fluid is removed through the bottom flange. Manipulations are carried out until the complete disposal of water.
Since the temperature on the surface and in the water is different, the lenses of the mask may fog up. To avoid this, you must use a solution specially designed for such cases or just rinse the glass.
After diving, spearfishing or snorkeling, the air duct of the breathing tube must be flushed under the tap. Store the product in a specially designed box.
How to swim with a breathing tube?
Before you start diving, you must install the snorkel and put on a mask, observing certain rules. The following steps must be performed in sequence:
- Put on the mask and adjust it to a comfortable position.
- Insert a tube into the oral cavity and hold the mouthpiece with your teeth.
- Gradually immerse yourself in water and lower your face with the tube while trying to breathe through it.
- To rise and fall until breathing through the tube becomes habitual.
- If liquid enters the tube, blow it abruptly.
- Keep calm and do not forget that you can always rise above the water.
How to use the handset effectively
It is comfortable to use the breathing tube at the very surface of the water. When immersed more than 30 centimeters in depth, pressure begins to rise. This causes shortness of breath. Some models have an elongated tube to prevent water from entering it. The most optimal tube length is 40 centimeters, and its inner diameter should be 2.5 centimeters. Experts do not recommend using long tubes for a long time, as this increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the lungs. This in turn adversely affects human health.
Usage Tips
Snorkeling is very exciting. Anyone can learn to use it after a few workouts. The main thing is to remain calm and try to overcome your fear. Before diving with the tube for the first time, it is necessary to undergo training from a professional, since strict adherence to safety measures is necessary.
It is recommended to listen to the following tips from experienced swimmers and specialists:
- For deep-sea diving, it is better to choose flexible tubes. With them, it is faster to switch to the breathing apparatus and back.
- If you use a tube with several segments, you must regularly check their integrity.
- The handset should be suitable for a particular person.
- Use disposable breathing tubes or rinse the reusable accessory thoroughly after each use.