“Scuba Accessories”

Every Diver knows the basic scuba dive gear and will at the barest minimum own their own mask, snorkel, fins wet suit, and bouncy compensator. But there is a wealth of dive gear and accessories that can make any divers underwater life a little easier. Here then is our list (in no particular order) of the ten “must have” pieces of dive gear or dive accessories.

1. A Dive Computer - Scuba diving computers eliminate the need for dive tables to calculate depth time and decompression needs. Dive computers are revolutionizing diving and have been one of the greatest innovations to diver safety since the invention of the aqualung. Dive computers can be no bigger than an ordinary dive watch.

2. A Gear Bag - If you are doing any kind of traveling with your gear, a scuba gear bag is absolutely essential. It is a small investment that helps you keep your all you expensive gear safe and secure while transporting.

3. A Dry Suit - Dry suits keep divers warm in a unique way. Unlike a wets suit as the name implies a Dry Suit uses air, not water trapped within the suit for insulation. Completely sealed, it allows you to wear clothes, even street clothes beneath it. A dry suit is a must have for any cold weather diving.

4. A Dive Knife - A dive knife is an indispensable diving tool. Read that “Tool” NOT weapon - a Dive Knife is not there to protect you from sharks or other denizens of the deep, but it can save your life if you become tangled up in netting or monofilament lines.

5. A Regulator - while many casual divers will rent regulators along with tanks, if you are going to do a significant amount of dives throughout the year it is best to own your own regulator, this way proper maintenance and functionality can be assured. With your regulator literally your lifeline underwater, this just makes good sense.

6. Under Water Camera - there was a time when a list such as this would recommend an underwater housing for your surface camera, but the cost of good underwater cameras both digital and traditional have come down so much in the last few years that anyone can get into underwater photography with a camera specifically made for it

7. Dive Watch - if you are not going the more sophisticated route of a wrist Dive Computer - a Dive Watch is absolutely necessary for monitoring bottom time, plus most of them look darn good on your wrist.

8. Booties, Mitts & Hood - if you are going to be doing any diving in cold waters, these are required. As on land, underwater you lose most of your body heat through your head and extremities.

9. Ties and Retractors - make it easier to carry additional dive gear like lights, cave reels, etc.

10. A “Multi-tool” - the next generation “Swiss Army Knife” - a must have for remote fixes and adjustments to dive gear, Leatherman (http://www.leatherman.com/) makes a great one, and there are others specifically made with the fittings and wrench sizes most common on dive gear.

43 Things Tags: Scuba Diving, Scuba Accessories

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