we will be heading to Maui in Feb for a week and will be doing 1-2 scuba trips and a few snorkelling adventures in the shore over the week. We don't own any scuba/snorkelling gear. Is it worthwhile to purchase basic gear (mask/snorkel/wetsuit) for the one week use or would renting be better off? What are the rental rate like in Maui? I am concerned with hygiene of the rental equipment from what i've read as well.
Rent or Buy for one week in Maui
- Thread starter jakey
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I think it's better to buy basic gear so it fits. But it's personal preference. Assuming this isn't a one-time event.
Nothing ruins a dive like a leaking mask. Personally I'd recommend a trip to a local dive store to try some on. You may pay a few dollars more but often that's not even the case. My LDS sells good quality, name brand clear silicone masks starting at $30-35.
IMO a snorkel is a snorkel. Unless you're an avid snorkeler, any $15-20 & up work fine. And if you're a pretty standard size/build - most correctly sized shorty wetsuits are pretty universal.
You may want to try/buy boots and fins also. Tusa Imprex are decent starter fins that you should be able to get for around $40. Oceanic also sells one for around that.
You can find some good deals online at leisurepro.com or scubatoys.com. Some of the low-end stuff at LP is snorkel only - often the biggest difference is the footpocket type/length of the fins.
Although anybody you dive with will also have rental gear - here's some Maui rental prices for comparison.
Maui Dive Rentals | Maui Scuba Diving Rentals | Maui Snorkeling Rentals | Scuba Gear Rentals on Maui
Rentals - Maui Dreams Dive Co
For snorkeling gear only - there's also Snorkel Bob's
Snorkel Bob's Hawaii Site | Gear Rates by the Week
Nothing ruins a dive like a leaking mask. Personally I'd recommend a trip to a local dive store to try some on. You may pay a few dollars more but often that's not even the case. My LDS sells good quality, name brand clear silicone masks starting at $30-35.
IMO a snorkel is a snorkel. Unless you're an avid snorkeler, any $15-20 & up work fine. And if you're a pretty standard size/build - most correctly sized shorty wetsuits are pretty universal.
You may want to try/buy boots and fins also. Tusa Imprex are decent starter fins that you should be able to get for around $40. Oceanic also sells one for around that.
You can find some good deals online at leisurepro.com or scubatoys.com. Some of the low-end stuff at LP is snorkel only - often the biggest difference is the footpocket type/length of the fins.
Although anybody you dive with will also have rental gear - here's some Maui rental prices for comparison.
Maui Dive Rentals | Maui Scuba Diving Rentals | Maui Snorkeling Rentals | Scuba Gear Rentals on Maui
Rentals - Maui Dreams Dive Co
For snorkeling gear only - there's also Snorkel Bob's
Snorkel Bob's Hawaii Site | Gear Rates by the Week
Last edited:
Midge907
Contributor
When was the last time you dove, a certified diver that doesnt even own basic dive equipment (mask, snorkel, fins) puts up some red flags for me. But to seriously answer your question, buy those three items and you will be a much happier diver and snorkler. Maui has some great snokeling, and diving. I wish I would of got more in when I was there last time.
DiveMaven
Contributor
If you're going to be in the water more than once or twice to snorkel or dive, you should definitely own your own mask, snorkel, and fins. Buying your own wetsuit would be optional IMO since you can easily rent one on island.
DiverSteve is right, go to your local dive shop and try on various masks before you buy. For fins, you can either go with full foot or open heel where you would want boots.
DiverSteve is right, go to your local dive shop and try on various masks before you buy. For fins, you can either go with full foot or open heel where you would want boots.
Absolutely buy- start with mask snorkel and fins fitted to you. Rental stuff is average at best, gets worn, and will diminsh your enjoyment by a substantial margin. As for a wet suit, you may not need it for snorkeling, will want it for diving. Rent or buy? I won four of everything- so I say buy. The more gear you own the more likely you are to be an active diver.
DivemasterDennis
DivemasterDennis
SeaHorse81
Contributor
I'm a major advocate of renting dive gear on vacation because it has always worked out well for me, but I do take my own personal gear (mask, fins, exposure suit). Given that your ability to see and have a comfortably fitting mask will have a major impact on your enjoyment of the activity, buying one seems like cheap insurance toward a good time. Especially when you put it up against the overall cost of the vacation. Then you can have it, trust it, and enjoy it for years to come.
For the little bit that you say you're going to do, I suspect you'd get by okay with rental fins. Having your own would likely be more comfortable and again, you'd have them forever, but they might not make a big enough difference to you to justify packing them and lugging them around.
The snorkel? Eh. They neither take up much room in the luggage, nor cost much. If you're ever going to use it again, it's worth buying.
For the space in the luggage that a wetsuit takes up, and the cleaning/drying required once you get it home, I'd probably suck it up and just rent one for the couple dives and try not to think about the fact that other people have peed in it. :speaknoevil:
For the little bit that you say you're going to do, I suspect you'd get by okay with rental fins. Having your own would likely be more comfortable and again, you'd have them forever, but they might not make a big enough difference to you to justify packing them and lugging them around.
The snorkel? Eh. They neither take up much room in the luggage, nor cost much. If you're ever going to use it again, it's worth buying.
For the space in the luggage that a wetsuit takes up, and the cleaning/drying required once you get it home, I'd probably suck it up and just rent one for the couple dives and try not to think about the fact that other people have peed in it. :speaknoevil:
scnick
Registered
buy mask, snorkel, fins either when u arrive or before you leave from lds. doing discover scuba? they have everything else you need except these 3 things
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