Many would-be students of scuba diving lessons are taken aback by the cost of diving equipment and usually dismiss the idea of learning how to dive altogether. However, if you're bent on conquering the so-called "last frontier," or the underwater world, you only need to use your smarts in purchasing scuba diving equipment.
The standard scuba diving equipment are a mask and snorkel combo, a diving suit, fins, weights, an air tank, a buoyancy control device (BCD), and a regulator. There are also other supplies, such as gloves and a scuba computer, which can enhance your diving experience but are not necessities when you're only starting.
The equipment that diving schools would require you to have on your own are a mask combo, boots, and fins. A mask combo costs $40 - $60, but you can do without a snorkel if you're a good swimmer to start with. Boots ($10 - $90) should have the right fit. Fins, depending on the brand and model, cost anywhere from $40 to $100.
A diving suit can either be a wetsuit or a dry suit. Wetsuits are used for tropical climes while dry suits are for cold-weather places. Beginners only need to have wetsuits, which can cost between $50 to upwards of $200. If you can't afford to buy a wetsuit just yet, you can always rent one.
The downside, however, is that these suits are only rinsed after use and it's possible to develop a bad skin condition because of this. However, it's also not advisable to buy a wetsuit at bargain-basement prices because you'll be using it for a long time so the fit and the make should be just right. With these in mind, you'll be able to determine which equipment to prioritize.
Gloves can be necessary if you're a beginner, as you can easily get scratches from sharp corals which you may accidentally lean on or on which you might latch on during a strong current. They're very reasonably priced at around $20-$50.
BCDs and regulators can easily be rented from dive shops, but eventually, you'll want to have your own as the shops may run out of BCDs in your size especially during peak seasons. It can be awfully uncomfortable to dive wearing a BCD that's shaking loose or one that's too snug that you can hardly move in it.
You can get by with one that costs $200 or go all the way with a top-of-the-line model ($1,100 and up) that comes with a second stage regulator. Seaparate regulators can set you back $200 - $800 and up, but can be worth your investment if it has all the features you need to make your dive safe and hassle-free.
Weights and tanks are extremely heavy and may be impractical to bring along with you especially if you travel on long hauls to the dive sites. Other accessories you might want to invest in if your budget allows it, are a knife, a torch (particularly for night diving), and a dry box to keep your valuables from getting wet .
Once you become a frequent diver, you'll start looking at diving equipment that could make your adventures more enjoyable. A scuba computer ($350 - $1000+) takes away the drudgery of planning your dives with a dive table. You can also store dive-related information on it and transfer it later to your computer's hard drive.
Some dive computers also have useful features such as safety stop countdown timers, alarms, and ascent rate indicators.
It's important to buy your equipment only from authorized dealers in order to avail of warranties. You can't possibly dive with a defective product as it may put your underwater safety at risk. In addition, see to it that everything is soaked in clean water after a dive because failing to do so would produce a harmful buildup on the gear.
Lastly, to keep your scuba equipment in good condition, dive regularly if conditions permit you to do so. Plastic, when stored for long periods, can become brittle and unusable.
