Many experienced divers categorically prefer to use their own gear. They feel that it is safer because they personally maintain their gear and have it checked out on a regular basis. Personal gear also fits correctly, and can be customized to the diver's preferences.
While most dive shops are safety conscious and painstaking about gear maintenance, rental gear gets a lot of use. Also, spare parts can be hard to come by (and expensive) on tropical islands in developing countries. SCUBA equipment is life support equipment; it's not surprising that avid divers prefer taking responsibility for their own.
That said, traveling with a full complement of SCUBA gear is a major hassle, especially if a dive destination requires several puddle-jumper flights on ever smaller planes. For newly certified divers and those who only dive once a year, it's hard to justify the cost of a full kit of SCUBA gear, which can run upward of $2000 for just the basics.
It's not an all-or-nothing choice. Divers can buy gradually, starting with smaller, personal items, and working their way up to more expensive (also heavier and cumbersome gear). Plus, renting can give new divers an idea about which gear they prefer.
Buy Personal SCUBA and Snorkel Gear First
- Mask, Snorkel, and Fins can be used for snorkeling as well as diving, and buying them means not suffering with leaky masks and snorkels that have been in someone else's mouth. This gear can fit easily into luggage - even into carry-on.
- Wet suits are not always necessary in warm waters (above 85 degrees Fahrenheit or so), but many divers find that they start chilling easily after a number of dives. Wet suits also protect skin from corals and jellyfish. Buy a wet suit appropriate for the temperatures you most often plan to be diving in.
- Diving skins are Lycra body-suits that protect skin from marine life and sun, and are a wet-suit alternative in warm water.
- Dive computers track bottom time, dive profiles, nitrogen absorption, and surface intervals, making divers self-reliant about these important safety issues. It also keeps a permanent record of dives. Dive computers are not widely available for rent, requiring divers without them to rely on dive tables or the dive master's computer.
When to Buy a Regulator and Buoyancy Control Device and Gauges
- The basic octopus and BC set-up is available at dive shops for rent, but divers can be particular about the fit and feel of a regulator (for good reason), Those who dive on a regular basis will probably want to have their own equipment, especially for longer trips and more challenging dives.
SCUBA Diving Accessories
- Night lights (for night diving), underwater cameras, underwater slates and markers for communication, dive knives, and other accessories can be purchased on an as-needed basis. Underwater lights are good choice for those who enjoy night, cave, or wreck diving, as lights seem to be in constant short supply at dive operators. A camera (even a basic point and shoots) provides wonderful souvenirs.
Tanks and Weights for SCUBA: the Heavy Gear Comes Last
- Only buy tanks and weights if local diving is an option. There's no need to haul tanks and weights around the world. And with current airline luggage policies, it would cost a fortune. Tanks and weights are easily rented, although divers used to an integrated weight system will probably have to put up with traditional lead waist-belt weights. Still, it beats hauling weights on and off of planes.
Bottom line: Divers don't have to buy all their gear at once, and while they are renting, they can check out various makes, models, and styles.
Karen Berger - Karen Berger is the author of 15 books. Please click on her name to read her full bio.
