New diver here! I am curious what everyones recommendations are for gear as a beginner.

[tmassey]

While exposure gear can be rented, it’s usually threadbare and of questionable fit, so if you’re going to buy any gear, I would recommend focusing on the wetsuit. Renting fins and mask are certainly doable, and in my opinion more doable than a wetsuit. Having said that, some people are very difficult to fit with a mask that doesn’t leak: if that’s you, then certainly, add a mask. And if you’re already hauling around a wetsuit and mask, fins aren’t exactly that much more difficult.

As for what suit to buy: I’m a big fan of layering. My first purchase was a three mm full with a 2 1/2 mm shorty. That allowed me to mix and match and layer. I could wear anything from the Shorty, just the full, or both. Also, add a 5 mm hood. I never dive without a hood: it offers bruising/cut protection and keeps you a bit warmer.

ETA: Fit is the most important thing to consider with a wetsuit. It could be the world’s best wetsuit, but if it’s a little too big, it will allow water to flow through and won’t do its job. Of course, if it’s too tight, you can’t get it on, or can’t breathe even if you do. The least expensive wetsuit that fits properly will out perform nearly any other wetsuit that doesn’t. And that’s why buying ends up being worth it: if you try renting, you end up having to spend so much time going through rental gear until you find something that fits, or worse, ending up in the water with something that you only then figure out doesn’t fit. Been there, done that: one star, do not recommend.

After that, the next gear that I would buy would be a computer. A lot of people are going to encourage things like air integration, or a shearwater peregrine. I’m not going to say that they’re wrong. However, you can get a tremendous amount of value out of a used wrist mount computer. I wouldn’t buy one without nitrox capability. But even something like an old Suunto Zoop or oceanic Veo 180 would do fine for quite some time, and can probably be found used for $100.

Personally, I would try to keep the cost down. If you ever look online at used scuba gear, you see so many full sets of gear that the person says was used five times, then sat in the basement for 15 or 20 years. Scuba gear ages like milk, not wine: 15-year-old (used!) neoprene is effectively garbage. So in case you happen to end up as one of those type of divers, keep your initial expenses to a minimum. You can literally purchase an entry-level 3 mm full, 2 1/2 mm Shorty, hood, mask and fins for under $400 if you shop around. Of course, some people spend noticeably more than that just on a single wetsuit.

After you get 25 or 30 dives, then you’ll be in much better shape to know exactly what you want, and what you’re willing to spend. At that point, you can buy an additional, likely thicker, wetsuit, that you can use with the pieces you’ve already purchased. Maybe then you’ll have a better idea of how suits fit you and what features are important to you and which are just extras you don’t need. At that time, maybe it’s worth it to buy a higher quality wetsuit that costs more money.

Also at that time, you’ll be much better shape to know if you need a better computer, and if so exactly which features are important to you. Do you need a larger or brighter display? do you need an easier to use computer? Or have you gotten to the point where you really want to dig into the numbers of your dives, and the air integration will be important to you? Again, you’ll be able to make much better decisions.

I see way too many new divers ending up with way too much scuba gear, and after a couple of years they either stop diving, in which case all of that gear was a waste; or, get serious and realize all that sometimes very, very expensive gear they bought is not at all what they actually want to be using.

That’s my thinking, anyway, and it’s worth every bit of what you paid for it. No matter what you end up with, I hope it works out for you, and I hope that you continue to dive. And ScubaBoard is a great place to get different perspectives. Just don’t take any one person’s opinion too seriously.

 

[Scubagolf]

In this order:

1. Mask and snorkel (need it for snorkeling even if not used for diving, in which case a pocket snorkel is recommended.)
2. Fins
3. Wetsuit - for 78 degree + water temps my default is a 3 mm full suit, but exposure protection is an individual thing. Hood is inexpensive and you need it when you need it.
4. Nitrox-compatible dive computer. Need not be expensive. 350+ dives later I am still diving the “entry level” nitrox computer I purchased after logging 50 dives for about $200.
5. Regs
6. BC - try before you buy.

 

[Kimela]

I don't think anyone has mentioned spandex socks! If you choose to use rental gear I would get a rash guard, dive pants and socks. You can use those to slip into rental wetsuits more easily. Also, I always dive covered to my wrists and ankles. You really can't predict when there will be jellies in the water.

I second getting a good computer - the Shearwaters are easy to read and easy to change the settings. I have the Peregrine (not air integrated so it's less expensive) and love it.

I got an Aqualung Core regulator this past year and love it. When it's not on a tank the place where water can get into your first stage closes up, so you don't have to worry about getting saltwater in there (which corrodes the internal mechanism). I love not having to worry about that! I'm on the lazy side and it's easy to forget to do all the 'right' things when so much is going on. I'm not saying you need to buy a regulator right away, but when you do this is worth considering.

 

[TMHeimer]

I won't get into cold tolerance because everyone is different. If you dive tropically I would make sure as much of your body is covered to avoid stinging nasties. I have a Henderson "body suit" for that. I dive in NYC area each summer in my shorty because my 7 mil suit is too warm and body suit too cold. There I only have to worry about my bare arms & lower legs running into jellies.

 

[arkstorm]

I would prioritize as such:

1. Mask and Snorkel. $50-$200 USD. A well-fitting mask can make or break your diving experience. Most divers I know buy their own mask by the time they complete their OW course. A relatively inepxensive way to improve your diving expereince by an order of magnitude, plus its easy to travel with. Don't buy an expensive snorkel, its a waste.

2. Wetsuit. $100-$250 USD. Get a properly fitting 3mm to 5mm long sleeve wetsuit (based on your personal temperature tolerance). Long sleeves and legs protect from stinging things in the water and generally keep you warmer. You can always add a hood too as needed. Body temperature loss is cumulative so if you plan a dive trip where you make multiple dives per day on multiple subsequent days you will be colder and colder as the week goes on. A well-fitting wetsuit is critical to staying comfortable. Also, my personal experience is that the warmer I am, the less air I use, ymmv.

3. Dive computer. $200-$1500 USD. Many dive operators require use of a dive computer. Renting a computer is often expensive and the rental computer is likely to be unfamiliar to you. You don't need a computer with all the bells and whistles to begin with but you may want to consider future proofing yourself by considering a dive computer that can grow with you as your skills and capabilities expand. A personal dive computer is easy to travel with and will be familiar to you so you will get more from it.

4. Regulator set. $500 - $1500+ USD. A high quality regulator set that is well maintained makes diving more enjoyable. For most recreational / resort diving a rental quality reg is perfectly adequate. However, a better reg with greater comfort features does make a difference especially on multiple dives over multiple days. A first stage, primary second, alternate second and instrument console is relatively easy to travel with. That being said, owning your own regs adds the burden of keeping them properly maintained. If you're not willing to bear that added time and expense, you are better off renting.

5. Fins. $50-$279 (or whatever MSRP Scubapro slaps on their latest offering). Most rental fins are perfectly adequate, some are even excellent. But since this is Scubaboard and we are all fin snobs here, I'm sure you will want to own your own fins. Most fins do not fit into carry-on bags so if traveling light is a priority, don't plan on brgingin fins. However, a good set of fins will elevate your dive experience to 11.

6. BCD. $300-$1500. Traveling with a BCD almost certainly means packing it in a cheked bag. Like with fins, most rental BC's are fine and if you have good diving skills, a BC won't make a whole lot of difference to you. BCD's can be expensive, though they don't have to be. Lots of different styles including fully modular (bp/w). You really need to try a few BC's before deciding what is right for you.

7. Dive light. $50-$200. Often overlooked and maybe could rank even higher in priorty than number 7 is a small dive light for lighting up little crevices in the reef. You would be surprised at how much more you see when you have a small dive torch at your disposal. Its small, easy to travel with, and need not break the bank but it adds to the experience.

My $0.02.

 

[Litefoot]

You have shops to rent from locally if you want to dive in the lake, river or springs. And warm water destinations will have everything you need. So if I were in your shoes, I would make minimal purchases for now (mask, computer and wetsuit). Scuba dot com has the best get-the-fit-right return policy for wetsuit.

My nearest shop is 3.5 hours away. I bought everything (BC, regs, tanks, weights, exposure suits) for local diving. You don’t have to.

 

[DivingLane]

Where do you all stow the added gear you buy? My instructors in OW and Deep-diving class had so much gear, I was overwhelmed just looking at them. Realized they were not a good indicator of a new diver.

Took a deep diving class, and bought a DSMB.

My rental regs had the compass on the gauge console, the ones I bought didn't, so I just bought a retractable clip-on compass.

Then I bought a flashlight. Heard only having one is a mistake and to get a backup.

I've got a GoPro camera in a housing with a stick. Used that in Cozumel with nothing else (and only after doing my first dive there to get used to the equipment first since I was a brand new diver).

I think besides the camera, these are things a newer diver needs.

Assuming a typical new diver with a wrist dive computer, an octopus, and a BCD with a couple pockets and a handful of clips. Where would you clip or stow all this?

DSMB
Compass
Flashlight (s)
Octopus
Camera

 

[tmassey]

Ah yes, the Christmas-tree diver: the diver with so much stuff hanging from them they look like a Christmas tree… Don’t be that guy… (Which is why that’s a great question you have asked.)

Two answers: pockets or D-rings.

The problem is: most recreational divers do not have pockets on their wetsuits, and quite likely don’t have them on a dry suit if they happen to be using it. And the D rings on recreational BCD’s are usually pretty few, and what ones do exist usually are at the end of some sort of pull strap, meaning they end up dangling a number of inches off the diver. Fortunately, many of those recreational divers are diving in a 45° angle through the water, which means the items don’t dangle down too much… But even then, it’s still not a great thing.

For pockets, there’s an easy solution: pocket shorts. I have very little bad to say about them, other than if you have a long shore walk they tend to slide down unless you have hips to hold them up. And the ones I’m linking to are plenty big enough to hold a lot of those accessories that you’re talking about: DSMB with spool, GoPro, and plenty of other stuff.

For D rings, that’s where technical gear shines. The standard ‘Hogarthian/DIR’ back plate and harness a D ring on each shoulder strap, one on the left hip and one below the tanks on your back that are perfect for hanging gear of different sizes. The obvious place is the shoulder straps, but you need to be careful using those: when you are horizontal, they are the lowest point, and anything hanging from them will hang down below you, likely dragging into stuff. No Bueno.

ETA: Octo. Forgot to mention that. Again, my strong preference is for a technical diving configuration, where your primary is on a ‘long’ hose (for rec divers maybe not *that* long) and your secondary is on a necklace around your neck. Nothing to store, nothing to hide, everything is right there, and yet very clean and easy to get to in an emergency. Primary donate versus secondary donate is definitely outside the scope of your question, so there’s no real point in going into it; but that’s my solution.

ETA2: Rereading your question, you might want some specifics. For me: emergency items in my right pocket, work items in my left pocket. Primary dive light on my left hand. (*On*, not in). Two backups, each of them rubber banded to my left and right shoulder straps. For me, I use the compass in my shearwater with backup in my emergency pocket; if I did not have that, the compass would be bungeed to my wrist. SMB in my left working pocket, along with the spool I will need for it. Camera temporarily snapped off to a chest D-ring, but only if I can make sure that it stows up against my body. Long-term storage in my left pocket. I already mentioned octo: around my neck. Primary in my mouth.

 

[WillieJustice]

I will likely be diving in mostly warm water climates, should I purchase my own wetsuit? Will a full body rash guard suffice? Just a shorty or long sleeve swimsuit? Is it worth it to purchase your own computer? Brands you recommend? I welcome any advice!

I was recently in Cozumel. The water was 79 F. I was perfectly happy in a 3mm shorty. Another diver was plenty warm in his shorts and that's it. A couple more were happy in rash guards. The four young women who were Dive Masters or Dive Masters in training were all wearing farmer johns and hoods. All four of them got very cold when they got back in the boat, too. None of the rest of us got cold at all. They had been living in Cozumel. The rest of us had been living in far more northern (read cold) climates.

I'm mostly a beginner at this point, so take anything I say with that in mind. I have used a Garmin G1 for the last six months and have been happy with it. I can see it has some limitations like no AI, but I don't miss that because I have never had it. I have my own fins and mask, but everything else has been rented so far. That will continue for another couple months, most likely.

 

[rongoodman]

I think besides the camera, these are the things a newer diver needs.

I'd say the last thing a newer diver needs is a camera. You need to learn to dive first. Get a hundred or so dives in and then consider it, maybe.