Buying Scuba Gear after the Course
How to Build Up a Good Kit of Scuba Equipment
Getting together suitable scuba equipment is an important activity after completing basic scuba training. Buying items in a certain sequence is useful.
There are two things you will need after finishing your basic scuba course: experience underwater and scuba equipment. The financial side of diving is an important consideration for most divers. It would be great to go out and buy a full set of new dive gear. Or what about a dive trip to the Red Sea; buy a 15-metre dive boat. Unfortunately diving is an expensive sport, but there are ways to ease the burden.
Buy Scuba Gear Gradually
Start with the basic snorkeling equipment, then a good wetsuit. Comfort during a dive is important. It’s no good having your teeth rattle on every dive, as this creates bad memories that will be hard to face when planning the next dive.
After comfort, life support – the regulator – should come next. It could be argued that this is the first priority. But there isn’t much sense in paying heaps of cash for a good regulator if you’re cold on every dive. Once you’ve got your regulator, look after it with your life. Have it serviced regularly by a qualified technician. A modern regulator is a complex piece of equipment that requires detailed knowledge, the right parts and service tools. Only technicians who have completed the manufacturer’s certification course should service a regulator.
Once comfort and life support are taken care of you can start buying the other equipment: a good buoyancy compensator; weight-belt; knife; dive watch; compass; dive computer; torch. The list goes on and on. Take a walk around your local dive shop; there are many little bits and pieces to help your diving.
Buying a Scuba Tank
A tank is one of those items that many new divers think is a necessity. However, it depends on the type of diving you intend doing. Dive package deals through dive shops, mostly provide tanks for each dive. A typical arrangement might be a two-dive day trip with lunch between dives. Two tanks are provided or a price reduction if a diver can supply one tank of their own.
You will have to decide if it is worth the bother, or let someone else worry about the tanks. It takes a lot of dive trips to cover the initial purchase price of a tank, as well as the regular testing and maintenance.
However, if arranging your own dive trips a tank is vital. As are all the hassles: regular tests, fills, and storage. Murphy’s Law dictates that the local filling station will be closed when you need a fill and are racing the tide.
Buying a tank secondhand is an uncertain business. Never part with your money until you have had the tank independently tested. There are many things that could be wrong. Dents get covered with filler, moisture could have entered the tank, and the valve may need repair or complete replacement.
Ask Others Divers
Getting all this gear together could take time. The diving budget has a lot of say in the matter. So too does how much diving you expect to do in the future. Take things slowly and add to your gear as you go. You will have a better idea of what you need as your diving career takes some specific format.
Talk with other divers and get their recommendation on dive gear. If you hear someone complain about a certain type of regulator, remember that when you make your own purchase. But keep an open mind, as their problem may be different from yours.
