| "Scuba Diving Gear Reviews and Advice For | | | | easy to retrieve dive information so you can |
| Beginners" | | | | log your dive.There are also Nitrox computers |
| | | | for sport divers and multiple gas computers |
| It can be an exciting or terrifying | | | | for tech divers. Get your dive instruments in |
| experience - buying your first scubadiving | | | | a console for easy reference. |
| gear. When you first walk into the Aladdin's | | | | |
| cave just groaning with the latest dive | | | | For regulators BCDs and instruments, check |
| technology, your question is likely to be | | | | the warrantee. If you intend to travel, it |
| "Where do I possibly start?" The answer is | | | | should be worldwide. Some offer lifetime |
| quite simple. Choose your dive centre very | | | | warrantees for parts. Beware buying product |
| carefully - then, if you enjoyed your | | | | over the Internet, as there may be no |
| scubadiving course, trust them to outfit you | | | | warrantee. In many countries, scuba dealers |
| with the best dive gear for your type of | | | | will not honour internet warrantees, as the |
| diving. | | | | product was not bought through a licenced |
| | | | dealer and ownership is hard to authenticate. |
| When you select your dive centre start by | | | | |
| establishing the credentials of it. | | | | You will want to stay warm and may only need |
| Generally, the more status the dive centre | | | | a shorty wetsuit in the tropics. As you move |
| has, the more it has been audited for quality | | | | further away from the equator, you might need |
| and customer service. If possible, choose a | | | | a full length 5mm or 7mm wetsuit or even a |
| PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre. | | | | drysuit. Try to buy the best you can afford |
| Failing that, try a PADI 5 Star Instructor | | | | as you will not enjoy even the most |
| Development Centre and so on down the retail | | | | spectacular dive if you are trying to stay |
| status list. Other training agencies have | | | | warm. Night diving is fantastic - only if you |
| similar ratings. Word of mouth is another | | | | are warm. Comfort and fit are critical. |
| very strong indicator as most people tell | | | | |
| others about a bad experience. | | | | When you select your dive mask try every one |
| | | | on display. Ssniff in hard and listen for air |
| After you have completed your course, unless | | | | leaks to ensure an exact fit. Additionally, |
| you are totally focused and do it beforehand, | | | | press the mask in over your nose and brow to |
| you will want to buy your our scubadiving | | | | ensure there is no contact. Some mask lenses |
| gear. There are literally thousands of | | | | can be changed for prescription lenses. If |
| different dive items on the market and each | | | | you wear glasses ask your scuba dealer which |
| scuba retailer offers a selective few brands. | | | | ones will take prescription lenses. Identify |
| Normally these equipment lines are | | | | the dive masks that fit then try those few |
| complementary so that the dive centre should | | | | again. When you get to the best two, choose |
| be able to satisfy novice or experienced | | | | the cheaper one. If your mask does not fit |
| recreational divers through to highly | | | | well, you will not enjoy your scuba diving. |
| experienced technical divers. If you are | | | | Resist the temptation to buy a cheap snorkel. |
| about to buy your own scuba gear take time to | | | | You need a good one so you can breathe on the |
| read our advice. | | | | surface face down. Accept the dive centre |
| | | | retailer's advice. |
| Probably the most critical dive equipment is | | | | |
| the regulator and buoyancy control device | | | | Fins are your propellers. Get fins that fit |
| BCD) combination. The regulator should be | | | | your feet properly, without placing pressure |
| selected on performance and reliability, that | | | | on your toes or the bridge of your foot. |
| is ease of breathing at the depths you intend | | | | Always wear your own dive booties when trying |
| to dive to. Do a careful price comparison if | | | | on fins. Split fin technology is |
| your budget is critical. Your scuba dive | | | | state-of-the-art now and worth every cent. |
| centre retailer will guide you here. | | | | Try for a soft or medium flex fin. If you |
| | | | want to be a technical diver, select firmer |
| A BCD must be comfortable but most | | | | split fins. Get spring straps if your |
| importantly it must be able to lift your face | | | | retailer has them. |
| clear of the water at the surface. The | | | | |
| inflator mechanism must be easy and fast to | | | | You will need weight unless you are |
| operate. Check the lift of a BCD before you | | | | negatively buoyant at the surface. When you |
| start loading the integrated weight system up | | | | purchase your BCD, consider one that allows |
| with lead weight. While it may lift you | | | | you to carry weight in the BCD weight pockets |
| wearing a wetsuit, it may be overloaded once | | | | rather than around your waist. Many women do |
| you take it off to pass it (with any | | | | get minor bruising on the hips through |
| integrated weight & cylinder) into the boat. | | | | wearing heavy weight belts. With a drysuit |
| Recreational BCDs are not designed for | | | | you will generally need more weight than you |
| technical diving and should not be used for | | | | would with a wetsuit. Contoured weights are |
| that purpose. | | | | preferable to slab weights. |
| | | | |
| You will need to consider your instruments as | | | | You are now set to have fantastic scubadiving |
| well. Whatever your financial position you | | | | adventures. Enjoy the freedom of gliding in |
| will need a submersible pressure gauge (SPG) | | | | the ocean current along coral encrusted |
| and compass. It may be cheaper to purchase a | | | | walls, through underwater canyons, exploring |
| dive computer rather than a depth gauge and | | | | timeless shipwrecks or absorbing the |
| timer / underwater watch. Dive computers show | | | | stillness and tranquillity of a freshwater |
| dive and surface interval details as well as | | | | lake. Wherever you are, you will enjoy your |
| guiding your ascent speed. Some give | | | | scuba diving if you are confidant that you |
| integrated information on nitrogen absorption | | | | have chosen your scubadiving gear wisely. |
| and gas consumption. With a computer it is | | | | |