One Subnado vs Two: How Much Speed Do You Actually Need?

For most snorkelers and casual divers, one Subnado is plenty. A second unit adds speed and thrust, but it does not add runtime, and the two units do not link together, so you end up controlling both separately. Two makes sense for specific riders, and for a lot of people it is money better spent elsewhere. The real question is not whether more is better. It is how much speed you actually need.

We sell the Waydoo Subnado here at Elite Watersports, in both the Standard and the higher-power Plus, so people ask us this all the time. This guide is a straight answer: what one unit really does, what a second one adds, who genuinely benefits from two, and when a single Plus is the smarter buy than a pair of Standards.

Here is what this guide covers:

• How fast one Subnado actually is, in plain terms

• What a second unit adds, and what it does not

• Who actually needs two, and who does not

• Whether two Standards or one Plus is the smarter upgrade

• How much speed you really need for Florida snorkeling and diving

If you already know one is enough, here is the single Subnado Standard. If you are still weighing it, read on.

How fast is one Waydoo Subnado, really?

A single Subnado Standard tops out around 1.4 meters per second, which is roughly 3.1 miles per hour. The higher-power Subnado Plus reaches about 1.7 meters per second, or roughly 3.8 miles per hour. Those numbers sound modest on land, but underwater they are quick. The average person swims at about 1.5 miles per hour, so even the Standard moves you at roughly twice swim speed without you kicking at all.

What that speed buys you is range and energy. You cover more reef, reach features that would be a tiring swim away, and you get there without burning through your air or your legs. For snorkeling a reef, cruising a spring, or exploring flats, that is the whole point, and one unit delivers it comfortably.

Independent testing lines up with this, with one honest caveat. In controlled pool tests, reviewers measured real-world speeds a little below Waydoo's headline numbers, which is normal once you account for rider drag and body position. You will not always hit the exact quoted figure, but you will move noticeably faster than you can swim, and that is what matters for a real session.

What does a second Subnado actually add?

This is the part that surprises people, so it is worth being precise. A second Subnado adds two things and leaves a third unchanged.

It adds speed. Running two units together takes the Standard from about 1.4 to roughly 2.0 meters per second, which is around 4.5 miles per hour, and the Plus from about 1.7 to roughly 2.4 meters per second, or about 5.4 miles per hour. It also adds thrust, which is the pulling power you feel against drag, so a second unit helps more the heavier you are or the more gear you are towing.

Here is what it does not add: runtime. The two units do not sync together electronically. You mount them on a twin-engine bracket and run them side by side, but each one has its own battery and its own trigger, so you are effectively controlling two separate scooters at once. Because both drain at their own rate, your time in the water does not get longer with two. If anything, running both at full power keeps them both working hard for the same session length you would get from one.

So a second Subnado is a speed-and-thrust upgrade, not an endurance upgrade. That single distinction settles the decision for a lot of people.

Who actually needs two Subnados?

Two units earn their place for specific riders and specific conditions. You are a strong candidate for two if you match one of these:

You fight current. If you snorkel or dive spots with real moving water, drift trips, passes, or tidal flow, the extra thrust of two units helps you hold position and push through instead of getting pushed around. This is the most common genuine reason to run a pair.

You cover distance. If you like long point-to-point runs and want to move faster across open water, the higher top speed of two units shortens the trip and keeps it fun rather than a slog.

You are a heavier or fully-kitted rider. Thrust matters more the more mass you are pulling. A larger rider, or a scuba diver loaded with a tank and weights, gets more real-world benefit from two units than a light snorkeler in a swimsuit.

You want maximum thrill. Some people just want the fastest, most powerful setup available, and two units delivers it. That is a valid reason, as long as you know you are buying speed and thrust, not extra time in the water.

If none of those describe you, you probably do not need two. A recreational snorkeler in warm, calm water is well served by one, and the money for a second unit is better kept for a trip or other gear. If you do want more power without buying two, keep reading, because there is a cheaper path. The higher-power Subnado Plus is often the answer.

Two Standards vs one Plus: which is the smarter speed upgrade?

Here is the comparison most people miss, and it can save you money. If your goal is more speed and thrust, you do not automatically have to buy two scooters. A single Plus may get you there for less.

The rough math, at our pricing:

• One Subnado Standard: $499. A single unit at 1.4 m/s, plenty for most snorkeling.

• One Subnado Plus: $799. A single unit at 1.7 m/s with noticeably more thrust and a bigger battery.

• Two Subnado Standards: around $998, plus the twin-engine bracket to mount them.

A single Plus already out-speeds a single Standard and adds meaningful thrust, for less than the cost of two Standards, and it is one unit to carry, charge, and control. For a rider who wants a step up in power but does not need the absolute top speed of a dual setup, the Plus is usually the smarter and simpler buy.

Two Standards still wins in two situations: when you want the highest possible speed and thrust a Subnado can produce, or when you expect to sometimes ride solo and sometimes hand a second unit to a partner or child. Owning two gives you a family-of-two setup that a single Plus cannot. Outside of those cases, one Plus tends to be the better value.

How much speed do you need for Florida snorkeling and diving?

If you are buying a Subnado to use around Tampa Bay, the honest answer for most people is that one unit is all you need, and the reason is the water we have. Our Gulf snorkeling is warm, shallow, and usually calm, and our spring runs like Rainbow River and the Crystal River manatee springs are slow, clear, and flat. In that kind of water, a single Standard at 1.4 meters per second already moves you faster than you would ever swim, covers plenty of ground on a tank of battery, and keeps a whole family entertained. It is also child-rated, which matters if you are buying it for the kids as much as yourself.

Where Florida makes a case for more power is the current. If you run drift snorkels, ride passes on a moving tide, or head out to reef and wreck spots where the water is actually pushing, the extra thrust of a Plus or a dual setup helps you hold your line instead of finning hard to stay put. Heavier riders and anyone snorkeling in chop will feel that difference too. Those are the conditions where stepping up from a single Standard is worth it, and they are the exception here, not the rule.

The practical takeaway for a Tampa Bay buyer: start with what your usual water actually demands, not the top of the range. If your sessions are springs, flats, and calm reef days, one Standard is the buy. If current is a regular part of your riding, look at a Plus first and a dual setup only if you specifically need maximum thrust. Not sure which way you fall? Come see the Subnado at our St. Pete shop and we will talk it through with you before you spend a dollar. Visit us at Elite Watersports and we will point you to the setup that fits your water.

The honest limits: what a second Subnado will not fix

Before you decide, two trade-offs are worth knowing, because neither one gets solved by buying two.

The first is battery at full speed. Waydoo's runtime figures, up to 56 minutes on the Standard and 60 on the Plus, are for lower-speed cruising. Independent testing found that at full power the real runtime is considerably shorter before the unit steps down to a slower cruising pace. That is fine for snorkeling and shallow fun, where you are not pinned at full throttle the whole time, but if you are planning long, fast, continuous runs, plan around the honest number rather than the headline one. And remember, two units does not extend this. Both batteries still drain on their own schedule.

The second is that two units means two to manage. Because they do not sync, you are running two triggers and watching two battery levels at once. Most people adapt quickly, but it is more to think about than a single scooter, and it is worth being honest that a dual setup trades some simplicity for its extra power.

If your real need is long-range, full-speed exploration diving, the Subnado, in either a single or dual setup, is not the tool built for that job. It is a compact, travel-friendly, recreational scooter, and it is excellent at that. Knowing where its limits are is how you end up happy with it rather than expecting something it was never designed to do.

Final verdict: one Subnado or two?

For most people, one is the answer. A single Subnado Standard covers snorkeling, spring runs, and calm reef days for a whole family, moves you at twice swim speed, and keeps the cost down. It is the right buy for the largest group of riders, and there is no shame in not needing more.

Step up to a single Plus if you want more speed and thrust without the cost or complexity of two units. It out-runs the Standard, pulls harder for heavier or kitted-up riders, and it is still one simple scooter to carry and charge. For most people who think they want two, the Plus is actually what they are after.

Buy two if you genuinely fight current, cover long distances, tow real weight, or want a setup you can split between two riders. That is a real need for some people, and when it is your need, two units delivers.