Scuba Diving Computer – Scuba: As a Beginner Which Kit Should I Buy First?

Buy the best regulator you can possibly afford. Even if you can’t afford it, buy the best. This is the most crucial part of the kit, as you probably already know. Seibe Gorman used to make the best, but it is a long time since I dived. You can compromise on all other equipment perhaps with the exception of a ABLJ.

You definitely need a good mask, snorkel, and fins, but you should give some serious thought to what type of diving you’re going to do before you buy the rest of the gear. If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn’t have bought a regulator and BCD. The reason is that most of the places where I’ve been diving are accessible only by plane. With the new airline baggage restrictions, it would cost more to take my 50 pound gear bag on the plane than it would to rent the gear at the destination. Likewise, a dive knife isn’t practical to own if you’ll be flying to dive destinations. I gave up carrying mine years ago because it was too much of a hassle getting it through security even in my checked luggage.

If you still decide to buy your gear, the essentials are the regulator and BCD and you don’t want to skimp on them, especially the regulator. As someone already said, buy the best you can afford. Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine regularly publishes reviews of gear and it’s a good place to start comparing and narrowing down your choices.

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I should add that what further complicates things for me is that my BCD has an integrated inflator and alternate second stage. Until now that was great because it eliminates one hose and streamlines the rig, but now it’s a bit of a problem because if I take only my reg and leave my BCD at home, my reg may not be fully compatible with a rental BCD unless it has a compatible inflator/second stage. It might work, but I wouldn’t have an octopus for my buddy. As I recall, on the one occasion when I tried to use my BCD with a rented reg due to a missing o-ring on my computer, I couldn’t even hook up the inflator hose because the connector didn’t match, so I had to use a rental BCD too. I would think the reverse would also be true. That’s another thing to keep in mind when shopping for a regulator. An integrated air source may be more streamlined, but a conventional second stage is more universally compatible, so on longer trips you could take only your reg and computer and rent a BCD.

By the way, speaking of computers, I love my Oceanic Datamax Pro Plus. It’s a user-friendly computer with a very large, easy-to-read backlit display. The best computer in the world won’t do you much good if you can’t read it in less-than-perfect visibility.

I’m a diving instructor and am asked this very often.
My response would be the regulators every time. Buy a good set, I use the Apex ATX 200 which is superb. I’ve used Mares previously. If I could afford them I’d get the Poseidons (tho they aren’t the best looking regs out).
Another answerer suggests considering the diving you are going to do. This is important tho I’d still suggest the regs for 2 reasons:
1. They are your life support system
2. Even if you only ever dive abroad, rather than in the UK too, you can pack these without too much worry about excess baggage.
If you are diving here then you need to make sure the regs are cold water balanced (tho most tend to be robust in most conditions nowadays). This will allow you to use them all year if you want to.
In terms of other kit:
Maybe BCD next tho these can be hired easily.
Computer – the Gecko is an inexpensive entry level computer. The only draw back is you can’t interface your dive info to your PC whereas other more expensive models will allow this.
Suit – again easily hireable eg. at Stoney Cove only £10 for the day. These require some consideration as you need to decide again what diving you’re doing and when. Most people diving in the UK year round get a dry suit as temps drop to around 4 degrees C.
Additional kit will include a torch for the wreck and night diving which I can well recommended in and around the UK.

As for the knife, buy a cutter of some sort, or a small knife to be attached to a BCD pocket or hose – it’s all you’ll need, honestly.

Sorry to say that the answerer referring to Siebe Gorman and ABLJ’s (Adjustable Buoyancy Life Jackets) hasn’t dived for some time. I used a Buddy Arctic ABLJ some 23 years ago just as BCD’s (or Stab Jackets) were just being introduced.

Good luck with your choice. E-mail me if you have any other questions.

the best advice I can give is to buy a decent second hand kit from your dive centre. even better, you should do the dry suit course, this is the rolls royce of diving,,, Try that for a while and I’m sure you’ll love it. i’m also sure yo can pick up good deals with your dive centre… or you could ask your instructor. By the way, there are loads of good, reasonably priced computers on the market now, check your nearest outdoors store

When purchasing gear, don’t be afraid to do a little research by visiting the various manufacturer’s websites. Granted they will all tell you that their gear is the best but look at the various features and benefits that the equipment has to offer.
Make a list of the types of diving that you currently engage in and the types of diving that you might see yourself doing in the future.
Does the piece that you are looking at fulfill those needs.
Realize that no manufacturer can afford to make a bad regulator but you may find that some of the “bells and whistles” either more or less suitable for your needs.
Try to keep at least the regulator, occy and computer to one manufacturer as this makes the serviceability aspect so much easier. Having to take your main regulator to one dive store for its annual and your occy and computer to another can get tedious and expensive.

If your budget allows, see if there are package prices. Packages usually consist of a regulator, occy, BCD and gauges/computer and are generally cheaper in the long run than buying piece by piece.

At all costs, avoid buying used as any and all manufacturer warranties are for original owner only and are null and void when purchased second hand.

If buying online or in a physical “brick and mortar” dive store check the manufacturers’ websites to make sure that they are authorized to sell and service that gear. If they aren’t and you purchase from them then it is considered second hand.

Check the serviceabilty of the equipment. If you have a problem out of the country will you have a problem getting your equipment adjusted or fixed?

If you had to buy from scratch my advice on order of importance would be as follows:
1. Mask (give your girlfriend a kiss on getting the prescription as it is so much better seeing while diving than not), fins (boots if needed) and snorkel (you will be prepared for snorkeling and can rent if you dive)

2. Regulator (complete with occy and computer gauges) This portion is your life support and at this point you are prepared for scuba (both at home and abroad) and can still rent BCD and other gear as needed.

3. If bought separately then a BCD (tanks and other gear a can still be rented)

4. An equipment bag.

5. Dive tool i.e. knife or cutting tool

6. Exposure suit (suitable for the environment that you will be diving in the most i.e.cold or warm water) If most of your diving is cold water then get the cold water suit before getting a warm water suit.

7. Scuba cylinder(s) If the bulk of the diving you do is local.

8. Weights This is last on the list because until your exposure suit is broken in and you have dove with all of the above for awhile, the weight needed will fluctuate. Purchase weights if, again, the bulk of your diving is local.

I don’t think I missed anything but if you have questions on fitting gear check out the gear guides and videos on how to fit gear at the links below.