You’ve passed your initial qualifications, you’ve had a few dives and it’s time to buy your first piece of kit! Much as you’d like to go out and splash several thousands dollars, Euros or Pounds on a complete set of dive gear, you can’t afford to, so you’re going to gradually build up your own kit. Where do you start, assuming you already have your log book?

Dive Computer
Now I know this is going to be controversial, but my view is that a computer should be the very first thing you buy. I would not dive without a computer any more, and I think it’s an essential piece of kit, and one you should get used to using early on. Hiring them from a dive school is better than nothing, but having your own computer, with a record of your recent dives is much, much better.

Mask, snorkel, fins and boots
These are all “comfort” items and you should get them as soon as possible. A comfortable diver is always a safer diver, and you’ll enjoy your diving so much more with a mask that doesn’t leak and fins that don’t rub anywhere.

Wetsuit / Drysuit
The same applies in that your suit is a comfort item. It’s wonderful to don your own, after stepping into soggy, baggy, dive school items!

BCD and Weight Belt
Your first BCD should come next. By the time you buy this, you should have sorted your buoyancy sufficiently to cope with a new BCD.

Regulator Set
I would suggest leaving regs until you’ve been diving for some time, In addition to being expensive, you’ll find with different hire regs that there’s quite a difference in design – by the time you’re ready to buy yours, you should have a clear idea of which will be right for you.

These are the essentials, and with the items above, you should be able to dive whenever you want, assuming you can hire a cylinder.

Other things you will want over time include gloves, a hood, a dive knife, a surface marker buoy and perhaps a camera.

We’ll cover each item in some detail, giving you advice on how to choose them, over the next few weeks, so check back often! If you haven’t already done so, please register on the site for our newsletter.