Kraken Aquatics Swimmer's Snorkel, Blue

I'm not really one to write reviews - which is terrible as I always read them before buying anything - but I felt compelled to leave one for this snorkel, because it has been SUCH a swim-saver for me (neck injury that's now preventing me from turning my head). I have been using this snorkel to swim laps for an hour, 5 days a week, for the last two months now, and it is amazing! I bought this snorkel, and the Swimmers Snorkel (Swimmer's Snorkel Yellow) , and ended up keeping this one. This snorkel has nice padding at the forehead (the other did not), and is completely comfortable during extended use. The other was actually painfully uncomfortable. This snorkel also has a slightly broader tube, which reduces the feeling of "breathing through a straw". And overall, from the color to the size/shape of fittings, this one just looks better and has a smaller profile (but lets be honest, you'll probably feel foolish wearing this!). Two things to note: you may find you need a nose plug and there is a brief adjustment period to the breathing. 1) If you don't exhale through your nose, it will fill with water and pressure. This has always been standard practice for me when not using a snorkel: turn my head, take a breath, and then exhale through the nose. However, I found it difficult to do with the snorkel (apparently not coordinated enough ha??). So, I got a nose plug - which although a pain to wear works great! 2) In regards to breathing, the first 2 or 3 times I used this it did get hard to breathe when I was really exerting myself. Basically, you ARE "breathing through a straw", so there will be a period of adjustment. However, your body DOES get used to it, and as your cardio health improves you won't even notice it. All in all, this is a fabulous snorkel, lets me keep swimming comfortably and I literally use it Mon thru Fri without any issue or complaints!