Colour Coordination

[NudeDiver]

OK.....I've read a few comments here and there on this board, casting disparaging remarks on divers with "colour coordinated" SCUBA gear. The presumption seems to be that if your gear matches, then you must either be a noob, or you must not be much of a diver, so you may as well be a noob. Either way, if your gear matches, there are those who, knowing nothing else about you, will think, "Ha!! Here's a guy for me to look down upon." Nevermind the fact that this stuff only comes in so many colours anyway - blue, blue, yellow, pink, green - maybe some red and once in a while some purple - and much of the time, a particular model of something may only come in one colour - and what's the big deal if your mask colour matches your snorkel, or wetsuit, or rash on your inner thigh anyway? So what gives??

 

[diver 85]

For one thing, it means you're not color deficient..........maybe some here need a x-chrome lens......

 

[spectrum]

It makes no difference and I wouldn't give credence to anyone who did care about my color coordination.

Personally I accessorize with yellow whenever possible for the functional benefit of good visibility

Pete

 

[SteveC]

Real divers wear black

 

[jeckyll]

I don't know why people care. But if someone has everything nicely coordinated to the point where the hole thing smacks of effort ... well then maybe they aren't really focused on the right thing.

Just like the people who have umpteen gadgets hanging off them ... perhaps not focused on the right thing.

Plus, SB is all internet diving anyways. Results in Real Life may vary

 

[NudeDiver]

Just because one might put out effort, doesn't mean it's their focus

This is esp. true when considering the amount of "effort" required. Buying a couple items of the same colour or whatever isn't exactly rocket science

 

[miketrance84]

I check out peoples gear to see why people dive with certain things and such. I personally dont care if people match or wear completely different things. I am more concerned with the guy silting up the bottom right in front of me when I'm trying to take a picture. I dont think what kind of gear you have matters.
If you have a passion for the sport and truly try to improve with every dive you do, then great. If your more concerned with matching gear, both on yourself AND other divers, you should prob focus more on your actual dive.

 

[TSandM]

When I bought my first dry suit, I was amazed that the shop owner sent me into the back room to look at myself in the mirror. I couldn't imagine why anyone would care what they looked like in a dry suit, as long as it fit and was DRY. But it was clear that the shop owner knew that some new divers want to look sharp in their gear.

If that's how you purchase stuff -- buying your BC, fins and mask because they're all pink -- then you're just communicating to the rest of us that you are either very new, or focused on the wrong things.

All of that said, I adore my bright orange doubles wing, and have made efforts to coordinate other gear with it, because I think it's cool. I'd never buy something (or not buy something) because of the color scheme, but if I have a choice between equally attractive items in different colors, the one with the RIGHT color wins.

 

[aascubagirl]

I'd never buy something (or not buy something) because of the color scheme, but if I have a choice between equally attractive items in different colors, the one with the RIGHT color wins.

Hear hear! I don't spend any real effort trying to coordinate my gear but hey, there's no harm in having gear that matches if it is the type of gear you really want and is what is going to work best for you. As an instructor who dives ALL the time, I don't think that makes me a "noob" but maybe I am a dork!

BTW, when I first started diving, I wanted all black gear b/c I thought that was cool. After all, who wants to look like a fluorescent lime duck? But once I got into the water, I learned the expensive way that wearing all black gear just made me harder to see/find in the water. At least a little bit of color is good and will be very helpful to your dive buddies when diving in poor vis.

 

[Teamcasa]

There are those that focus on color first and will refuse to buy something unless it comes in their favorite color.

Color is irrelevant, buy the gear you believe will support your diving style and environment. Ignore the people who demand any one particular color.