How many people use a snorkel?

Bored at home so I've been watching off-roading videos on YouTube.
I've seen only a couple trucks use a snorkel where it looks like one would be required. Do they hope the truck will push the water away from the intake or am I missing something?

 

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I see A LOT of people with them, but I doubt very many actually *use* them, lol.

They actually increase your power, theoretically, since it takes in air from outside, rather than any device installed under the hood (that's marketed as a CAI).

 

A snorkel is not just for going through deep water. Most think that's all its for, but its really for providing cleaner, cooler air. When paired with a pre-filter you can really decrease the amount of dust your engine takes in! Look at the places you see them most, South Africa and Australia, both very dry, hot dusty places.

 

This. I use my snorkel every time I drive my truck during the summer, our trails are really dry and dusty.

 

This^

Not just for looks or deep water crossings. But yes... mall crawlers love them.

 

@Spixelz has a good point.
But to answer the title of this thread: about 2%

 

After installing a plate bumper the fender lining just didn't fit, so I removed them. New front bumper means lets go offroading! yay! "hey look a puddle!!!" "YAY" forgot about my intake in the wheel well there and hydro locked my engine. No more yay.... Anyways luckily I was not going fast enough to have bent a rod. I now have a snorkel and it saved me when this past spring rain here in northern and southern cal where all the streets were flooded (I run 32's and some flooded areas almost covered my tires). I used to hate them but it grows on you especially when it adds to peace of mind. It also helps in the dry dirt roads up in northern cali, my filter seems to have been staying cleaner longer.

 

A lot of people that run them (myself included) pair them with 35" tires. In order to clear 35s everything has to be removed from the wheel well which exposes the engine's intake. If you don't relocate the intake it will eventually lead to a fucked up engine since now you are literally throwing sand, rocks, and dirt directly into the intake. Snorkels move the intake out of the wheel well and they come with minor secondary benefits like keeping the intake out of dust clouds and less chance of drowning the engine when screwing around in water crossings. There are other ways of dealing with the problem of removing the wheel well liners, this is just one of the practical solutions.

 

This

My maf gets so dusty now it throws a code

 

THIS is why I put one on. The pre filter helps a TON on the dusty trails and saves my CAI filter. Plus it looks awesome!

 

I asked because in the video I saw had trucks doing some off-roading where the driver has never been before. So they don't know if there is a water crossing, how deep and if you can or can't go around it. I'm not sure if a snorkel was required equipment. Were you ever on a trail and had to turn around because you couldn't get through an obstacle?