I have been thinking about how I lock off my nose. I think that it is about keeping up a high ammt of pressure up there...maybe that will help too

I never wear nose plugs, they make me feel like I cant breathe when I'm not underwater. I've learned to slowly breathe out through my nose while I'm underwater.

I used a cheap snorkel mask the first day teaching myself to roll. Not having salty water in my nose and eyes helped a lot. Plus, it was nice to be able to look around and get myself oriented. Since then, I've never used anything, so I'll always be ready for whatever happens. I do still keep the mask in my dry bag, in case I gotta go looking for something I dropped though. lol

I use a nose-clip when playing, or sometimes as part of a ritual before a difficult pushy rapid when I'm likely to capsize. I definitely prefer paddling without a nose-clip, but I prefer Sinusitis a lot less... On cleaner rivers I also tend to use it less or not at all.

After losing a very expensive palm nose-clip, I copied a friend in making one out of a paperclip (or any other relatively stiff wire) with some glued on closed-cell foam as nose-pads... bomber, and cheap.

i got a pair, but never got round to wearing them.
but i dont erally care about water up my nose, all part of the sport

i oy use when playing i got a palm one do not get its crap minute its wet it comes off so i got a smileey great job i don't mind water up the nose but later in the day i feel like

Seeing as though this thread has come up, I'll add in my updated thoughts on this. I've recently bought a nose plug and wear it sometimes when I'm playing. This is due to doing some minor sinus damage to myself after lot of playing (and flipping/rolling) in quite a fast hole. Felt like crap for the next few weeks, figured it's not worth it.

In cold water when you keep rolling up and blowing the cold water out of your nose, u can put the nose plug on, roll up and just the small difference that not having to try and clear your nose out of cold water. Mentally I think it helps u feel that little warmer, or that you can stay in the cold water a while longer.

I still only wear it if I'm planning to be rolling constantly when I'm playing in a hole. Even at the beach I won't wear it. Although I'm only 'playing' I find I'm either paddling out or catching a wave. If you catch a wave and then have to roll, you still get a break as you head back out. Not like in a hole you can roll, catch the eddy and be back in there 20seconds later.

MPO, the plugging of the nose just helps if i get caught in the weeds, which is common when i practice rolls, and end up counting the fishys, and considering that i play around on the charles river in Boston, MA, I like to keep the syringes out of my nose

They won't make u hold your breath for longer but they will stop water going up your nose and giving you a nasty cold. personally i don't where them because i find them uncomfortable but then i find after rolling i always get a cold

i dont wear them either

i wore it once when me and my mate were mucking around trying to capsize each other and it sort of puts me off becausse i usualy breathe through my nose, but thats just me

I use them when playboating but thats it, I have recently been using the Ripple nose plugs far better than the Palm one comfier and should last longer than the smileys too

If anyones wondering whether or not to get them before you do to save you buying them just see how you feel with a snorkel mask on for a while if you notice that you dont like the feeling of not being able to use your nose than nose plugs are not for you....