August 1st, 2019 | Kimo Kealoha | Discover the Deep

First 4 Pieces of Scuba Equipment You Need

If you're just getting started diving, then you're going to want to buy some scuba gear right away. However, scuba diving has been called a "rich man's hobby," and while that's not entirely true, its not entirely false either. Scuba diving in and of itself is not necessarily super expensive, but the travel associated with scuba diving can be, and the initial purchase for your scuba gear can definitely get a bit pricey.

But I've got good news for you—you don't have to buy everything all at once! Buy a little here and a little there and in time you'll have your entire setup. And the good news about scuba gear, unlike computer gear or other equipment, is that your scuba gear will last you a long time! In fact, if you don't dive super regularly (like only a couple of times per year), your scuba gear can literally last you a lifetime.

So below, I'm going to give you my suggestion of the scuba gear you should BUY FIRST, in order, and why I think you should buy it this way.

1. DIVE COMPUTER

Before anything else, buy a dive computer. First of all, the information on your dive computer is critical and necessary for every dive. Your dive computer will keep you safe, and may even keep you alive (in some worst case scenario). But most importantly, it keeps your dives logged for you, and allows you to maintain a history of your dives with all the associated data.

You don't want to start diving without knowing: how many dives you've got under your belt, how deep you have gone, how long you typically dive, and where you have been. Your dive computer keeps a record of all of this (except for dive location—but that's something you'd manually input in your dive records).

But the most important reason to have a dive computer is safety. It takes care of everything for you. It tells you how long you've been under the water, how long your dive has been, how deep you are, and most importantly—how much time you have left at your current depth before you go into DECO (before you have to start going back up slowly to ensure you don't get nitrogen narcosis).

And a computer is not something that most dive shops loan you or will rent to you. Yes, some of them have computers, but it is rare. So just buy one already!

Kimo's suggestions:
BEST VALUE: Oceanic Geo 2.0 ($229)
WHAT KIMO USES: Oceanic OCi ($1,149)

2. DIVE MASK

Nothing can ruin a dive like a crappy dive mask. If you can't see, what's the point of a dive? In short, if you want to have a great dive, you need to buy your own dive mask. And the good news is that they are inexpensive.

Also, your dive mask is something that is easy to carry with you. It doesn't take up to much space in your luggage.

But please remember to properly treat your dive mask as soon as you buy it so that you always have a crystal clear view under the water. Click here to learn how to have a fog-free dive mask all the time.

Kimo's suggestions:
WHAT KIMO USES: TUSA Tri-Quest ($79)

3. DIVING FINS

I can't tell you how important good diving fins are. And guess what? There is basically no diving company on earth who supplies its customers with high quality fins—NONE. All dive companies use the crappiest, cheapest fins on the planet. They're almost all rubber slipins (that cause blisters on your heels and ankles) with cheap plastic slabs as fins.

And here's the thing—good fins can be the difference between a terrible dive and a good dive. Or a good dive and a great dive!

I can't tell you how many times I've been the only one on a dive to swim with dolphins, capture giant mantas on film, or simply be the only one able to control myself properly in narrow spaces.

And it wasn't because I'm stronger or faster or more skillful. It was because I had good fins and everybody else had crappy rental fins.

So once you've got your computer and mask, get some fins. The bad news is that now you're talking about filling up space in your luggage. Fins are large, awkward, and heavy. But that's the life of a scuba diver, baby!

Kimo's Suggestions:
WHAT KIMO USES (most of the time): Atomic Split Fins ($209)
WHAT KIMO USES (on special dives): ScubaPro Jet Fins ($161)

4. REGULATOR

Now we're talking about more expensive stuff. But we're also talking about more important stuff. I mean, breathing underwater is what keeps you alive, so in terms of importance, I don't know if there is anything more important than your regulator. So don't go cheapo here.

You're probably gonna want to get one as soon as possible. I mean, think about it—when you rent a regulator, you are literally sucking on the same mouthpiece as God only knows how many other people in the last few days alone! It's pretty nasty to think about.

Plus, having a bad regulator can more than ruin your trip—it can scare you to death and even kill you! Okay, that's a little extreme, but I can tell you personally that I had a regulator one time on one of my first dive's in Hawaii that wouldn't clear, so I was sucking in water with every breath! How would you like that to happen to you? I had to take off and shoot to the surface (like a rocket) because I thought I was gonna die. Yup, I was young, and naive as a new diver, but hey—I thought I was gonna die. And it's all because of a crappy, defective loaner/rental regulator.

When it comes to regulators, get a good one. Don't mess around.

Kimo's Suggestions:
WHAT KIMO USES: Atomic B2 ($729)

So that pretty much sums up my suggestions for you as to what to get first! Once you've made these purchases, you can basically buy everything else afterwards in any order you want. But the first 4, most important items, are above.

If you want to know what other stuff you should consider buying next, here's some ideas for you:

Wetsuit - Kimo has a lot of different ones
BCD - Kimo has a few different ones but mostly uses the Scuba Pro Hydros
Boots & Gloves - some cheap and cool gloves are these Seavenger Gloves
Underwater Video Cameras - Kimo mostly uses the DJI Osmo Action and Go Pro Hero 10

Enjoy your shopping adventures, my peoples!