Dive Gear: When to Buy What?
You might ask yourself: When should I buy my first bit of Dive Gear?
Here on DIVEIN.com, we’ve already covered what dive gear should be your first bit of kit you buy. But what about the remaining gear? When should you go all-in and buy your own? How much should you spend? And what should you prioritize?
Read on for our guide to selecting what to buy when.
The answer isn’t universal, as some considerations need to be made depending on where and how you dive. We’ll cover the basic dive equipment step-by-step and give you the info you need to decide.
First things first
The first dive gear most people buy are fins, mask, and snorkel. Some even buy them before they start diving. Being relatively simple to buy in both dive shops as well as sporting goods stores, these basic pieces can also be used on the beach anytime.
Here’s The Complete Guide To Snorkeling Gear
What’s more is that they can be used when doing an open water course for the first time. Some prefer to use their own kit for this. Basically, it comes down to knowing who was the last one to spit in the dive mask you’re about to put on your face. This gear never gets old and snorkeling on holidays makes this useful.
When you do buy, make sure you buy things that are suited for diving, not just snorkeling. Consider buying open-heel fins and booties instead of the closed-heel fins popular with snorkelers. The mask should be low-volume and of high quality. And the fins themselves shouldn’t be overly long (as snorkeling fins sometimes are), and they should be able to generate a reasonable amount of thrust.
Dive Gear Gadgets: the Computer
The first thing you should be getting once you start diving is a computer. More and more dive centers have started renting out computers, but most places they are still hard to find as rentals.
The price of dive computers have dropped significantly in recent years, and owning one might just save your life if you’re separated from a group during a deep dive.
Read Buying a dive computer: Tips and tricks
When it comes to basic safety, all dive computers are more or less created equal, so if your budget is tight, get the entry model of a well-known brand, and you can’t go half-wrong. Suunto is always a good choice for a good quality dive computer.
Exposure suit: Wetsuit or Drysuit
The level of priority of this depends on where you dive.
If you primarily dive in tropical water while on holiday, it is low priority, as even the most tattered shortie will give you adequate protection.
But if you routinely dive in cooler waters, you might want a good wetsuit of your own, rather than renting one. And if you live in an area with cold waters, a dry suit can be a necessity to dive year-round. And buying your own drysuit is often the only option.
The same considerations go for gloves and a hood. Exposure suits do get worn relatively quickly, so generally, no need to break the bank here. But owning your exposure suit is well-worth it, as rentals will rarely fit as well as one you’ve bought yourself.
BCD
A good, sturdy, well-fitting BCD really adds to your diving experience and comfort. It’s important to know where the pockets are, how the weight system works, and all the other little details also help to add to your safety and peace of mind during a dive.
If you’ll primarily be using your BCD during travel, consider buying a lightweight version made for travel.
The cost will, of course, depend on the level of luxury you require, but a mid-range BCD will fit most divers’ needs.
Regulator
Having your own scuba regulator means always knowing when your gear was last serviced and allows you to set it up the way you want it.
This is one area where you don’t want to go too cheap, not so much for safety reasons (even budget versions are perfectly safe), but the little extras, such as cold water setup (if you dive cold water), adjustable flow, and the other little things that still matter.
Guide Choose the right Regulator Mouthpiece
However, as regulators are relatively pricey and quite heavy, this is something you may want to wait with purchasing until you’re diving quite regularly.
Dive Torch
If you intend to do a fair amount of night diving, you should consider getting your own torch.
If you’re a recreational diver doing an occasional night dive, there’s no need in investing in a monster of a canister torch. But a good quality torch, preferably rechargeable so you don’t have to lug around a bag of batteries, with a decent light output is a great tool, and not just for night dives.
Looking into holes and crannies on reefs, or holes on wrecks, often allows you to see wildlife you otherwise would have missed.
Also, consider a backup light for night diving.
Here are 5 Pieces of Equipment to Improve your Safety while Diving
Dive torches are comparatively expensive, but there is a host of mid-range LED torches out there that will suit most recreational divers.
Dive Knife or Shears
Note that I haven’t mentioned a dive knife yet? That’s because I don’t want you to rush out and buy a huge Rambo-esque dive knife that you strap to your calf. Go for a small, lightweight (and preferably titanium) dive knife that you either stick in your BCD pocket or attach to your low-pressure inflator hose. Alternatively, a pair of trauma shears can work just as well, or better.
When to buy what?
So when do you buy your own kit? Not right off the bat, that’s for sure. No need to rush out and break the bank the day after you finish your first dive course.
Take some time to get some dives under your belt and find your personal preferences.
Over the course of a few dives using the different rental kits, you’ll start to pick up on things you like, or things that annoy you, which can help you in making your choice.
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