You’ve finished it – you’ve taken the primary plunge into scuba diving and also you’re hooked. Welcome to the underwater world. Now it’s time to buy your first set of newbie scuba gear!
Selecting the very best scuba gear for newbies is usually a minefield, however with the knowledge of our Women that Scuba members we’ve bought the last word information for you.
Some tools purchases will take some time to get snug with, equivalent to your BCD, however others will give on the spot worth to your dives. Right here’s the three objects you’ll wish to purchase first, and the purchases that may wait till you’ve bought just a few extra dives in your log guide!
How a lot do I have to spend?
If cash was no object it will be tempting to buy every thing in a single go, however realistically most of us can’t buy a full package as quickly as we begin scuba diving.
Nevertheless, because the saying goes, “purchase low-cost, purchase twice”. You must at all times goal to buy the very best you possibly can afford on the time. Shopping for a barely higher mannequin may see you additional by way of your dive future, too.
Newbie scuba gear doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution, although. We’ve included tools options at three value factors to attempt to swimsuit a wide range of budgets.
1. Purchase your individual scuba masks
The vast majority of divers can provide you a narrative of an ill-fitting, leaky, or foggy masks ruining an in any other case unimaginable dive. We undoubtedly suggest shopping for a masks as your first piece of newbie scuba gear!
Compared to different tools purchases, selecting a terrific masks may be comparatively easy. It’s additionally one of many best issues to hold when travelling with scuba gear. Numerous minimalist journey divers will at all times take their masks, laptop and regulators.
You possibly can store for an excellent becoming masks forward of starting your certification course, which is able to make expertise equivalent to masks clearance a lot simpler. It’s necessary to strive masks on – take into account procuring the place useful employees can help you to find an ideal match, or be taught our suggestions for procuring on-line.
The very best masks is at all times one which inserts you, however listed here are some fashions that are beloved by a number of members in our Fb group.
$ – Cressi F1
The Cressi F1 is out there in a mess of colors and likewise is available in a small measurement (“Mini”), making it good for petite options. It’s additionally extremely inexpensive!
Store F1 from the US
Store F1 Mini from the US
$$ – Aqualung Reveal X1
Aqualung’s Reveal is a good mid-range alternative. Tremendous tender silicone and match expertise make it extremely snug for an enormous vary of face shapes.
Store Reveal from the US
Store Reveal from the UK
$$$ – Fourth Ingredient Scout
We love the extremely snug seal and customisability of the Fourth Ingredient Scout masks. There’s a mode of lens to match each dive situation – though the clear lens could also be most suited to new divers so your teacher can preserve eye contact.
Store Scout from the US
Store Scout from the UK
Bonus Masks Tip
Many divers, us included, extremely suggest including a masks strap cowl to your masks. Silicone straps can simply get caught and tug in your hair. Once you’re finishing your masks expertise, a canopy will make it a lot simpler for the strap to glide over the again of your hair.
It’s additionally an excellent enjoyable technique to begin co-ordinating and customising your dive gear. Our Women that Scuba masks strap covers are available in an array of colors and prints to match any gear set-up. Plus, you possibly can symbolize your favorite girls’s dive group on the identical time!
2. Get your self a dive laptop
Security is the primary purpose why we might suggest a dive laptop as considered one of your newbie scuba gear purchases.
You most likely discovered to dive with a dive laptop, and in doing so additionally, you will have discovered the significance of each single diver having their very own. Our particular person dive profiles are by no means completely alike, so one laptop shared between buddies shouldn’t be sufficient.
Constantly checking your depth and remaining no-decompression limits will even provide you with a a lot better understanding of how these limits work, in addition to how they fluctuate throughout a dive. This can make you a safer and higher diver as time goes on.
Very similar to your masks, a pc can be a terrific piece of gear to journey with – you possibly can at all times be ready should you encounter an surprising dive location!
Buying a dive laptop doesn’t must be costly. There are lots of entry-level fashions that are practical and inexpensive, and even the extra wearable watch-style computer systems may be discovered at an inexpensive value. Listed below are a few favourites – these are appropriate for newbies however can develop by way of your diving with you.
$ – Mares Puck Professional
This super-simple dive laptop has every thing you want in a straightforward to grasp show. It’s on the bigger facet, however that’s splendid for while you’re attending to know issues and wish to see your dive particulars at a look! Chances are you’ll discover you develop out of the one-button navigation shortly, although.
Store Puck Professional from the US
Store Puck Professional+ from the UK
$$ – Suunto D4i Novo
The Suunto D4i Novo is a traditional dive laptop, and it’s effectively beloved for a purpose. Easy to make use of, simple to learn, and bonus – it is available in a bunch of colors and kinds!
Store D4i from the US
Store D4i from the UK
$$$ – Shearwater Peregrine
Shearwater’s Peregrine has shortly emerged as the very best dive laptop for newbies inside our Fb group. Our members love the intense show, and Shearwater can’t be rivalled for his or her buyer help. It’s user-friendly sufficient for brand new divers, however has the power to develop by way of a few years of scuba diving actions!
Store Peregrine from the US
Store Peregrine from the UK
3. Select your fins
Once you’re getting began in search of newbie scuba diving gear, it may be tempting to attempt to use issues you have already got. A number of us graduate from snorkelling to diving and have outdated fins laying round.
As a lot as we love to cut back consumption and reuse issues, snorkel fins received’t reduce it in terms of transferring you round underwater. The drag of your dive gear wants a little bit bit extra propulsion.
Fortunately, it’s comparatively simple to decide on a pair of scuba fins which is able to see you thru a few years of diving. For a pair of newbie scuba fins, we might suggest going for a easy model of open-heeled fin and a pair of shoes. This mix will cowl you for many dive circumstances, and doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution.
$ – Aqualung Storm
Aqualung’s Storm fins are extremely light-weight, making them splendid for journey and a terrific newbie alternative. They nonetheless supply a whole lot of energy resulting from their compact however sturdy form, so will develop with you as you develop your finning approach!
Store Storm from the US
Store Storm from the UK
$$ – FE Rec
Probably the most eco-friendly scuba diving fin available on the market, the Fourth Ingredient REC Fins are a part of their Ocean Constructive line. They’re constructed from recycled supplies, light-weight sufficient to journey with however environment friendly sufficient for use in chilly water with a drysuit. We’ve seen love for these from newbies and skilled divers alike!
Store REC from the US
Store REC from the UK
$$$ – Mares Quattro
Mares’s Quattros are a traditional for a purpose. The paddle model is nice while you’re first studying with a flutter kick, but additionally appropriate should you be taught to frog kick as you advance in your dive expertise. With 4 versatile channels and a cloth designed to ship optimum thrust with each kick, the Avanti Quattros are an ideal all-round fin.
Store Quattros from the US
Store Quattros from the UK
For boots, a 5mm pair of shoes will cowl you for almost all of dive circumstances. You received’t be too sizzling in heat water, however they’ll be toasty sufficient in barely cooler climes. On the subject of selecting dive boots, simply go for ones which suit you effectively and fit your price range.
After all, should you’re studying to scuba dive in a drysuit, this recommendation won’t be completely applicable for you. A “tech” model of fin which is heavier and negatively buoyant is perhaps higher, and it’s possible you’ll want totally different boots. If you happen to’re uncertain, seek the advice of your teacher for recommendation.
Do I want to purchase a wetsuit right away?
On condition that it’s clothes, and clothes that individuals are recognized to pee themselves in, a wetsuit may seem to be one of the vital apparent first buys. It’s additionally good to know you’re going to have a swimsuit which inserts effectively, relatively than coping with the chaotic (and generally disheartening) expertise of renting fits.
However, for the additional expense, the journey house, and excessive chance of getting to stuff it in your suitcase nonetheless moist on your flight dwelling, whether or not or not you want one early on will come down to private alternative.
Like BCDs, wetsuits are one of many objects the place kinds designed particularly for ladies make a giant distinction to consolation. Ideally we’d all have customized made wetsuits however that may be fairly expensive, so we’ve bought suggestions for the very best girls’s wetsuits!
When ought to I purchase my first BCD?
A BCD is a costlier piece of package. It’s a giant funding and one you’ll hopefully dive with for years to come back, so that you wish to get it proper. It is perhaps higher to attend some time earlier than you make investments.
Increasingly newbie divers are beginning their scuba purchases with tools which may develop with them. This may imply selecting a backplate and wing over the jacket model which you’re prone to have discovered in. Sounding like a unique language? Right here’s our recommendation on selecting between again inflate and jacket BCDs.
Shopping for a BCD additionally means you’ll have to take the time to service it and deal with it correctly. Servicing is a crucial a part of proudly owning dive gear. The time and expense of that must be accounted for, so bear that in thoughts while you’re budgeting for greater tools purchases.
Briefly, it’s clever to take a while to check out totally different leases and actually get to know what you need. Then you possibly can confidently make the leap into purchasing for a BCD!
When ought to I purchase my first regulators?
Very similar to purchasing for a BCD, regulators is perhaps one thing you wish to wait to get. That is one other huge tools buy, and one other huge servicing dedication. Get to know the model of regs which might give you the results you want first earlier than making a giant resolution!
Are you able to suggest a digicam for newbie divers?
If you happen to’re a newbie scuba diver, you’re higher off spending your money on a buoyancy course relatively than shopping for a digicam simply but. We all know this isn’t what you wish to hear, however spending extra money and time creating your expertise now will imply you’re extra snug and in a position to get higher footage while you purchase a digicam sooner or later.
When you’ve bought a little bit little bit of expertise, utilizing an underwater cellphone housing is usually a compromise to this. The familiarity of taking footage together with your smartphone means there’s a little bit bit much less task-loading with this feature when in comparison with studying a full new digicam system.
