Diving Essentials part 1
The world of Diving is a great one, plenty to see and discover, and lots of questions. As a new diver what gear should you start with, and what should you expect as you progress in diving. So i am going to discuss the topic of Gear and expectations for both the recreational and advanced or tech Diver. This will be a series as there is a lot to cover for options and prices. So to start i will begin with well beginners aka open water divers.
Open Water Scuba divers have often asked about gear options and what is actually required as a scuba diver. I usually answer this question with a few myself as dive gear is not cheap and tough to navigate what is the best option. Full disclosure all Divers are biased in companies and options, that said i will try to do my best with the gear experience i have and options I have personally used.
Question 1 what type of diver do you plan to be, this is a bit tough but based on price whiling to spend and how often you plan to dive; as well as if you plan to advance past open water scuba to advanced or further with added specialties.
Answer 1 My go to advice then follows the simple option start with your emergency/ life requirements first (regulator set up, dive computer, mask and snorkel, and finally fins in that order.
I will discuss my favorite options for all gear, but want to start with a basic option as rental gear can be nice depending on your charter/ dive shops options. Rental gear is set by your company and for any reputable company or charter will be well maintained and regularly serviced per the manufacture requirements, however even the best company can not supply the best options for everyone as every diver has a personal preference.
Mask and snorkel set first i always start my class by saying you should find a mask snorkel and fin set that are comfortable for you the diver. I say this as even if you don’t plan on regular or if you plan to grow all the way through in diving this is a good start. The snorkel set is key as this allows a simple set for traveling or just regular beach fun and in my experience rental snorkel sets are often the most neglected items and usually the lowest quality basic set at any dive center, charter or resort i have been to. Additional the rental set is usually a good all around option but may not fit you as comfortable as an option specific to you. My pensioner advice is don’t go cheap with your mask, but you may not need the $100 plus option either take your time and try on several options. My personal favorite mask and a great option is the Apeks VX1, followed by its cheaper twin the Aqua lung Plasma. The additional options I have enjoyed are the Dive rite mask to my knowledge there is only one option from this company but its a good one. The final options I would recommend is the sea diver ocean cat, and scuba pro flux mask. That said there are an endless amount of mask options so take your time and find what fits your face comfortably. The snorkel is a little less important but has no shortage of options I personally prefer a old school foldable j style snorkel, but this is not the best option for all divers based on comfortability as it does flood if not carful. My go to choice is the aqualung or scuba pro semi dry snorkel as this helps to avoid snorkel flooding and is simple in design. Finally Fins this is the hardest part and can also be easily rented for ease of travel but there are again an endless amount of options. I prefer a stif Apeks RK3 HD fin or scuba pro Jet fin. I have also loved my aqua lung phaser fin for ease of use for almost all type of divers.
Regulator second- I recommend you not go cheap but you have middle grade options that are exceptional choices. I have used a large amount of regulators during my diving career and my all time favorites are the Apeks MTX-RC ( my personal and favorite regulator of all time), Apeks XL4, Apeks XTX-50, Scuba pro 620-TI, Aqualung Legend, and the dive rite advanced open water set (this is the only option that comes as a complete set with acto and gauge for under $800 as a set). I would highly recommend the Apeks Egress or aqualung ABC for actors as they are simple, compact, and easy to pass of in the case of an out of air emergency. I would also recommend that you match your regulator company of choice to your acto of choice for ease of servicing requirements, that said i personally have not found a as simple octo as the egress or abc options from any other company that i have enjoyed as much. The current rise in use and availability of my least favorite octo/ low pressure inflation combo should at all cost be avoided these are commonly called Air-2 these in my opinion are an accident waiting to happen. When i started diving i did use a scuba-pro Air-2 as I wanted to stay compact and minimalist in my dive set up, but quickly discovered in an emergency this is not a good option.
To recap for the snorkel set and Dive regulator first option I have made several options and my personal recommendations to be taken as reference. I will continue talking about options as a whole for the entire Diver set up. And who i would recommend each option in all categories.
I will address the Dive computer, BCD, and accessories in the next blog so stay tuned and remember Dive Safe dive often and enjoy.
