How to Choose Dive Gear

If you are researching dive gear on the Internet make sure you get beyond the tech talk and understand what they are saying. For example one manufacturer says their regulator is designed for cold water and another manufacturer says theirs is designed for extreme cold water. Make sure you understand the difference.

If you are only going to be diving the warm clear waters of the Caribbean and going to be diving relatively shallow short dives almost any regulator that is reliable and easy to service will do. If you are going to be diving to the limits of recreational diving in the cold water of the Great Lakes you need and entirely different regulator.

For more information on regulators or other dive gear click on the links below for specific discussions.

If you are new to diving you will need at least the following dive gear: mask, fins, booties if you select open back fins, snorkel, buoyancy compensation device, regulator and exposure suit - skin, wet suit or dry suit as appropriate for the climate you will be diving in.

In warm water you will likely need a skin or thin 3mm wet suit. For the Great Lakes you will want a dry suit. Dive gear can be very specific to the local diving conditions.

Often it will be more cost effective to rent your gear or at least part of it at a LDC until you understand your needs better. Be very careful of buying used equipment particularly on the Internet or EBay. Used dive gear at great prices is often damaged, under maintained and or underperforming which is why the person is getting rid or it.