By Bonnie J. Cardone

A snorkel is just a J-shaped tube that allows you to breathe surface air when your face is underwaterright?

If that's what you think, you haven't seen the two snorkels we feature here; the Evac from Genesis and the Platina Hyperdry from Tusa. Both are unusual forms of this nearly universal dive accessory.

The Evac doesn't even require you to expel air from your lungs to clear it; it has a pump that does it for you. Inside the pump housing are two one-way valves, one at the top and one at the bottom, with a compressed stainless steel spring in between. You simply push up on the housing (the lowest part of the snorkel), then let gowhen it springs back to its original position it sucks water from the tube. One pump should clear all of the water and can be done with one hand. Since water drains very quickly from the snorkel via those one-way valves, you may not even have to use the pump most of the time.

Another reason the Evac is easy to clear is that the amount of water entering it is minimized by a special device at the top. This has an arrangement of slants and slits which direct water out of the barrel instead of down to the mouthpiece.

The Evac barrel has a wide bore to provide plenty of air. A clear, flexible silicone section just above the mouthpiece allows it to drop down out of the way when not in use. The soft, clear silicone mouthpiece itself is unique; it is not only angled up but toward the mouth as well. This means, however, that the snorkel should be attached to the left side of the mask for best performance. The mouthpiece section turns 360 degrees, so you can position it just so.

The Genesis Evac comes in black, white and five colours, so you can coordinate it with your mask and other gear. For more information on the Evac or the name of your nearest Genesis dealer, visit the web site at www.genesisscuba.com or call (949) 581-8069.

The Tusa Platina Hyperdry is brand new for 2000. It truly is a dry snorkel. Part of the reason is the device at the top not only discourages water entry but also routes most of what does come in out of the barrel. The Hyperdry also has a reservoir with a one-way valve below the mouthpiece that drains water from the snorkel almost instantly. The device at the top and the one-way valve at the bottom work so well that users need only to gently exhale to clear the Hyperdry, even if it's completely flooded.

The snorkel features an elliptical barrel with a large bore so breathing is unrestricted. The snorkel keeper slides up and down the barrel easily and has a clip to secure it to the mask strap.

The section just above the mouthpiece is flexible, so it hangs down out of the way when the snorkel is not in use. The mouthpiece section turns 360 degrees for custom positioning. The soft, clear silicone mouthpiece is angled up for comfort. This snorkel can be positioned on either side of the mask.

The Tusa Platina Hyperdry comes in nine colours. For more information, see your local dive retailer. For the name of the dealer nearest you, contact Oceaner Sporting Goods, 13571 Verdun Place, Unit 100, Richmond, B.C. V6R 1W5.

Okay, you've read the article, now you want to know which snorkel you should buy. Hey! You think I'm going to do all the work for you? Both the Evac and the Platina Hyperdry are excellent performers and should give you many years of dry snorkelling. Check both out at your dive store and decide for yourself!