Now that you have found passionate love for diving, you feel tempted to buy and own your own equipment. For a novice and freshly certified diver, buying gear is a big decision. How do yo know what to buy? Where do you get proper advice? What do I need to think of?
A proper diving set is of paramount importance for you and your fellow divers. Ideally, a suit fits you like a second skin, protects your skin fom sharp objects, eases swimming movements, helps you breathing comfortably under water and contributes to mastering buoyancy.
A complete set of diving equipment is not like buying a bottle of water. Let’s take a look at what you should consider before you go on an aquatic shopping spree.
There’s so much on offer in terms of brand, quality, accessories, price ranges etc, that you cannot tell trees from a forest. There’s an almost unlimited portfolio of regulators, BC’s, masks, snorkels, fins and diving computers.
It’s tempting to say the final choice is entirely up to you. Sometimes choices are irrational, motivated by a brand’s name or the attractive looks of specific models. Sometimes choices are rational, limited by physique. Your physical ‘ conditions’, height, weight, fat percentage and metabolism determine the effects on your body temperature to a considerable extent.
Yet, whatever your final choice, it isn’t unwise to take the next factors into consideration.
How’s your physique? Are you prone to cooling off quickly?
Where are you going to dive? Remember your choice of diving equipment is largely dictated by water temperature. Are you going tropical or arctic?
Are you going for longer dives? Your time underwater plays a signifant role in the right choice of gear.
Are you a mover or a floater? Floaters will benefit from suites with thicker fabric.
Noboby claims it’s goin to be easy to make the best choice. But hey, why not give it a calculated try by providing directives, helping making you the right decision. Let’s kick off in our series about the bare essentials for buying scuba gear.
