Tribord Easybreath - Full Face Snorkel Mask Review
I bought 2 different sized Tribord full face masks for my boys for Christmas 2 years ago.
In this review you'll find out more about these innovations, our experiences with them, and why I now believe the hype of 'once you try a full face snorkel mask' you'll never want to go back to a traditional style snorkel and mask again!
Regardless of which full face mask you pick, you'll see why picking a good quality one is important.
Click on the line on the table below to go to the answers of your most pressing question, or continue to scroll for the entire review.
Do you know all the good things about full face snorkel masks?
I absolutely love the concept of the full face snorkel mask. There are so many things to enjoy.
natural breathing
Breathing is easy, as there’s no snorkel piece in your mouth. The way the masks are designed makes it easy and natural to breathe through your nose and mouth.
dry top snorkel
There’s a simple but clever float system to stop water from entering the snorkel. The float ball rises and stops water from entering when you submerge. The float also stops water entering the snorkel in choppy water.
automatic draining
If any water does enter the mask, this drains out through a valve located at the chin area, as soon as you lift it above water level.
no fogging at all
One of my kids would get frustrated having to constantly clear his regular mask of fog. This doesn’t happen with the Tribord Easybreath full face mask. These have been designed with a double chamber airflow system so all fogging takes place in the lower part of the mask. This area is separate from the viewing area.
no more gagging
No sore jaw or teeth, and no more gagging on the mouth piece. Anyone who suffers from jaw fatigue (like me) will know the feeling after clamping down on a mouthpiece for an hour or so. With the full-face snorkel mask, there’s no jaw fatigue even after hours of snorkeling.
great field of vision
The field of vision is unequalled. These masks have an 180° field of vision and the lens is made of a shatterproof poly carbonate.
The snorkel piece detaches from the mask so it and the snorkel mask can be stored or transported in the mesh bag that it comes in.
How does a full face mask and dry top snorkel work?
Full face snorkel masks use a Dry Top Snorkel system, so they have a ball (or float) inside the tube that rises and closes off the tube as you go under water. This effectively stops water from entering the snorkel tube when you go underwater.
As you're submerging, you take a breath and hold it. When you come back up, there's no need to blow water out of the snorkel. You simply start breathing normally again once back up on the surface.
If any water does get in, it is drained from the valve in the chin area as soon as you surface.
Tribord Easybreath - The Latest Version
Each year as new design improvements are made, these full face snorkel masks just keep getting better.
What’s the difference between the old Tribord Easybreath masks and the new version? The new version masks come with a hypoallergenic silicone face skirt. The air valves have also been improved and the air flow is improved, circulating more fresh air.
The new model also has an better Secure Lock Snorkel with the Dry Freak O-ring. The snorkel piece will never accidentally release, and the O-ring has a 6 year life cycle. The spare ring is included in case the original ring gets damaged or lost.
One advantage Tribord has over most of its competitors is an orange fluorescent tip on the end of the snorkel piece. This is to help other water users see snorkelers in the water easier.
The video below shows how the Tribord Easybreath Full Face Mask and Dry Top value works. It is being trialed by people who aren’t regular snorkelers.
How to pick the correct size full face mask – Tribord Easybreath Size Chart
Tribord Easybreath snorkel masks have one big advantage over most other full face masks. These come in 4 sizes making it very easy to order and be confident you’re going to get a good fit.
I ordered mine over the internet so went by the standard size guide below. It made choosing the correct sizes very easy. Also knowing that if I got it wrong, these could be easily exchanged, gave me that extra peace of mind. I didn’t need to worry about exchanging.
The 4 sizes cover around 90% of people.
With your mouth closed, get someone to measure the distance between the bridge of your nose and the bottom of your chin.
Size X/S – If it measures less than 3.9″ (10 cm) – This is a Junior size for children up to the age of 10 or 11.
Size S/M – If it measures between 3.9″ – 4¾” (10 cm – 12 cm) – this is a small adult mask and covers most women, children 11+ and teenagers. It fits slim faces.
Size M/L – If it measures between 4¾” – 5.1″ (12 cm – 13 cm) – this is a wider face, fitting mask. This size will fit older Teen boys, and average size men and some women.
Size L/XL – If it measures more than 5.1″ (13 cm and above) – generally for larger men.
If you’re unsure, it’s always best to go DOWN a size.
When you receive your mask, put it on to check that there’s no gap between the bottom of the mask and your chin. This is the most common reason for the mask letting in water.
Tribord Versus Subea Snorkeling Masks - What's the difference?
Tribord are slowly changing their brand name to Subea. They started releasing full face snorkel masks with Subea stamped on the snorkel section in 2017.
As part of this brand shift, Tribord Subea are no longer releasing the XS mask size for children. They claim the reason for this is to cut down on their manufacturing costs. There are still some suppliers who have the XS size mask available but these will become more difficult to find.
There are Subea snorkel masks available online that don't carry the full range of sizes available in comparison to the Tribord masks. Subea says that this cuts down on manufacturing costs, and this is the reason they're able to sell these masks for less than those labeled Tribord.
If you're having trouble finding a quality full face mask for a child under 11, then the Ocean Reef Aria, Wildhorn Outfitters SeaView and Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks all have an XS children's size.
Doug Kramer & Family
If you already know the Tribord Easybreath Full Face Snorkel Mask is for you, click on the button below to see the current price and any discounts that may apply.
Things that ALL full face snorkel masks aren’t so good with
There’s just no getting around this one…. beards and hair will cause water to enter the mask.
Whether it’s a traditional mask or any full face snorkel mask, water will get in if there’s hair between the silicone skirt of the mask and your skin.
Beards create tiny spaces that will allow water to get through.
Water will also leak in if you don’t clear long hair out of the way when you’re putting the mask on. It may feel like a tight seal, but a fringe or long hair trapped between the silicone of the mask and your skin will allow water to seep into the mask.
Snorkel masks are designed for leisurely surface snorkeling in relatively calm water.
The float valve system only works when the snorkel is in a vertical position. Just like a traditional snorkel and mask, if you lean your head too far forward some water will enter the snorkel. This also applies if you're standing in water and look up at the sky - putting your head back in this position will force the float to cut off the supply of air. It's just one of those things to be aware of.
Different Swimming Styles
Water can get into the snorkel when free diving, or duck diving. These are also not designed for Free Diving. There’s too great a volume of air inside the face cavity of the mask, and it will quickly become uncomfortable under the pressure. The mask can start to become uncomfortable below depths of 10 feet.
Do not buy one of these if you want to use a snorkel while swimming laps. You’ll be disappointed with the performance, as full face snorkel masks are simply not designed for this.
If you want to swim laps, or love deep duck diving while snorkeling, then have a look at the PowerBreather Snorkel or Center-mounted swimmers snorkels.
Things Tribord Easybreath full face snorkel mask doesn't do so well with
One of the things that Tribord have missed the mark on, is their camera mount accessory.
Many full face snorkel masks come with a 'built-in' camera mount on the top of the head section. Tribord have tried to compensate for their model not having this in its design. Their accessory piece slides over the snorkel and hangs low over the top section of the face mask.
Not only does this impact on your view, but it can cause minor scratches on the lens.
You can see the Tribord camera mount accessory (left hand image below) hangs low over the mask in comparison to the SeaView Panoramic built in camera mount (image to the right).
Tribord Camera Mount Accessory
SeaView built in camera mount
If you want to attach a camera to your snorkel mask, then you should consider buying a Wildhorn Outfitters SeaView full face mask. You can read a full review here.
General Care and Maintenance – Things to Avoid
Sand and rough surfaces will scratch the visor of the snorkel mask, so make sure it’s always resting visor-side up.
Rinse the mask after each use, as sand in the snorkel area can cause the float valve to stick. If there’s sand on the mask, don’t use force to clip the snorkel into place. Give it a rinse in fresh water before connecting.
Don’t wash in the dishwasher, as this will damage the mask. A simple rinse in fresh water is all it needs.
Keep the mesh bag that the mask comes in, as this is ventilated and ideal for storage. Always rinse the mask after use even if it’s only been in a swimming pool. Store the mask in the mesh bag and away from sunlight.
How to put on a full face snorkel mask
The straps on the Tribord Easybreath are elastic and don’t get caught on your hair.
It may look tricky to put a full face snorkel mask on initially but after a couple of goes, you’ll realize it's very easy to put on and adjust. It’s also very comfortable once in position.
Tip: Put it on CHIN FIRST!
Push the straps to either side, and place it straight onto your face, chin first. Then pull the elastic straps over the back of your head, and pull to tighten. Don't pull the mask down over your face as this can cause hair to come down over your forehead. Any hair (even a fringe) that is on the inside of the face skirt will break the air tight seal and water will leak in.
You may need to wiggle it around to make sure it's in the correct position, and to where it feels the most comfortable.
Autism and the Full Face Snorkel Mask
I’m going to just throw this out there: As a mom of an autistic kiddo, I can 100% recommend these for any parent whose child loves the sensory sensational of swimming.
Many people with autism enjoy the soothing feel of water on their body. My boy told me swimming ‘takes the inside itches away’.
My kiddo has never been able to get used to a snorkel mouth piece but would spend hours in the pool with a pair of goggles. When snorkeling with the full face mask you can hear and talk to others around you. It is muffled, but it's still fun.
After the initial adjustment for first-time use, my son swam for over an hour and not once did he need to empty out water, defog, or re-adjust the straps.
The Verdict – How does the Tribord EasyBreath mask compare?
There are now a lot of full-face masks available on the market and the prices, quality and accessories vary.
The 3 most popular full face masks are the Tribord Easybreath Snorkel Mask, the Wildhorn Outfitters Seaview 180° Panoramic Snorkel Mask and the Ocean Reef Aria Snorkel Mask.
Before buying these myself, I had spent a lot of time researching different brands, reading reviews and watching YouTube videos. Since then, I have personally tested a range of these masks.
Here's the good and the not-so-good things about the Tribord Subea mask:
Pros - Things we really liked
Cons - Things that can be improved
Personally, I don't like the way the camera mount hangs low over the top of the lens, but I know other people don't mind this, so this comes down to personal preference. If you're not interested in a camera mount, then this isn't even something you need to think about.
I recommend these to anyone looking for a quality full face mask, especially buying for children. These will last longer than regular snorkel masks if looked after properly. You can expect to have them long enough to pass on to younger siblings or cousins.
Hey Sharon, this has been an excellent review.
These look fantastic, especially for kids, as you say. I think they would also be better for contact lens wearers, though any water sports with contact lens is always a bit more tricky. I love the other color options for those of us with a larger family. Different colors help tell which belongs to who, especially for children, don’t they. Thanks for a great review!
Nice review, seems to be the right snorkeling mask if you are not an expert, I can’t wait to try it soon =) All the best!
Hey Sharon, it really has been an excellent review.
thank for sharing
Hello Sharon, a great review about full-face snorkeling