| It can be an exciting or terrifying experience - buying | | | | worldwide. Some offer lifetime warrantees for parts. |
| your first scubadiving gear. When you first walk into | | | | Beware buying product over the Internet, as there |
| the Aladdin's cave just groaning with the latest dive | | | | may be no warrantee. In many countries, scuba |
| technology, your question is likely to be "Where do I | | | | dealers will not honour internet warrantees, as the |
| possibly start?" The answer is quite simple. Choose | | | | product was not bought through a licenced dealer and |
| your dive centre very carefully - then, if you enjoyed | | | | ownership is hard to authenticate. You will want to |
| your scubadiving course, trust them to outfit you with | | | | stay warm and may only need a shorty wetsuit in the |
| the best dive gear for your type of diving. When you | | | | tropics. As you move further away from the equator, |
| select your dive centre start by establishing the | | | | you might need a full length 5mm or 7mm wetsuit or |
| credentials of it. Generally, the more status the dive | | | | even a drysuit. Try to buy the best you can afford as |
| centre has, the more it has been audited for quality | | | | you will not enjoy even the most spectacular dive if |
| and customer service. If possible, choose a PADI 5 | | | | you are trying to stay warm. Night diving is fantastic - |
| Star Career Development Centre. Failing that, try a | | | | only if you are warm. Comfort and fit are critical. |
| PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre and so on | | | | When you select your dive mask try every one on |
| down the retail status list. Other training agencies have | | | | display. Ssniff in hard and listen for air leaks to ensure |
| similar ratings. Word of mouth is another very strong | | | | an exact fit. Additionally, press the mask in over your |
| indicator as most people tell others about a bad | | | | nose and brow to ensure there is no contact. Some |
| experience. After you have completed your course, | | | | mask lenses can be changed for prescription lenses. If |
| unless you are totally focused and do it beforehand, | | | | you wear glasses ask your scuba dealer which ones |
| you will want to buy your our scubadiving gear. There | | | | will take prescription lenses. Identify the dive masks |
| are literally thousands of different dive items on the | | | | that fit then try those few again. When you get to the |
| market and each scuba retailer offers a selective few | | | | best two, choose the cheaper one. If your mask does |
| brands. Normally these equipment lines are | | | | not fit well, you will not enjoy your scuba diving. Resist |
| complementary so that the dive centre should be able | | | | the temptation to buy a cheap snorkel. You need a |
| to satisfy novice or experienced recreational divers | | | | good one so you can breathe on the surface face |
| through to highly experienced technical divers. If you | | | | down. Accept the dive centre retailer's advice. Fins are |
| are about to buy your own scuba gear take time to | | | | your propellers. Get fins that fit your feet properly, |
| read our advice. Probably the most critical dive | | | | without placing pressure on your toes or the bridge of |
| equipment is the regulator and buoyancy control | | | | your foot. Always wear your own dive booties when |
| device BCD combination. The regulator should be | | | | trying on fins. Split fin technology is state-of-the-art |
| selected on performance and reliability, that is ease of | | | | now and worth every cent. Try for a soft or medium |
| breathing at the depths you intend to dive to. Do a | | | | flex fin. If you want to be a technical diver, select |
| careful price comparison if your budget is critical. Your | | | | firmer split fins. Get spring straps if your retailer has |
| scuba dive centre retailer will guide you here. A BCD | | | | them. You will need weight unless you are negatively |
| must be comfortable but most importantly it must be | | | | buoyant at the surface. When you purchase your |
| able to lift your face clear of the water at the surface. | | | | BCD, consider one that allows you to carry weight in |
| The inflator mechanism must be easy and fast to | | | | the BCD weight pockets rather than around your |
| operate. Check the lift of a BCD before you start | | | | waist. Many women do get minor bruising on the hips |
| loading the integrated weight system up with lead | | | | through wearing heavy weight belts. With a drysuit you |
| weight. While it may lift you wearing a wetsuit, it may | | | | will generally need more weight than you would with a |
| be overloaded once you take it off to pass it (with any | | | | wetsuit. Contoured weights are preferable to slab |
| integrated weight & cylinder) into the boat. Recreational | | | | weights. You are now set to have fantastic |
| BCDs are not designed for technical diving and should | | | | scubadiving adventures. Enjoy the freedom of gliding in |
| not be used for that purpose. You will need to | | | | the ocean current along coral encrusted walls, through |
| consider your instruments as well. Whatever your | | | | underwater canyons, exploring timeless shipwrecks or |
| financial position you will need a submersible pressure | | | | absorbing the stillness and tranquillity of a freshwater |
| gauge (SPG) and compass. It may be cheaper to | | | | lake. Wherever you are, you will enjoy your scuba |
| purchase a dive computer rather than a depth gauge | | | | diving if you are confidant that you have chosen your |
| and timer / underwater watch. Dive computers show | | | | scubadiving gear wisely. |
| dive and surface interval details as well as guiding your | | | | Tony Howell is the owner/manager of New Zealand |
| ascent speed. Some give integrated information on | | | | Sea Adventures, Wellington's only PADI Career |
| nitrogen absorption and gas consumption. With a | | | | Development Centre. Tony's qualifications include: PADI |
| computer it is easy to retrieve dive information so you | | | | Course Director, PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer in |
| can log your dive.There are also Nitrox computers for | | | | over 25 specialtys, TDI Instructor Trainer (IT), First Aid |
| sport divers and multiple gas computers for tech | | | | & CPR IT, Coastguard Tutor/Examiner and Service |
| divers. Get your dive instruments in a console for easy | | | | Technician IT. Tony has helped hundreds of people to |
| reference. For regulators BCDs and instruments, check | | | | choose the best scuba diving gear to give them the |
| the warrantee. If you intend to travel, it should be | | | | most enjoyable and safe diving experience. |