A basic snorkel consists of a curved tube with a mouthpiece. This is called a "J" snorkel, and an example is pictured to the left. Another common design is a flex snorkel. These snorkels allow the mouthpiece to hang away from the face while not in use.

Flex snorkels have a flexible tube between the rigid tube and mouthpiece. They should be flexible enough to bend easily towards your mouth, but firm enough to prevent kinks.