It may well be that your local NAUI school has it sorted already, but I
thought I'd mention it as it's worth making sure.

A snorkel is just a tube, one tube is pretty much like another :-)
Personally I prefer the type with a self-drain at the bottom of the loop,
YMMV. You should get one for between 10 and 20 quid.

Fins - two types, slipper (for a bare foot) and pocket (you need boots as
well). For pool work and a first Red Sea bash I would be tempted to go for
the cheaper slipper fins, the much bigger and heaver pocket fins are more
suitable for British conditions, although again YMMV. Cheap slipper fins can
be had for around 15 quid, personally I use Avanti Quatro slipper fins
because they are similar to my beloved Avanti Quatro pocket fins. Good ones
start at around 25 quid, there's all kinds of flash stuff like split fins -
decide if you really need them.

Mask - the most difficult! It =MUST= fit, nothing else matters, brand is
irrelevant. I've seen people waste 50 quid on a "good" mask that didn't fit,
a 20 quid cheapie was actually better. I've also seen people waste 20 quid
on a cheap mask and suffer miserable dives rather than pay a bit extra for
one that fits. That's why you can't buy a mask without your girlfriend
there, unless it fits HER it is a waste of money.

Try this in a dive shop to see what I mean -

+ DON'T use the mask strap, loop it out of the way around the front of the
mask.
+ Position the mask on your face.
+ Breathe in slightly through your nose, the mask should clamp itself to
your face.

Does air leak in and the mask fall off?

Yes - it doesn't fit, try another one.
No - consider buying it.

Go through the various makes and models in the dive shop, they will probably
have a couple of dozen different ones or so. Out of those you will probably
only find two or three that fit well, buy one of those! Cost is irrelevant,
probably between 30 and 50 quid, but if it doesn't fit your girlfriends face
shape it will be a waste of money. I'm unlucky, there's only one make/model
of mask I've ever found that fits me well - I've been using it for the past
eight years!

Don't forget to ask for a discount, if you're buying mask/snorkel/fins you
should be able to get a few quid off, more if you buy for yourself as well.

The kit wont be wasted either. Many people (including me) like to snorkel
off the beach when on holiday, nothing puts people off snorkelling more than
the cr*p sets available at beach shops. Buy dive quality kit now and you
will be dragging it around the world for many years to come and enjoying
your snorkelling.

HTH

Keith L

Keith gave you some very good advice, particularly about sorting things out
on the referral before you arrive.  Personally, I prefer NAUI to PADI adn
SSI to both.  Between my wife and I, we hold cards from all of them, plus
TDI and YMCA.  The differences are relatively minor and in all cases, the
quality of instruction is more dependent on the instructor than the agency.
If she prefers NAUI, you may find that the PADI instructor you were planning
on using also offers NAUI referrals.

A mask should be tempered glass.  If your wife wears glasses, or, like me,
has reached an age when her vision is not all it once was, check to see
which masks offer off the shelf perscription lenses.  Several, including
Tusa, do.  Being able to buy off the shelf perscription lenses can save you
considerable money.

Keith indicated that she has to pick her own mask.  He's more right than he
revealed (and I'm sure he knows it).  The mask has to fit right and the only
way to know is to try it on.  She needs to get help from somebody that knows
what they are doing.  I can tell you how to pick a mask, but I can't do it
as well as somebody that can show you.  Here's a hint.  Some masks,
particularly those that offer enhanced field of view, do not fit a wide
range of faces.  That also means that even a slight change of shape in the
face may cause them to leak.  Putting a regulator or snorkle mouthpiece in
your mouth changes the shape of your face, right where your mask seals.
Take a snorkle or a moutpiece with you when you try on masks.  I do not like
purge valves.  They are fragile and prone to leaking due to foreign matter
suck in the valve.  Once you learn to clear a mask the "right" way, you
won't need one anyway.  It's not a crime to have one, but it is something
that has its own potential problems.

I suggest the least expensive large bore snorkel you can find.  I prefer
ones with a flexible section at the bottom.  They tend to be more
comfortable when used and stay out of my way when I'm not using it . . . if
I take it at all.  I usually don't when diving.  In my opinion, a purge
valve makes a snorkle harder to clear, not easier.  I prefer not to have
one, but don't normally have the option of a flexible lower portion without
one.  You take the good with the bad.  I recommend against any of the fancy
dry snorkles.  They may be OK for snorklers, but we're talking about diving
here.  They increase drag and dramatically increase cost.

Fins are another tough choice.  There are many quality brands, about half of
which have won some award or another.  I happen to like Mares fins.  Because
I'm a warm water diver, I can, and do use full foot pocket fins.  Those that
dive in colder water, where thermal protection from drysuits or booties is
desirable, have to chose an open heel fin.  I still like Mares products, the
Quatro fins to be specific.  They're as good as anything I've ever used and
better than most, but they're not the only good fins on the market.  If your
local shop will allow you to try different fins in the pool, by all means
take them up on it.  If you get it right the first time, you'll have done
better than most of us.  I went through at least a half dozen different
makes and models before I found what I like, but once I found them, I've
stuck with them.  I'm on my third set.

If you/she go for a computer.  I strongly recommend you pay the bit extra to
get one that is nitrox capable.  It will let you monitor O2 exposure levels,
which is interesting even if you don't have any real risk, but more
importantly, it will make the trasition to nitrox less expensive when the
time comes to try it . . . as it eventually did for most of us.

Lee

Mask: A mask is just as personal as shoes are. It just has to fit.
Dive shops are used to doing this "adaption" to new divers. I also
recommend something that has a low internal volume, as this makes it
easier to clear. There are different perferences to black/transparent
silicone, one/two glasses; this is for individual preferences. But
avoid all fancy purge-valves and check the fit once more.
Most masks sell with a silicone strap. This is OK for initial use,
but can take a lot of improvement from a more solid strap. This
is especially a tip for people with long hair, as the silicone straps
have a tendency to trap hair.

Fins: Go for a "half-foot" fin and socks. Full-foot fins are a lot more
comfortable for the first blue-water dive, but then the blisters start.
It you want do do more than a dive/snorkel sesion a day there is no
question of using flippers. Go for the real thing.
There are lots of variety in fins, and the budget can go from GBP 10
to GBP 600 (yep). The Force Fins have a strong following from inexperienced
divers because they seem to work even if you haven't built the muscles
and technique to use larger fins without cramping. I wouldn't go near
them though. They are needlessly expensive, have a tendency to silt out
every dive place (they send all the water straight down into the mud/sand),
and you just cannot get real kicks with them.

Jet fins is my preference, but I understand beginners who think they
are to heavy and expensive. Lots of the cheaper fins are very good.
Again, avoid the fancy gimmics; if you want to spend money, go for
Jetfins or Turtlefins. For the cheaper fins the important part is that
they must not be so stiff they she gets cramps from them. This is
individual. Also do not buy too small a foot pocket. Try on the next size
up even if you think the current one fits.

For a snorkel, it is about simplicity. The snorkel you want for diving
is quite different from the one you want for snorkelling. The diving
one is just a tube, pretty short and wide, and no fancy stuff. A good
attachment for the mask (and preferrably a non-silicone strap too)
is important so it doesn't chafe at the side of the face.
This snorkel is for the roughish surface swims to and from the dive site,
and initial looks down into the water.

A snorkelling snorkel can benefit from purge valves, somewhat longer
length and more flexibility. But for diving it is not just wasted,
it may actually be detrimental.

-- mrr