A Tackle Shop Guide to Snorkelling & Spearfishing Gear
Whether you are taking the family out to explore a beachside reef for the first time or gearing up for serious spearfishing, the equipment requirements are different enough that it pays to understand what each activity actually needs before you buy. A snorkeller and a spearfisher can be in the same water at the same time, wearing and using completely different gear. This guide breaks down what you need, the differences, and where to start if you are new to either activity.
A Note From Our Local Experts
"The brands we stock for snorkelling and spearfishing have been consistent for over 20 years. Land & Sea Sports, Adrenalin, and Redback are distributed by Home Grown Brands Australia, an Australian-owned company that has supplied the local market since 1982. Mirage has been distributed to the Australian market since 1976 through Cape Byron Sports, operating out of Byron Bay.
Both wholesalers supply across the snorkelling and spearfishing categories — from entry-level family kits through to spearfishing-specific gear. We stock these brands because they sit at a price point that works for most household budgets while covering the full range of what recreational snorkellers, families, and spearfishers actually need"
- Ben Czulowski, Owner, Fishing Tackle Shop (Ocean Storm)
What Each Activity Needs: A Quick Overview
The gear categories below serve both snorkellers and spearfishers, but the specifications within each category differ significantly depending on what you are doing in the water.
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Complete Snorkelling Kits — Best Starting Point for Beginners & Families: A matched mask, snorkel, and fins in a single package. Eliminates the guesswork of pairing components and is the most cost-effective entry point for casual reef snorkelling, tropical holidays, and introducing you or your kids to the water.
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Masks & Snorkels — The Core of Any Setup: The mask seal and snorkel purge valve quality determine how enjoyable your time in the water is. Snorkellers prioritise comfort and a wide field of view. Spearfishers typically choose low-volume masks that are easier to equalise on a breath-hold dive.
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Flippers & Fins — Propulsion and Efficiency: Short recreational fins suit snorkelling and swimming. Long blade freediving fins are built for spearfishing — they generate more forward movement per kick and reduce energy expenditure on breath-hold dives where every second of oxygen counts.
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Spearguns & Hand Spears — Spearfishing Specific: Entry-level spearfishers often start with a hand spear or pole spear before moving to a speargun, where the Speargun range, band configuration, and shaft length are matched to the environment and target species.
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Dive Knives, Dive Boots & Accessories — Safety and Comfort: Dive boots protect feet inside open-heel fins and on rocky entries. A dive knife is a safety tool for spearfishers — for cutting tangled line or leader, not a weapon. The accessories we sell fill the practical gaps that keep a session safer and, in some cases, more comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Snorkelling & Spearfishing Gear
What gear do I need to start snorkelling?
The three basics are a mask, a snorkel, and fins. The mask gives you a clear field of vision underwater. The snorkel lets you breathe at the surface without lifting your head. Fins give you propulsion and reduce the effort of staying in position against current or surge. For most beginners and families, a complete snorkelling kit that bundles all three together is the straightforward starting point — the components are matched to work together, and the combined price is better than buying each piece separately.
Is it better to buy a snorkelling kit or individual pieces?
For beginners and families, a kit is the better starting point. The mask, snorkel, and fins are selected to work together, and the combined cost is often lower than buying equivalent individual pieces. Where buying separately makes sense is when you have specific requirements — for example, if you have an unusual face shape that requires a particular single lens mask fit, or if you want longer freediving fins for spearfishing that would not be included in a standard recreational kit.
Do I need fins for snorkelling, or can I manage without them?
You can snorkel without fins in calm, shallow water with no current. The moment there is any current, surge, or you need to cover distance, fins become necessary rather than optional — without them, you work significantly harder to stay in position and tire quickly. For children in rock pools or very calm bays, fins are less critical. For any open water snorkelling, a reef, or anywhere with tidal movement, include fins in your setup. We stock both adult and junior sizing.
Can kids use adult snorkelling gear, or do they need their own?
Kids need their own-sized gear. An adult mask on a child's face will likely not seal and will often flood constantly. Adult fins on small feet either fall off or make it impossible to kick properly. We stock snorkelling gear in both adult and junior sizing — getting a child into correctly fitted equipment from the start makes the experience far more enjoyable and builds confidence in the water faster.
What is the difference between snorkelling gear and spearfishing gear?
Snorkelling gear is built for comfort and visibility at the surface. Spearfishing gear is built for breath-hold efficiency and function underwater. The key differences: spearfishing masks are often low-volume to make equalising on a dive easier, whereas snorkelling masks prioritise a wide field of view. Spearfishing fins are long blade freediving fins that generate maximum distance per kick with minimum effort, reducing oxygen consumption on a breath-hold. Spearfishers also carry a dive knife as a safety tool and use either a hand spear or a speargun — neither of which a snorkeller requires.
Can I use my snorkelling mask and fins for spearfishing?
A standard snorkelling mask can work for entry-level shallow spearfishing, but you will notice the limitations quickly. High-volume recreational masks are harder to equalise as you dive deeper, and the wide lens creates more resistance. Standard short recreational fins are inefficient for freediving — you burn significantly more oxygen per metre of depth compared to long blade fins. If you are moving from snorkelling into spearfishing, upgrading to a low-volume freediving mask and long blade freediving fins makes a noticeable difference from the first dive.
Do I need a licence to spearfish in Australia?
It depends on which state you are in. Always check with your state fisheries authority before you dive, and check the specific zone classification of any marine park you plan to enter.
