– AISPIX
The equipment required for scuba diving can cost a fortune.
Renting equipment from a dive store is a great way to save money.
Buy the essential items for yourself first, then rent scuba gear for the rest of the remaining equipment that you need.
One thing you do need to know though is how to check the safety of your rented scuba equipment.
Shop Around
Rented gear has great value compared to buying your own dive equipment.
Before you go, just make sure you know how to check if your rented scuba equipment is safe when you get there. Try and use a store that has a pool where you can use to test their gear.
Ask the staff the right questions and know what to look for. Test the equipment out for yourself in a pool if you can before you agree to rent it. It is better to test on dry land before getting into open water and finding a problem.
Here’s more on Dive Gear: When To Buy What?
What Questions should you Ask?
They will not mind you asking questions about their gear because they want you to feel safe. They will also be happy that you know how to make sure your rented dive equipment is safe.
- Ask how often their dive equipment is serviced.
- Ask if stored equipment is regularly tested.
- Ask to see service records and test certification.
If they do get mad by the questions and don’t want to answer, choose a different dive center.
Dive centers that refuse to answer your questions about scuba gear must be avoided – Credit: Dario Sabljak
Check the Dive Gear Yourself
Look over the equipment on your own too. If you need advice staff in the store may show you how to check your rented dive equipment is safe. Use your eyes and look for obvious features like:
- Check the seams and seals on the wetsuit.
- Check the suit is a good fit that gives you a good range of movement.
- Make sure the weight belt and weights fit securely.
- Check the seals on the air hose for corrosion or rusting.
Seams, seal and a good fit are criterias for checking a rented wetsuit – Credit: Baloncici
Under Water Checks
Get into the pool if they have one and make sure the equipment does what you want it to. If you find a problem tell the staff and choose an alternative.
- Check the regulator is working properly.
- Check the suit for maneuverability.
- Check the diving weights give you the right buoyancy level.
Getting into a pool for underwater checks – Credit: mikeledray
Why Make so Many Checks?
The checks are important as divers need to trust that their equipment will keep them safe. There is no enjoyment in a dive when all you can worry about is the condition and reliability of your gear.
- Damaged or worn wetsuits can affect buoyancy and body temperature.
- Damaged or worn weight belts or vests can break and cause dangerous ascents.
- A corroded air hose could break loose in open water.
- A faulty regulator could put your life at risk.
Here’s more on Choosing a Regulator Mouthpiece.
Make a Deal
If you are happy with results of your checks and tests go ahead and rent your dive gear. You will be able to dive knowing you have safe equipment and be free from worry. You should now be proud you know how to check your rented scuba equipment is safe.
Do you have any good or bad experiences renting scuba gear? Tell us your story!
Is it even an option to own your own equipment? I mean sure the small stuff you can bring yourself and if you live close to where you dive then it makes sense but I you just travel a lot and dive on vacations then bringing a bcd, fins, wetsuit etc will take up all the space and weight limits for plane travels.
So nice article as a to-do list for checking when renting, but imo it’s not a question if rented equip is safer it’s the only option.
Hi Martin,
First, Thanks for your comment.
It all depends on how often you dive on vacations, and how often you go on dive vacations. Now a days there is light weight equipment available from most equipment brands. That could be an option if you often go on dive vacations. the light weight option is definitely a thing worth considering, it’s really cool gear, most of it anyway.
Otherwise you could consider, as you mention, bringing only some of the equipment. for example only bringing your BCD and regulator. I would say, witch is the most important, including mask of cause.
Also some airline companies offer extra weight allowances to sport equipment, including of cause dive equipment. It’s worth contacting them to check up.
Hope that helps you in the future. And if you are renting it, make sure to check it if you are in doubt.
I’ve tried renting bad equipment for sure. Traveling with a backpacker you don’t bring your own dive gear, and then when diving a bit remote places more often than not, it’s bad rental equipment. To worn, and always visible dodgy repairs.
I guss that what you get when you are on a budget, I advice: It works to demand some of the better equipment, if you don’t say anything they will give you the old gear. Enjoy your dive out there!! Sadik.
Hi sadik,
I’ve seen this as well. Many places out of the touristy place rental equipment is really bad.
Hope you still had a lot of good diving, ven if it was with horrible equipment.
Thanks for the comment.
I bring my own regulator, computer, mask and fins. Next plan is to get a lightweight BCD. Then all I need to rent is a suit, weights and air. Worst case is a worn suit with holes that doesn’t keep me as warm as a new one. And when diving in waters with temperature of 25+ this is not really a problem. A faulty regulator that has not been maintained properly on the other hand would be a problem.
Bringing my own regulator and computer gives me peace of mind.
Hi Thomas, thanks for sharing.
I can’t but agree in your comment, a wetsuite you can always rent with out problem. With the regulator, it’s more important that it works and you trust it completely.
My daughter died because of rental gear – her regulator hadn’t been serviced properly and she passed out due to CO2. Her buddy couldn’t get her to the surface (cold Pacific NW water so lots of weight). There were a lot of thngs that went wrong but it started with the regulator. Buying your own reg/computer and then getting it serviced annually is the way to go if you dive infrequently or don’t want to lug a ton of gear on planes. It’s the most important piece of gear we have in this sport. Always ask to see the shops service records prior to renting. It could save your life!
Hi Julie, I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter!
I agree computer and regulator is the most important pieces of dive equipment! And having it services is a must!
Thanks for sharing your story!
In by diving start I always rented equipment when I was on holiday, but after I started diving at home I had to buy equipment. So great to know what I’m using and I must say it makes me feel more safe! Would recommend at least bcd and regulator. Good diving you all!
Hi Julie, Thank you for a great piece of advice regarding the regulator. So sorry to hear about your daughter. Greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately i must rent my regulator and BCD at a resort for an upcoming dive trip. Although it is a reputable company i am wondering if there is any way to disinfect the regulator pre-dive.
I have brought my own gear on most every trip I have taken as I know it has been properly serviced, its life support equipment not a set of skis. You can easily back a light weight BC, wetsuit, fins and accessories for two in bag and keep it under 50 lbs. We always carry our regs and computers, small cameras or lights with us, too valuable not to. Whats frustrating to me is that the most infrequent divers rent and since the are not familiar with the gear tend to have the most issues, including buoyancy problems. I can say from years of teaching and diving the most comfortable divers usually own their own equipment. It is a fallacy with all the new light weight gear that you can’t take it with you.
I dived yesterday at a high end hotel in Mexico with rented equipment. On entering the water I discovered that the depth gauge on the regulator was completely broken and it did not work at all during the dive.
When back at the dive shop another DM was instantly able to tell that it was broken, pity no one realised this earlier.
In 20 years of diving that’s my worst experience using hire equipment.
Oh Julie, i’m so sorry to hear this, it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. I would give anything to have been there to do whatever i might have to rescue your daughter. I am the father of a 24 year old and 21 year old son and daughter, each of whom had brushes with nearly-fatal incidents and I know the parental panic of that. I can only try to imagine the heartbreak of a less fortunate outcome, but, of course, fail to fully know that pain as you undoubtedly must. I am not a particularly religious man but this night I send my prayers to you, that you may bear the unbarable, and somehow, in a life so unfair, find the peace that only abiding, everlasting love, can create and sustain. Tonight, I am, as I imagine you are too, sometimes sad in thinking about the ‘might have beens’, but grateful for the chance to have been a part of a child’s exploration of this world, and the amazing pure faith and trust that they place in our hands. No doubt in my mind that your daughter is listening, even now.
On the subject of rental gear. My buddy and I both dove the Great Barrier Reef. Same hotel room, same food, and we went all the same places… My buddy got ill in Australia, and I did not. It was a very bad cold or maybe the flu. I dove with my own regulator. My buddy dove with a rental. We put some thought into it. Only thing we could think of was that rental regulator. We think the person who used that regulator earlier in the day or the day before had a cold or influenza. And the regulator just got a dunk in the water tank, but not really cleaned.
I think it’s depends on how many dives do you plan to do per year. If you spend each year 10 days with 2 dives per day and you need to rent whole equipment for 25EUR/30USD per day then you need about 60-70 days (120-140 dives) to reach price of your equipment. Which means that you dive 10 years :). Plus you need to care about your equipment – do regular service etc. And of course you carry big bag on your journey and this can limit you vacation i.e. if you like one week travel around and then spend few days under the water.
One can say that the wrong equipment means life hazard. It depends – after few deep dives I much more like shallow waters where I can spend more time and enjoy more colors. And shallow water is more save than deep one. I dont want to say “diving with bad equipment is a challenge” but all divers should expect unexpected, train regulary potencial scenarios and be close to your buddy. Because there is no guarantee that new or serviced equipment can’t fail, there is only less probability. And I guess a lot of divers who make 10 dives per year don’t regulary service their equipment. So you should be always ready for all kinds of potential failures and know how to manage it and how to help to other diver. Maybe it is better to invest some money for Rescue Diver course.
It always nice to have own mask, snorkel, fins and thin 1.5mm wet suit. Its lightweight and easy to carry everywhere. You can snorkel for free if you want. And if you decide to dive sometimes is thin wet suit OK or you take it under the rented one… because of skin rush what is common after few days in wet suit from rental.
From my experience rentals are OK but… from last 50dives I had minor troubles with:
1. broken mouthpiece – water leaking little bit into my mouth (not dangerous just not comfortable, switch to backup reg and get new for next dive)
2. skin rush from wet suit – then I have bought my own thin wet suit
3. jammed rope of BCD back valve – looked OK when I checked it but in water in different rope angle valve doesnt work well, of course there are another valves