Should I Buy or Rent Scuba Gear?

Beginner: Should you buy material or not?

That’s it: you made your first bubbles and you loved it! You already see yourself passing brilliantly all the scuba diving courses and go around the world to dive into the best dive spots on the planet. For this new activity, the acquisition of its own equipment becomes necessary. During your diving holidays, you intend to dive pretty often so you hesitate between buying diving equipment or renting it. What then?

Why should I rent scuba diving equipment?

• – Transport: Diving clubs generally offer quality equipment, which makes it unnecessary to transport your own equipment.
• – Beginner: At the beginning of your training, it is not necessary to invest in equipment but if you choose this investment, the diving equipment must be at least of higher quality than that proposed by the center.
• – No forgetting: Renting on site avoids the little hassle of “I forgot my mask” It is a solution of comfort.
• – Weight: The rental has another advantage, you avoid having to wear your equipment during your trip. However, a complete dive equipment can weigh up to ten kilos.
• – Features: With different destinations and dive conditions, the characteristics of the equipment may be different and this will involve new purchases.
• – Excess: Traveling with your own equipment often involves extra billing at the airport, given the weight of excess luggage.
• – Maintenance: If you have your own equipment, you will need to take care of it and it goes beyond simple rinsing after diving. Regulators must be revised every two years and the seals and battery of the computer needs to be checked frequently.
• – Storage: You will also need a cool, dry place to store your equipment at home when you don’t use it. It takes a little bit of space.

Why buy diving gear?

• – Good level: It seems coherent to invest in your own equipment as you become more comfortable underwater.
• – Personal comfort: When you buy your own equipment, you take the time to try different sizes and shapes to retain the one you feel most comfortable. This saves you a few inconveniences during your dives fog, leak, sizes, ….
• – Proximity: If you are going for a dive near your home, all equipment will fit easily in your car.
• – Knowledge of your equipment: When you have your own equipment, you become familiar with it. You know exactly where your emergency regulator is located, your purges, your tools in your pockets knife, surface buoy, torch ….
• – Reduction: Having your own equipment significantly reduces the cost of diving. According to the diving clubs, rental prices can vary considerably. If you do a lot of scuba diving, you could end up saving a lot of money.
• – Multi-use: The mask, fins, snorkel and even the weights can be used for the practice of snorkeling or apnea.
• – Safety:Having a personal computer allows you to better manage your dive profile, be up to date on nitrogen saturation and also know the minimum time before flying.
• – Specialist:If you are an expert in your discipline Technical Diving, Recycling, Cave, Ice you will certainly have to buy your own diving equipment.

The compromise, buy gradually?

Generally, you do not need your own scuba diving equipment, however, in some remote areas and on diving cruises, you may have to own and bring at least some parts of it …

• – Diving mask: The essential equipment par excellence. Easy to store and transport, it will avoid many inconveniences fog, leakage, pain.
• – Dive computer: For advanced divers, the computer quickly becomes essential. Lightweight and easy to carry, it brings real security to your underwater diving.
• – Fins: If you have room in your suitcase, the fins can be coupled with the practice of snorkeling. Having your own fins, either slippers or adjustable, can avoid some annoyances pain, size, comfort….
• – Wetsuit: If you always dive in the same places and you know the water temperatures, a combination can be a useful purchase. However, a combination of more than 3 mm will quickly take up space and your combination will not be optimal if the conditions change.
• – Regulator: Heavy but provides important comfort for breathing. It will nevertheless be necessary to buy a good regulator to feel a real difference compared to the one of the dive shops.
• – Buoyancy control device, BCD or diving vests: Probably the last diving equipment to buy. A vest is often heavy even though there are lighter versions for travelers, it is not that interesting. It will interest those who have many accessories to store or hang or those who want special pockets for the pellets.