Scuba diving, like many recreational activities, is equipment intensive. Over the years Scuba diving has grown from an obscure sport practiced by a small band of youthful and athletic adventurers into an activity enjoyed by millions around the world in all kinds of water.
Every gear is developed to satisfy a definite need and perform a specific function. From regulator to gauges, mask to fins, and buoyancy compensator to wet suit, recreational scuba equipment is purposeful, interesting to use, and a big contributor to the overall fascination and attraction of diving.
Acquiring your own dive equipment is a major factor in the enjoyment of the sport. Sure, you can rent gear at many dive destinations, but do you really want to rely on the availability of much-used rental equipment for your personal safety and enjoyment of diving?
Owning your own dive gear has many advantages. Here are top 5 reasons highlighting the advantage of owning your own set of Scuba gear.
Perfect Gear Size
There is no true sizing standards convention among different brands of wetsuits, BCDs, masks, and other pieces of dive gear. They develop their own specs and measurements. Some distinguish sizes by male and female, while others don’t. As every rental shop carry different brands, you are more likely to end up with an ill-fitting diving gears even if you know your size.
Moreover, it’s not always possible that your size is available. Sometimes you may have to wait longer or look for another shop. The best way to ensure that your gear fits correctly and comfortably is to wear your own.
Long Term Saving
Depending on where you are diving equipment rental prices can vary considerably. If you are doing a lot of diving then over a period time you can make a considerable saving to the point where, in some cases, your gear can pay for itself. Moreover, once you own your dive equipment, you can dive more spontaneously and more frequently.
So if you go to diving a few times per month or per week, you’ll be saving money per dive and as a bonus, diving with equipment that you can trust.
Better Learning
As a beginning Open Water certification student, you can speed your learning curve and progress quickly into the open-water environment by purchasing and using a basic dive equipment package. You would be able to acquire all diving skills quickly and comfortably. When you buy your own gear, you evaluate and choose the features you need and appreciate. The process is fun, adds greatly to your knowledge of diving, and ensures that the gear you dive with does what you want it to, the way you want it to.
Better Dive Gear Knowledge
With so many pieces of equipment, owning your own set of scuba gear packages gives you a better understanding of what each piece of equipment does and how it should be maintained. This makes you a more skilled driver overall and teaches you how to look for flaws in rental equipment in the future. The familiarity contributes to the highest level of safety, which in turn gives you peace of mind.
More Time For More Fun
Every time before going on a diving you need to go to a new dive shop for rental equipment. Picking up the diving gears and trying on multiple sizes will consume a great time. You will be wasting your precious fun moments at shops renting dive gears.
Also, you will try to get out of the shop as early as possible resulting in ill-fitting gears, spoiling all your precious moments.
During busy time of the year, you might not get some gears of your size and have to compromise with the size.
Acquiring your own dive gear is an excellent investment in yourself and in your future diving adventures. It would be far better than if you’re on vacation, own your own set of equipment and show up right before the dive and go.
