Why Every Swimmer Needs a Centre Mount Snorkel (And Yes, It Comes in Glacier, Orchid and Sage)

Let's be upfront about something: the first time you see someone training with a snorkel in a lap pool, your instinct might be to assume they're a beginner who hasn't learnt to breathe yet.

That assumption is wrong.

Centre mount snorkels are used by Olympic swimmers, national squad athletes, and some of the most technically sophisticated swimmers in the world. They're not a crutch. They're a tool, and when you understand what they actually do, you'll wonder how you trained without one.

Oh, and we've just added three new colours. More on those shortly.

What Makes a Centre Mount Snorkel Different

Unlike the side-mounted snorkels you'd use for snorkelling at the reef, centre mount snorkels are designed specifically for pool training. They sit at the front of your face, centred at the forehead, with a tube that curves up and over your head.

The key design feature is the position. Because it's centred, it doesn't pull your head to one side, and it doesn't require you to rotate your head to breathe. You simply swim, and breathe, in a neutral, forward-facing position.

That single change unlocks a huge amount of what makes the snorkel so useful as a training tool.

What It Actually Does for Your Swimming

It lets you feel your body position properly.

When you're not thinking about breathing, you can focus on what the rest of your body is doing. Most swimmers are surprised by what they discover: their hips are lower than they thought, their head is higher than it should be, or their kick is completely disconnected from their stroke. The snorkel creates the space to feel and address those things.

It isolates technique without interruption.

Think of a drill you've been trying to work on, maybe your catch, your entry angle, or your pull path. Now imagine being able to repeat that movement continuously for 50 metres without a breathing rotation breaking your concentration every three strokes. That's what the snorkel gives you. Uninterrupted, focused repetition.

It builds stroke symmetry.

Most swimmers have a dominant breathing side. Over years of always rotating the same way, they develop stroke asymmetries, a shorter reach on one side, a dropped elbow on the other. Training with a snorkel removes the breathing rotation entirely, which means both sides of your stroke develop equally.

It's ideal for kick training.

If you use a kickboard, your head position is usually elevated and unnatural. Swimming kick sets with a snorkel lets you keep your body in a proper horizontal position, which trains a much more effective and race-relevant kick.

It helps with open water and triathlon swimmers.

Open water conditions; chop, swell, swimmers around you, make consistent breathing much harder than in a pool. The snorkel is excellent for building the breath control and comfort that helps when conditions turn rough on race day.

How to Use It (Getting Started)

If you've never used a centre mount snorkel before, here are a few things that help:

Push off the wall gently the first few times, keep your face down, and take a few slow, deliberate breaths before you start swimming. It feels slightly unfamiliar for the first length or two, and then your body settles into it.

If water gets into the tube, a short, sharp exhale through the mouthpiece clears it out.

Don't rush. The whole point of the snorkel is to slow down and focus. Use it for drill sets, technique-focused 100s, kick sets, anywhere you want your mind fully on your body mechanics rather than split between mechanics and breathing.

When to Use It in Your Training

The snorkel is most valuable as a deliberate, focused tool rather than something you use every length of every session. Great applications include:

At the start of a session: during warm-up, to check in on your body position and feel for the water before the session proper.

During drill sets: where uninterrupted movement creates faster learning.

For kick sets: either with or without fins, keeping your body in a proper horizontal position.

When learning or refining a new technique cue from a coach. The snorkel gives you the mental space to actually feel what they're describing.

During a focused technique block, four to six weeks where you deliberately prioritise body position and stroke mechanics over volume or pace.

FINIS Stability Snorkel vs Freestyle Snorkel, Which One?

Which FINIS Snorkel Is Right for You?

FINIS makes three centre mount snorkels, each suited to a slightly different swimmer.

The Original Swimmer's Snorkel: is the classic all-rounder, a traditional adjustable head bracket, one-way purge valve, and soft silicone mouthpiece. Reliable and straightforward, it's a great entry point for fitness and recreational swimmers. Also available in a Junior version for swimmers aged around 10–13.

The Stability Snorkel: removes the hard bracket entirely, replacing it with a lightweight silicone strap system and cushioned pad, similar to a goggle strap. It's more comfortable for longer sessions, stays put through flip turns, and the mouthpiece rotates sideways when not in use. A strong choice for competitive swimmers or anyone doing regular, technique-focused training.

The Freestyle Snorkel: allows natural head and body rotation while keeping breathing centred and forward, best for swimmers who want the snorkel to feel as close to unassisted swimming as possible.

As a general guide: the Original suits those just getting started, the Stability suits regular and competitive swimmers, and the Freestyle suits those who want rotation as part of their stroke.

Now, the New Colours

Here's the fun part.

The FINIS centre mount snorkel just got three new colourways, and they're genuinely gorgeous.

Glacier: a soft, cool blue-grey that sits somewhere between a frosty morning pool and the deep end of a winter ocean. Clean, calm, and quietly striking in the water.

Orchid: a dusty, muted purple-pink that manages to feel both bold and understated. If you've been waiting for a snorkel that doesn't look like standard gym equipment, this is the one.

Sage: a soft green that feels like it belongs poolside as much as it belongs in the water. Earthy, fresh, and completely unlike anything else in your swim bag.

These aren't just new colours for the sake of it, they're thoughtfully chosen shades that feel current, wearable, and genuinely nice to use. Because you spend a lot of time staring at your training gear, and it may as well look good.

The Short Version

If you're training in the water without a centre mount snorkel, you're leaving one of the most effective technique development tools on the shelf. It's used by elite and recreational swimmers for good reason, it simply gives you more information about your own swimming than almost anything else.

It now also comes in Glacier, Orchid, and Sage. So you have absolutely no excuses.