I’m going to detail the gear I have, my current thoughts on it, and how I acquired it. To keep costs down, I’ve purchased some used gear. If you’re careful, this can be very helpful but do your research. Some of the older stuff cannot be repaired or made safe to use.
- USING PRE-OWNED GEAR WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE COULD GET YOU KILLED!!!
- Snorkeling Gear
- Exposure (Wetsuits)
- Delivery System
- Buoyancy System
- Accessories
- Safety Stuff
USING PRE-OWNED GEAR WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE COULD GET YOU KILLED!!!
This is especially true for the delivery systems, buoyancy systems, and dry suits. Material can degrade over time, so it doesn’t matter that it was serviced just before going into storage. The US Government has regulations on regularity of service on tanks for a reason. If you buy used stuff, take it to your local dive shop and have it inspected and serviced. If they say it’s not safe, dispose of it so no one else tries to use it.
Snorkeling Gear
All of my snorkeling gear was purchased new when I signed up for the open water class. With the class, Diventures included a free rash guard and $100 off the entire set of gear.
Mask
Hollis M-1 – I love this mask. It’s comfortable, seals well, and gives me good visibility.
I got this specifically for the camera mount. In that regard, it works incredibly well. It is comfortable and functional. I cannot give it much more than that because it is not nearly as comfortable for me as my Hollis. It’s not a fault of the mask but rather how they fit my face. I’m glad I have it and will use it some but will be looking for something better for the camera so I can continue to use my M1.
Anti-Fog
Fog-X – Fog Solutions makes these wonderful stick-on inserts that help prevent fog in the mask. They were inexpensive enough that I got the Fog-X for Snorkeling and Scuba in the single large size for my Hollis M-1 diving mask and also the Fog-X for Swim Goggles for my swim goggles. As long as you’re sure to wet them before you dive and still use your defog solution, they work really well. They’re on my mask in the photo above.
I noticed is that at the point where my defog solution quit working, my mask still did not fog. I got the single large size for my Hollis M-1 mask and then trimmed it to fit with scissors. Be sure to apply to either a new mask, or one that has been thoroughly cleaned and dried before application.
Fins
Scubapro Seawing Nova – These are great for a lot of propulsion with minimal effort. I’ve found one issue with them. Their size means it’s been entirely too easy for me to inadvertently kick up silt and dirt, killing the visibility. I’m in the market for something a little less huge or maybe I can learn some different techniques to avoid that problem.
Boots
Aqualung Superzip 5mm – They’re boots, they fit with the fins, they do their job. My toes stay warm. I’ve noticed that on rocky lakeshores, going to and from the water, the soles don’t provide much support/protection, so I’m in the market for something to solve that problem.
Scubapro Delta Short Boots 3mm – Got these for diving in the pool and on really warm days. I’ll be doing nothing but pool diving this year in the winter as I don’t have a drysuit yet. Love them. They’re easy to pull on and off, and don’t overheat my feet in the already really warm pool. They are VERY comfortable.
Neosport 7mm Boots – came with a package for colder weather. So far, they’re good for me down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
PowerStep PULSE Performance Insoles – This may seem like a weird item to list but there’s a reason. The lakeshores around here are mostly very rocky. In most diving boots, it hurts on the feet and my soles are particular sensitive to it. I don’t run around barefoot because of it. I started looking for diving boots with thicker soles but didn’t really want to spend another 150 bucks on gear as I had more important things on my list. So, I had an idea, tried it, and it worked. I had a couple of pairs of these recommended to me by Fleet Feet in Springfield for my shoes. They seemed like they’d handle the water OK. They’re hard, thick plastic. Worked perfectly. They fit in my dive boots (any of them) and I can walk on the rocks with no issues. And, since I had them, no money spent.
Snorkel
Atomic Aquatics SV2 – This is a semi-dry snorkel. That means it has a feature to keep water from splashing into the top of it. After some consideration, I want a foldable one I can stow in a pocket. Why? Safety. Apparently, there’s risk of it becoming tangled when it’s attached to your mask, and you only really need it on the surface.
If the snorkel annoys you or legitimately gets in your way, this is the solution. It rolls up, goes into a pocket on the BC, and only comes out if needed. There’s a small clip that goes on your mask so when you need the snorkel, you can Velcro attach it to that clip.
Exposure (Wetsuits)
Gloves
Bare Exowear 2XL Gloves – I bought these new. They’re thin, great for protecting my hands in warmer water, and have proved to be the perfect thing on cleanup dives.
XS Scuba Sonar 5mm Gloves – I absolutely love these. They have longer wrists that come up over the wetsuit with a velcro strap to secure them. It means 2 things. First, they’re pretty secure on the hands. Second, they don’t allow much water circulation, so they keep my hands quite toasty. They also seem to allow some finger mobility so I can do stuff.
Hood
2XL Bare Exowear Hood – Bought this new because the shop didn’t have a rental hood that would fit me. It’s comfortable.
2XL Neosport 7/5mm Vented Bib Hood – Part of a package. Very comfortable for me. Tested to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and my ears were warm and it wasn’t so tight that I had trouble moving or feeling restricted.
Socks
XS Scuba Spandex Socks – Buy a pair of these, now. They do not stick and catch on neoprene like human skin does. The boots will slide easily on and off your feet. They’ll also help with donning a wetsuit even if you don’t have a skinsuit.
Skinsuit
Henderson Hotskins 6XL – No, this is not made of human skin. A skinsuit is skintight, but not neoprene like a wetsuit. You might ask, “why would I want to wear something that thin?” That’s actually a good question and there are three reasons.
- Reason one: skinsuits usually have built-in SPF50. So, it protects everything but your face, hands, and feet against the sun.
- Reason two: skinsuits cover your skin, so it can protect you against some things otherwise, but not as much as a wetsuit because it’s much thinner and less durable than neoprene.
- Reason three, and the biggest benefit of a skinsuit: Remember what I said about how much easier the socks made putting on the boots. Well, imagine that improvement when you’re trying to get into a wetsuit for the whole body. Yes, it’s that much easier.
Wetsuit
IST 4XL 3mm – Got this used. It’s a model they don’t currently sell. With the skinsuit, I can get it on completely without help except the final zip. Works great.
Akona 5XL 5mm – Got this used at an end of the season sale at a local dive shop. I actually rented it a few weeks before the sale. It fits me well and keeps me warm. My coldest dive to date in it was 56 degrees Fahrenheit. It was tolerable but chilly.
Henderson Thermoprene 7mm 6XL – This is my best fitting wetsuit and that includes all the rentals. It’s easy for me to get in and out of it, and I can move. I absolutely love it and I’m diving in January and February when I thought I was done till spring.
Delivery System
Regulators
Scubapro MK20/D350 – This is an older model set. The MK20 first stage, once updated (including a recall repair) is essentially the same as the MK25. In fact, as I understand it, most of the parts are interchangeable, especially after the recall fix. The D350 second stage is incredible. It breathes very easy, but I had no issues with free flow. It also works well in any position. I’ve tested.
XS Scuba Octo – This serves its purpose. It will suffice to get safely to the surface if needed. I’ve used it some in the pool to ensure I understand how it works and have no problems with it.
Tanks
I have two Luxfer tanks, manufactured in 1993 that I bought used. They’re using the newer aluminum alloy. They passed hydro and VIP just fine and I’ve used them on several dives with no issues. I didn’t realize how nice it would be to have your own tanks, but not having to worry about planning to pick up rentals is really nice.
I also have two tanks for Nitrox. They have pro valves on them so I can use them with DIN or Yoke regulators.
Buoyancy System
BCD (Buoyancy Compensation Device)
Custom Backplate and Wing – I spent time putting this together with a combination of new and used components. It has provided me with my best buoyancy and trim control so far. Here are the parts.
- ScubaForce Black Devil Long and Heavy Backplate – this is the key to this system for me. It’s 3 inches longer than normal backplates and weights around twice a normal steel backplate at 12 pounds.
- OMS Single Tank Adapter – I got this because it weights a little over 3 pounds by itself.
- Highland by XS Scuba Cam Bands – I prefer the style that completely open up. These are perfect and very secure.
- Hollis Elite 2 Harness – I understand the DIR stuff, but I prefer a bit of comfort and ease getting in and out of my gear.
- Hollis Trim Pockets – I have 2 pairs of these. Two go on my lower cam band and two on my waist, if needed.
- Diverite Nomad XT Wing – this 50-pound lift wing is a great fit for this setup and has made really good adjustments to my trim in the water.
Weights
Sea Pearls Lead Weights – I’ve got a bunch of these used from people local to me. New ones are insanely expensive for what is essentially a hunk of lead.
Accessories
Dive Lights
T40 3000 lumen lights – These were some inexpensive but new ones I found on Amazon. It has 3 modes (bright, dim, strobe), is pretty compact, and has a nice strap that you can use to hold it to your wrist. They do not come with the batteries. The brightness is awesome.
Orcatorch D520 – This is a very small 1000 lumen light. It’s solid, easy to stow, and light.
Orcatorch D560 – Similar to the D520. It’s a bit smaller, only 700 lumens, but easy to have around.
Underwater Kinetics SL4 – UW still has an SL4 model but the one I have is not the one on their website. Mine is before LEDs where as common. I got a much older one with a batch of gear I purchased. It works and I’ve got some rechargeable C batteries in it.
Camera and Housing
Cameras are expensive. I have an older model used Olympus camera with housing. It’s fine and does OK but it’s really awkward to use and is a lot of weight dangling from the BCD. It’s also only 4MP.
apeman A100 Action Camera – That’s not a typo. They do not capitalize their name on the web site. So far, I’m impressed and not broke. Also, it uses the same mounts as a GoPro so all the GoPro compatible mount accessories will work with it. It came with a variety of mounts and the waterproof housing good to 40 meters or 131 feet. It’s 20 MP and 4K video capable. With a 128 GB micro-SD card, it’ll record 4 hours of video and hundreds of photos. It works well and I’m enjoying the pictures and video I get from it.
GoPro Adventure Kit – The case and the handle were the big items I wanted for this, but the head strap is waterproof, and I’ve read of a couple of people using it while diving. I love the handle. It has a small wrist strap but if I drop it, the camera and stick will float to the surface. It’s pretty easy to hold out in front of you while you leisurely swim along underwater.
Safety Stuff
Silicone Octopus Holder
This is a great little accessory for holding your octopus in place but making it easy to grab and use. You just wrap it around a strap on your BDC where you want the octopus to sit and feed the large end through the small slit at the small end. Then wrap the squarish bit around the mouthpiece on the regulator. It stretches quite a bit. Then when you need the octopus, you just grab and pull, and the mouthpiece will pop right out of the holder. It was under $4.
