There are a lot of amazing hobbies out there for those who love a sense of discovery and adventure. But very few of them can take you into an entirely new world that you would never otherwise even be able to experience. However, there is one that is able to do just that: scuba diving. For centuries people have looked to the ocean and wondered what it is that’s within those unfathomable depths. Well, thanks to scuba diving, those secrets are able to be unlocked by just about anyone! The excitement of sense of discovering that you get when you first find yourself breathing underwater, exploring this mysterious place, is something that almost nothing else can match. Of course, you can’t just hop on a boat and throw yourself into the water. If you really want to get the full experience, here are a few pieces of gear that you’re definitely going to need. This list doesn’t include the obvious stuff like a mask or a wetsuit since there’s a pretty good chance that you already know how important they are!
A dive computer
There are a lot of things that you need to keep track of when you’re diving. However, being surrounded by all of the amazing sights that you’re met with can often make it difficult to pay attention to a lot of things. With something like the Shearwater Perdix, you have all of the information that you need. You have measurements of altitude so that you can avoid decompression sickness, as well as clear indicators of how long you’ve been diving for.
A headlamp
Fun fact: the sea is dark. That probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Once you start to get down into some serious depths, then you come up against the problem of not being able to see anything around you which, considering the reason you’re down there in the first place, is more than a little annoying. A headlamp allows you to see everything you need to while still leaving your hands free.
A dive parka
Standing on the deck of a boat, dripping wet and shivering is a great way to end up with a serious case of hypothermia. A decent thermal parka is one of the most underrated and important pieces of diving gear you can buy. You might not think that it’s that necessary, but you’ll definitely notice the difference when you find your lips turning blue before you’re back to shore.
Tools and spare parts
Scuba gear is fallible just like anything else. Any piece of equipment can break, but scuba gear is something that, if it does go wrong, you can end up in serious trouble. Even if a piece of broken gear doesn’t put you in too much danger, it can still potentially ruin a dive altogether. Having a set of tools and spare parts on hand means that you can fix any issues, at least temporarily, so that you don’t end up having to go back to shore and cut the dive short when you’re not ready to.
