What features are importnat in chossing a diving mask/snorkel/fins/regulator etc?
I am going to be taking scuba diving lessons and dont know what to buy…what do i need to focus on in buy my mask/fins/snorkel/regulator/wetsuit etc. Keep in mind i know nothing about scuba diving yet so please be specific.
I was told not to trust the people in the stores because they may get you to buy things with useless gadgets that are too expensive. What would be considered useful features to look for?
If you’re taking a open water course through a shop, then I have some news. You’ve already decided that, that particular shop is trust worthy. You are , after all, trusting them to teach you properly at a cost that you’ve deemed reasonable. That same principle follows through with selecting and buying the gear.
Most shops include the use of environmental suit if needed, buoyancy compensator, tank and lead weight. Most will expect you to already own and use your own mask , snorkel and fins. This part of the kit should be your first buy. The rest can always be rented anywhere in the world after you’ve completed the course, so you don’t need to rush out and buy anything right away and can build your own kit up gradually as your finances allow. It’s a great way to be still diving and yet be able to purchase some top end gear when you’ve saved for it and not get strapped financially.
1/ The mask. It HAS to fit. You need to try it on. Not all masks are made the same and no human face is the same. Test them in the shop by holding the mask against your face, no strap, inhale through your nose a bit and drop your hands from the mask. If it stays on 15 seconds or more, it’s an ok fit. If it falls off before then, move to the next mask. Take all the ones that passed and choose your mask. Things to look for? A good quality strap and attachment points. Good visibility out of the mask, especially downwards ( it sucks to have to feel around on your BC to find items). Purge or no purge? Go with no purge. It adds cost to the mask, can get gummed up and you don’t need it as you’ll be taught how to clear the mask of water without one.
2/ Fins- Try on as many pairs as you can before you purchase. Everyone’s kick style is different. I can’t use the split fins at all. I get no place fast with them but a stiff fin like a Blade, no problem at all. Some of my pals are the opposite. Your local shop can give you guidance here and possibly lend you some demos to try in a pool.
3/ Snorkel- It has to clear easily, be comfortable and fit as close to you as possible to keep you stream lined. I disagree with the person that said avoid a curved snorkel. Most decent snorkels these days ARE curved to keep them closer to your head and make for a lower profile (streamlined). The less gear you have sticking out everywhere the better. Less chance of something getting caught and less energy needed to move yourself through the water column.
Later on, when you start buying your exposure protection (wet/ dry suit), BC and regs, you’ll have some diving under your belt and will have gotten to know a few other divers and watched how their gear performs, maybe even borrowed some to try out in "real world" conditions. You’ll have a better understanding on what type of gear you’ll need for the type of diving you plan primarily on doing. An example would be the regs. There’s no point spending the extra money on a set of environmentals that will never see cold water or a dry suit for the same reason. As for the BC, it’s your back pack and your method of buoyancy control. It HAS to fit and all it’s pockets , air dumps and D rings need to be easily reached. Jacket or back inflation style? Your choice, there are pros and cons for both. In a back inflation, you tend to tip face first on the surface but most people tend to be naturally in the proper swim position with no effort when under. The elastics on the air bladder sometimes need adjusting as well, to help the bladder expel air in a dump. Some back inflation BC’s have a capability of being used with a back plate and double tanks as well as an interchangable bladder if it’s aback inflation harness type. A jacket style floats you evenly, more or less, at the surface, but you might experience some roll when submerged, depending on your lead distribution. You also tend to feel squeezed a bit on the surface if it’s inflated quite a bit. This type is generally a little cheaper than a back inflation.
Both types offer integrated lead these days, which does away with wearing a weight belt but makes the BC heavier to move around just prior to your dive. This type also makes changing the amount of lead you take with you easy to do as you only need to open the lead pockets and take out a bag from each side or for that matter, adding lead if you dive dry. Easier than fumbling with keepers on a traditional lead belt and doesn’t hurt as much when you drop a weight on your toes.
Edit: It’s in your best interest to purchase gear from a place that you can inspect it and have it serviced when required.
In response to the answer below me. Buying online, though an attractive price solution, is NOT the place to buy gear that your life depends on. The old saying "you get what you pay for", holds true here. Additionally, lakes can be just as exciting as ocean diving, perhaps even more so if you are a wreck diver. I’ve never dived a 1870’s ocean ship wreck because there are none that still remotely resemble a ship. I have, however, dived many in the Great Lakes. Oceans claim ships quickly. Lake locations can actually help preserve them.
Just go to a store and talk to the owner. He/she will help you find the right equipment. Just buy something safe, you don’t need top-of-the-line stuff. Don’t most lesson places provide the equipment?
References :
If you’re going to take lessons, you ought to be provided with all the equipment you’ll need initially: speak to them before you go to check.
If you do need to buy gear, I’d go for a mask, fins and snorkel only. You might not like diving after you’ve tried it: I remember someone who went through all the pool training, gotinto the sea, and hated it and gave up.
If you go for mask, fins and snorkel, the points to look for are as follows. The mask should have tempered glass and have the nose enclosed by an area through which you can pinch your nose (for ear clearing when diving). The fins should be right for your feet, but it will depend whether you will be wearing boots (neoprene): if so, you’ll need adjustable straps on the fins, which should fit over the boots and be easily taken off. i’d go for straps which are well attached to the fins with a way of detaching the straps at the back of the foot (Aqualung make a good pair like that which I use). the snorkel should be comfortable in your mouth and should have an open top (no curve to try to prevent water entering the snorkel when submerged. The diameter of the tube should be suitable for your lung capacity. You need to be able to blow the water out of the snorkel when you surface, and the larger the diameter, the more water has to be blown out, but the smaller the diameter, the less air you’ll be able to inhale when it’s clear.
You can get advice from your scuba teacher as to further, more expensive equipment (stab jacket, regulator, wetsuit or drysuit needs, cylinders, etc) once you’re ready for further diving. Where you dive will have a bearing on what you actually need. Berar in mind that, if you plan diving holidays, major items of equipment will, or should if it’s a good place, be available. It can be expensive taking heavy gear onto planes!
References :
If you’re taking a open water course through a shop, then I have some news. You’ve already decided that, that particular shop is trust worthy. You are , after all, trusting them to teach you properly at a cost that you’ve deemed reasonable. That same principle follows through with selecting and buying the gear.
Most shops include the use of environmental suit if needed, buoyancy compensator, tank and lead weight. Most will expect you to already own and use your own mask , snorkel and fins. This part of the kit should be your first buy. The rest can always be rented anywhere in the world after you’ve completed the course, so you don’t need to rush out and buy anything right away and can build your own kit up gradually as your finances allow. It’s a great way to be still diving and yet be able to purchase some top end gear when you’ve saved for it and not get strapped financially.
1/ The mask. It HAS to fit. You need to try it on. Not all masks are made the same and no human face is the same. Test them in the shop by holding the mask against your face, no strap, inhale through your nose a bit and drop your hands from the mask. If it stays on 15 seconds or more, it’s an ok fit. If it falls off before then, move to the next mask. Take all the ones that passed and choose your mask. Things to look for? A good quality strap and attachment points. Good visibility out of the mask, especially downwards ( it sucks to have to feel around on your BC to find items). Purge or no purge? Go with no purge. It adds cost to the mask, can get gummed up and you don’t need it as you’ll be taught how to clear the mask of water without one.
2/ Fins- Try on as many pairs as you can before you purchase. Everyone’s kick style is different. I can’t use the split fins at all. I get no place fast with them but a stiff fin like a Blade, no problem at all. Some of my pals are the opposite. Your local shop can give you guidance here and possibly lend you some demos to try in a pool.
3/ Snorkel- It has to clear easily, be comfortable and fit as close to you as possible to keep you stream lined. I disagree with the person that said avoid a curved snorkel. Most decent snorkels these days ARE curved to keep them closer to your head and make for a lower profile (streamlined). The less gear you have sticking out everywhere the better. Less chance of something getting caught and less energy needed to move yourself through the water column.
Later on, when you start buying your exposure protection (wet/ dry suit), BC and regs, you’ll have some diving under your belt and will have gotten to know a few other divers and watched how their gear performs, maybe even borrowed some to try out in "real world" conditions. You’ll have a better understanding on what type of gear you’ll need for the type of diving you plan primarily on doing. An example would be the regs. There’s no point spending the extra money on a set of environmentals that will never see cold water or a dry suit for the same reason. As for the BC, it’s your back pack and your method of buoyancy control. It HAS to fit and all it’s pockets , air dumps and D rings need to be easily reached. Jacket or back inflation style? Your choice, there are pros and cons for both. In a back inflation, you tend to tip face first on the surface but most people tend to be naturally in the proper swim position with no effort when under. The elastics on the air bladder sometimes need adjusting as well, to help the bladder expel air in a dump. Some back inflation BC’s have a capability of being used with a back plate and double tanks as well as an interchangable bladder if it’s aback inflation harness type. A jacket style floats you evenly, more or less, at the surface, but you might experience some roll when submerged, depending on your lead distribution. You also tend to feel squeezed a bit on the surface if it’s inflated quite a bit. This type is generally a little cheaper than a back inflation.
Both types offer integrated lead these days, which does away with wearing a weight belt but makes the BC heavier to move around just prior to your dive. This type also makes changing the amount of lead you take with you easy to do as you only need to open the lead pockets and take out a bag from each side or for that matter, adding lead if you dive dry. Easier than fumbling with keepers on a traditional lead belt and doesn’t hurt as much when you drop a weight on your toes.
Edit: It’s in your best interest to purchase gear from a place that you can inspect it and have it serviced when required.
In response to the answer below me. Buying online, though an attractive price solution, is NOT the place to buy gear that your life depends on. The old saying "you get what you pay for", holds true here. Additionally, lakes can be just as exciting as ocean diving, perhaps even more so if you are a wreck diver. I’ve never dived a 1870’s ocean ship wreck because there are none that still remotely resemble a ship. I have, however, dived many in the Great Lakes. Oceans claim ships quickly. Lake locations can actually help preserve them.
References :
You’ve gotten a lot of great advice from the people answering in this forum. I won’t try to out-do them. I will say, however, that I’ve got the same hand-me-down BCD that my dad bought new in 1981, it was made by Dacor and it looks like crap (faded terribly) but it has never let me down. I’ve even gone so far as to name her the Bahama Mama because she’s seen so much time underwater in the Bahamas (not to mention the Caymans, Cozumel, Cancun, FL, NC, TX, CA, HI, and Okinawa, Japan). My point is my BCD has no bells and whistles, I use a basic regulator w/ octopus, I’ve never used a dive computer, and my mask, fins, and snorkel weren’t the expensive models – you don’t need all of that stuff. Try to find some used equipment (aside from your M/F/S) on Ebay or in a classified somewhere. Save your money and use it on more education. Don’t just stop with your open water cert., there are so many great things to learn beyond just open water diving. Even just stepping up to advanced or especially advanced plus (assuming you’re going w/ PADI) will open doors to new worlds.
Next point – if you’re going to start out in lakes, don’t get bored with it. Lake diving can be OK, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the ocean.
References :
Master Scuba Diver w/ 19yrs exp. (man I’m old)