Scuba Diving Gear

Scuba diving gear is necessary for any scuba trip you may have planned. Equipment ranges from beginners to advanced. Your basic equipment will consist of; a mask, fins, snorkel and weight belt. You can add to your equipment, as you get more expert. Here are some basic points you should be aware of.

Your mask will be your first piece of scuba diving gear to consider. You can see underwater through the glass plate. Your mask should form a seal and fit snugly, a rubber or silicone “skirt” on the mask helps form a seal with your face. To prevent “squeeze” due to air pressure when descending you should be able to easily breathe out into your mask.

3 common examples of masks used in scuba diving gear are:

• Prescription masks- for use by those who wear glasses
• Diving helmets
• Full face- this allows you to communicate underwater

Your fins are an important part of your scuba diving gear as they allow you more freedom and added speed in the water. They should not be too loose or too tight and fit you well, this is most important for your safety. Your snorkel helps you breathe without raising your head above water. Ideally it should be no less than 30cm in length. If you’re wearing a wet suit then a weight belt is recommended to help you maintain your buoyancy. Wet suits and dry suits are used for extreme water temperatures, these will keep you warm in very cold seas. This is again very important for your safety as hyperthermia can creep up on you before you are aware of it.

As you become more advanced you can add a scuba set to your gear. These are used for deeper diving. Closed circuit or open circuit sets can be used. The open circuit set is more commonly used. They have 1-3 cylinders that are usually carried on the back. They work with a simple mechanism, you breathe out waste and use the air supply from the cylinder. The most popular type of air is standard (21% oxygen, 79% Nitrogen) and is much cheaper than the other mixtures.

Scuba Diving Gear Rebreathers

The closed circuit set is used for longer underwater exposure. This type of scuba diving gear is also known as rebreathers. The system allows you to rebreathe the same air by reprocessing exhaled air. 3 types of rebreather sets are available:

1. Fully closed circuit
2. Oxygen
3. Semi closed circuit

You can also add these useful accessories to your scuba gear:

• A surface marker-buoy (SMB)
•  A knife
• A compass
• Regulator
• Buoyancy Compensator (BC)
• Dive watch-used for time
• Depth gauge
• Underwater light

As you become more involved and skillful in this exciting sport you can add to your scuba diving gear.  This is a wonderful sport that will open new doors to knowledge as you explore the mysterious world of water.