Scuba students often need to buy their own mask, snorkel, fins and boots. Don't buy any equipment until you decide on a course and find out if rentals are included in your fees. Then decide if you'd rather rent than buy. What you'll need to get depends on your course, but the equipment mentioned here is all you need for skin diving and snorkeling. These items aid you in seeing clearly underwater, enable you to breathe with your mouth and nose submerged, and empower you with greater movement underwater.
In buying a mask, it's important that the lens be made of tempered safety glass, because it won't splinter when broken. The mask strap should be easily adjustable and have locking buckles for quick changes if needed. We suggest a plastic strap split in back rather than the neoprene wide straps. Neoprene straps may slip during a dive. (Save yourself the $15 for the flashy strap and you'll save yourself mask-adjustment headaches underwater.) If you can put your hair in a ponytail, do it. The plastic skirt of your mask should form a comfortable seal with your face when you are underwater. The last thing you need is for your hair to get in the way when you are creating a seal with your mask. For some men, thick facial hair may also interfere (yet there are plenty of diver guys with mustaches and beards, so decide what's best for you).
People who wear glasses have several options, such as masks with built-in corrective lenses. You can wear contact lenses with a "regular" mask while diving as well (just close your eyes before clearing your mask if it fills up with water).
When buying any diving equipment, the most important consideration is comfort and fit. Make sure your mask is the right size and fits your face well.
Snorkels come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and with fancy gadgets. Things on top of the basic snorkel are bells and whistles, but they may add to the comfort and fit. Several snorkels come with purge valves near the mouthpiece. This valve was created so that water only travels one way: out of your snorkel. Therefore, you don't have to use as much energy clearing your snorkel, since the water will exit through the valve as well as the top.
Make sure the mouthpiece fits well and does not cut into the corners of your mouth. Typically, silicone mouthpieces will be the most flexible and comfortable, but will cost more. You get what you pay for.
Finally, don't use a fancy device to snap your snorkel onto your mask. Just get a cheap double-ring snorkel-keeper. This basic rubber-band-like device will keep your snorkel in place and reduce the chance of you losing it.
Your decision to dive in warm or cold waters will determine what kinds of fins you purchase. Full-foot fins are used in warm water, typically when you dive from a boat. When diving in cold water or from a rocky shore, use neoprene booties and open-heel fins that strap on--this type allows more of a customized fit. Fins occupy a broad price range and vary greatly in terms of materials, shape and size. In general, the longer the fin and the stiffer the blade, the more the fin empowers your kick. Furthermore, vented-blade fins are designed to increase power based on the flow of the water through the vents. Keep in mind, though, that you need the leg power to use these fins. Don't buy fins that require more strength to move them than you have to give. Comfort and fit should ultimately help you determine your purchase.
The rest of the equipment you will need includes a buoyancy compensation device (B.C.), a regulator, a console, a wet suit and air tanks. You'll learn in your certification course what all of these things do. They can get quite costly, so ask yourself if you are ready to purchase the equipment right away, or if you want to test things out first by renting. Renting affords you the lack of maintenance (there's no rinsing and caring for your equipment after diving), the opportunity to try out different brands and types of equipment and a lower cost. Conversely, there is a lack of variety in rental gear and you are forced sometimes to sacrifice comfort, fit and quality of equipment.
Start by renting the equipment. And if you like the sport, then consider making purchases. If you do eventually choose to buy all of your equipment, do so in this order: 1: Mask, snorkel, fins and booties 2: B.C. 3: Regulator 4: Consoles/gauges 5: Wet suit 6: Tanks
Research scuba gear before you dive into the investment by checking out all items on a site like Scubabooty (see Resources). Ask your teacher or fellow students to recommend products and where to buy them. There are many options beyond dive shops, including diving newsletters, chat rooms your local classifieds (for used equipment), scuba-equipment web sites, mail-order firms and water-sports stores. Check the return policies and make sure you are buying from a reputable company. And keep your receipt. If you end up hating scuba diving, you'll hate it even more when you go into your garage and see all of the equipment staring at you.
