Essential Scuba Diving Gear and Equipment
While the entire concept of scuba diving may seem somewhat unreal or perhaps even magical, the truth is the ability to breathe underwater is not achieved by magic at all. Rather, it is the end result of close to 200 years of scientific and technological achievements. Specifically, years and years of engineering has led to the creation of various equipment designed to help you safely and easily breathe and maneuver underwater. Not only can the right scuba gear allow you to traverse through moderate depths of open water it also opens the doors of possibility for you to explore wrecks, caverns, and depths of 100 feet of more.
For those wondering what would be the main gear needed to scuba dive, here is a brief overview of all the equipment which are the most important:
Scuba Tanks; Tanks hold either compressed air or nitrox which both act as the source of oxygen when diving. Tanks are made from either lightweight aluminum or a heavier steel alloy with aluminum being lighter and steel being more popular.
Snorkels: While not a primary means of procuring air during a dive, they are employed when near the surface of the ocean or swimming on the surface. This allows the diver to conserve the air remaining in the scuba tanks.
Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD): It is impossible to control your buoyancy and the ability to rise and descend without the aid of this inflatable and sometimes weighted jacket. Air from your scuba tanks are used to inflate a BCS which BCD helps you ascend. Deflating the air BCD allows you to descend. Maintaining a certain level of air allows you to remain at a certain depth for the duration you wish.
Weight Belts: As the name suggests, weight belts hold heavy weights intended to help the diver sink below the surface of the water. The amount of weight a belt can hold will depend on the particular type of belt the diver selects. Keep one thing in mind, if you have too much weight you can always remove some but if you max out the weight capacity on a belt you cannot add more.
Regulator: This mouthpiece connects to a tube which connects to your scuba tank. The regulator allows for the proper amount of air to be breathed from the tank and in the appropriate manner. The regulator modified the compressed air as it is drawn from the tank keeping it from rushing out. This allows you to breathe naturally while submerged.
Wetsuits and Dry Suits: Wetsuits and dry suits are designed to keep you warm underwater and also to aid in your buoyancy. Wetsuits allow for a thin layer or water to enter into the suit which acts as insulation keeping your body heat from escaping. Dry suits prevent any water from entering and a thermal suit is worn over the body and under the dry suit.
Fins: Worn on the feet, fins are designed to help propel a diver through the water with ease. The higher the quality of fins the less taxing the sessions will be on the leg muscles.
Boots and Gloves: Boots and gloves can both be employed as a means of keeping heat from escaping via your extremities. They also provide a layer or protection that prevents scrapes, scratches, and cuts on the skin. One more point about scuba boots: most fins are adjustable strap fins and they cannot be affixed to the feet directly and have to be secured to a boot instead.
Scuba Diving Masks: Diving Masks allow you to see clearly and for great distances underwater. They are also designed to block the diver from breathing through the nose which allows the diver to properly access the regulator through the mouth.
Gauges: Among the best ways to make sure your scuba diving adventures are safe would be to increase your level of awareness while underwater. With a gauge, you will always be aware of your depth, time in the water, and how much air you have consumed and how much air remains in the tank.
Scuba Computers: Understanding decompression is critical to ensuring you do not suffer an adverse health reaction while diving. The dive computer eliminates the need for the classic manual dive chart. Why fumble around with figures on your own when the computer will easily do it for you?
There are also a few secondary scuba diving accessories which can prove helpful as well.
Dive Watches: Dive watches are designed to tell accurate time even when under the heavy pressure of the weight of hundreds of feet of water.
Flashlight: For those diving in low light situations such as cave or wreck penetration or night dives, a waterproof diving flashlight is a needed accessory.
Dive Knife: A dive knife is not a weapon. It is a tool designed for cutting things when safety issues arise while diving. Often, a dive knife can easily address serious problems with entanglements when underwater.
Cameras: Underwater cameras certainly are worth purchasing as they can capture those magic moments down in the deep blue sea. Cameras can capture either still photos or they can capture moving images via a camcorder.
Of course, there are other accessories you can purchase but the most important scuba gear and accessories you need are listed herein.