Gear needed for AOW?

[chepar]

Quick question:

I am thinking about taking my AOW soon - sooner rather than later depends on the total cost of what additional gear I will need for the course. I know the cost for the course at my LDS includes books, weights and tanks. I have my BC, reg, etc.

I know I have to get a light (night dive) and compass (navigation).

I have heard that I will need to also get some sort of cutting device (knife). I haven't really thought about purchasing a knife - I was leaning more towards Sea Snips instead. Will the Sea Snips satisfy the cutting device requirement?

I did not know, but read on another thread that I will need to get a slate.

Is there anything else I will need that the course requires?

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by chepar
I have my BC, reg, etc.
[...]
I know I have to get a light (night dive) and compass (navigation).

The best thing to do is check with your LDS. Here is the requirements from where I took my AOW course:

Required Equipment and Materials: Students are responsible for providing a complete SCUBA equipment package including mask, fins, snorkel, boots, appropriate exposure protection, (students wishing to use dry suits must show proof of dry suit certification or they may elect to use Northeast Scuba's dry suit option for the course), hood, mitts or gloves, BCD with LPI , regulator with octopus or alternate air source (not a "Spare air"), SPG, depth gauge, timer or watch, compass, weight system, two tanks, knife, whistle, RDP and log book. Note: some of the very basic equipment items may be available for rental, however items such as masks, fins, snorkels, timers, knives, and whistles must be purchased. A pony bottle and separate reg are required for the deep dive and can be rented for $10.00.

I have heard that I will need to also get some sort of cutting device (knife). I haven't really thought about purchasing a knife - I was leaning more towards Sea Snips instead. Will the Sea Snips satisfy the cutting device requirement?

Most likely yes, however you may want to consider both. I have snips on my BC on my left, and a knife on the inside of my right leg. Most likely I'll be moving my snips to my right side [as I'm left handed] and will be getting a second knife for my left side [possibly attached to my thigh pocket].

 

[JDostal]

I'll be doing my PADI AOW dives this weekend as well.

As long as you have your own basic gear (BC, Reg, SPG/Computer, Wet/Dry Suit, booties, fins, gloves, hood, mask, weights) you have pretty much everything you really need. I don't really know what you would need a dive knive for, unless you were going to be practicing something that you really needed one for. If you are doing search and recovery, they should provide you with the lift bags and ropes that you will use. For peak buoyancy, I know my LDS provides all the hula hoops to swim through. I suppose you could get a dive light for a night dive (if you're doing one...I am) but you could just as easily rent that if you don't plan on doing night dives after your AOW certification.

Of course, the best thing to do would be to ask your LDS.

 

[MikeFerrara]

A cutting device is required equipment for the PADI AOW course and, for that matter, for all courses after OW. The sea snips do, per standards meet the requirements.

 

[JDostal]

I was not aware that a cutting device was required...hrm. Thanks for the tip =)

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by Omicron
I suppose you could get a dive light for a night dive (if you're doing one...I am) but you could just as easily rent that if you don't plan on doing night dives after your AOW certification.

You should have two [BTW]. I would recommend getting yourself a decent light even if you don't plan on night diving. Lights work wonders for looking in, around, under things, as well as putting the natural color back when your deep. And last, but definately not least, they are extremely helpful for signalling your buddy in low vis situations... [An example: Yesterday my buddy and I were searching for some of his lobster traps. I kept a reference point on the wreck [15 ft vis] while he kept a reference point on me [so with 15 ft vis we were able to cover 45 ft]. We kept our lights shining at each other to both aid in keeping reference, and also to easily communicate between each other.

Read some of Uncle Pug's comments about the communication he and Shane maintain with their lights... You'll quickly realize the usefulness.

As far as cutting devices go, I consider a knife as essential as a mask. Sure, you can dive without one, but you really don't want to. Fish == Good Dive Spots == fisherman == monofiliment line. Now imagine the feeling as you watch your buddy drown because he's gotten himself tangled up and neither of you have a knife.

I was in an LDS when a student was complaining about being required to carry a knife on their OW dives... She bought one.

 

[MgicTwnger]

I did my PADI AOW in June and needed (beyond my basic gear) a cave/wreck reel: wreck dive, compass: navigation dive, light: night dive, and dry suit: dry suit dive. A knife was never mentioned or required.

 

[JDostal]

Yes, I agree with you on the usefulness of a dive light even when diving in daylight. I used mine a lot this weekend while diving on some shipwrecks in Lake Superior. I haven't had a use for my dive knife yet, but better safe than sorry.

I wasn't so much advocating diving without the equipment, I was just saying you wouldn't absolutely *need* to buy one if you really didn't want to.

 

[KC_Scubabunny]

My AOW required the following "additional" items:

Slate (for underwater naturalist and navigation)

2 Dive lights (for deep and night dives)

Safety sausage (for boat dive)

Whistle (for boat dive)

The instructor provided rope and lift bag for search and recovery

Compass and cutting tool (sea snips) were required for my OW and I still had them but they were not additional.

There are so many optional dives for AOW that I agree with others who have said to check with your LDS or better yet the instructor who will be doing your check out dives. I am sure not every instructor who does AOW does it the same way. I know my friend recently did AOW through the same shop I did and Underwater Photography has replaced underwater naturalist on the "standard" list.

KC_Scubabunny

 

[Zept]

You may get a slate with the 'Adventures in Diving' handbook -- my buddy and I did. It has spaces to record all the stuff you'll need to write down during the nav and deep dives (compulsory) and the multilevel dive (optional). It isn't much use for anything else because there's hardly any blank space. Also, you'll need to provide your own pencil.

A proper slate is a useful thing to have, IMO. I use mine to record dive plans and make notes as well as to communicate with my buddy.

For night diving, it's nice to have a marker light that attaches to your tank valve or first stage. No use to you but very comforting for your buddy. You can use a chemical glowstick if you think night diving might be a one-off experience.

I didn't need to cut anything on any of my dives (nav, deep, PPB, drift, multilevel, night... I ended up with an extra one), so I agree with those who say you should ask your LDS.

Zept