Wetsuits are usually made of neoprene, which has loads of little bubbles of nitrogen trapped in the material.  It is these bubbles that give the suit thermal insulation, but also give the suit positive buoyancy, or in other words; it floats.

Semi-dry suits are just wetsuits with seals at the ankles, wrists and neck, which helps prevent the water escaping from your wetsuit once your body has warmed it up!  If you are buying a new wetsuit, I would advise finding a semi-dry suit as this will keep you more insulated than a normal wetsuit.

The thicker the wetsuit, the more positively buoyant you will be, so bear that in mind if you dive with a thicker suit.  You might need to add some extra weight to counter the extra buoyancy, but also remember that as you go deeper, gases compress, so your suit will lose some of it’s buoyancy and thermal properties.

Wetsuits need to be quite snug in order to work effectively, so although it would be tempting to go a size bigger in order to make it easier to get on, make sure there aren’t too many “baggy bits” – you will just get cold.  You’ll know when you get the right size for you as you will have found the balance between being not too difficult to get on, but still quite snug around most body parts.

I would highly recommend finding a big dive shop or water sports shop that has plenty of choice of wetsuits, try different brands and different sizes – and don’t be afraid to ask the guys in the shop for help.  I bought mine off the internet, and although I was incredibly lucky getting the suit I did because it fits so well, it wasn’t actually the suit I ordered!  First time they sent me the wrong size, then I sent it back asking for the right size, and they said they didn’t have one left in stock – but they did have another one in my size.  It was a slightly more expensive one that they were planning on replacing mine with – bonus!!  I was lucky – but next time I will definitely go to a shop!

A little tip for getting into wetsuits a little easier is to use talcum powder – sprinkle some on the wrists and ankles and your skin will just glide through!  Of course this only works if the suit isn’t wet!!  Another tip I’ve heard that might benefit the ladies more than gents (well the gents can try it if you want…) is to put a pair of pop socks on before slipping into your wetsuit.  Not personally tried it, but might be worth a try!

Right, so I think we’ve covered everything of importance regarding wetsuits, probably not a huge amount there that was completely foreign to you…but what about dry suits?

There are two types of drysuit, Neoprene drysuit and Membrane drysuit.  You can see from the pictures below how they differ:

So you can see here that the neoprene drysuit has a layout very similar to the neoprene wetsuit, in that there is 1 layer of foam neoprene as protection.  This big difference is that with the wetsuit, it keeps a layer of water next to your body.  In a drysuit, the neoprene is waterproof, so instead a layer of air is next to your body.  The drysuit will have waterproof seals on the  wrists and neck to stop the water getting in, and most drysuits have built in boots.

The membrane drysuit works in a slightly different way.  For insulation, you use a thermal under-suit, or just normal clothes – any tracksuit – or depending on the water temperature just a T-shirt and trousers will be fine!  The membrane layer acts only as the waterproof layer, to stop the water getting in.  Obviously on the rare occasion the water does get in – you will probably want to get out the water ASAP, because you will have lost all your thermal protection!

The biggest thing though, when it comes to diving in a drysuit, compared with a wetsuit, is the extra bag of air you are swimming around with.  As we know, the more air in the suit, the more positively buoyant you are, so you need to take that into account when you first dive with a drysuit.  The other thing is making sure there is some air in your suit at the surface, or that you put some in as you go down because the air that is in there will compress and can cause pinching.

It is a bit of a skill to dive with a drysuit, not difficult to acquire, but it is definitely worth getting an instructor, or someone who has dived with drysuits a lot to talk you through what to expect and to give you tips etc.

When it comes to buying a drysuit – again there is no better way that getting people’s opinions – instructor, club members or the guys in the shop – and making your own decision.  If you can try one before you buy, then great – but that isn’t possible for everyone – so you will just have to make the most informed decision you can!

Have fun!

About the Author: Elyse hopes to be an instructor soon, but until then she will write articles and visit as many different dive destinations in the world as possible. She is currently living in Malta, and loving the new diving on offer.

BCD

Buoyancy Compensating Device, or Buoyancy Compensator is the device that allows you to control your buoyancy underwater.  They come in two different designs (well there are 3, but you don’t need to know about the 3rd!)  the stab jacket is the type that you will probably have learnt/will learn with as they are the more popular and provide better stability underwater for the inexperienced diver.  They look like a waistcoat and you attach the cylinder to the back of it.

The other type is called the wing.  This inflates just on your back.  There is a fairly obvious disadvantage – if the diver becomes fatigued or unconscious at the surface, the wing will keep the diver face down in the water.  On the positive note, the divers front and sides are kept clear and so allow more movement, and feel less restrictive.  It is worth having a play with a wing, some people get on with it, some don’t!

Regulators

You can usually get packages that include your primary regulator, or second stage, your octopus and your gauges. I’m not going to go into much detail here as I would be sat here all day.  Read some reviews on regulators and talk to your dive instructor about what you’ve been diving with and what would be best for your needs.

It is very important you don’t try to do your regulators on the cheap, get the best ones you can afford and keep them clean and well maintained.  If you don’t use them for a long time get them serviced.  Don’t forget – if you look after your kit, your kit will look after you!

Cylinder

Not much to choose for a cylinder, 12 litre or 15 litre (guys you might want a 15, girlies, I recommend a 12!).  If you go for a 12 litre cylinder you get to choose between tall or dumpy, this does depend somewhat on the length of your back, but also whatever feels best.  If you are using a tall one and your head keeps hitting the first stage when you put your head back, try a dumpy cylinder.

Also it is a good idea to find a way of stamping your name and initials into the top so that you can identify it when you leave it for refills.

Weights

Sometimes weights come as part of your BCD as an integrated weight system – these seem to be getting more popular these days.  If they didn’t come with your BCD, or you don’t like using them (some people don’t!) then you will need to get a separate weight and weight belt.  You have two options here (yes more options I’m afraid!)  one is to get a belt and weight bricks, this allows you to change the amount of weight on your belt relatively easily.  The other option is to get a lead shot belt, which as it moulds to the divers body, can be more comfortable than the bricks.

I have a lead shot belt, but I also have a belt and a brick that I have put on my cylinder.  It helps my weight distribution and allows my weight to be even.  If I put the brick in my pocket, I would probably be swimming around a little wonky!  Just try different things until you find what you like!

Dive Computer

Not really an essential piece of kit, but if you want to stay safe and check you are always doing things right, theyarewell worth the investent.  They can tell you your depth, dive time, water temperature and when and where you have to do stops on the way back to the surface.  When you spend more they can even tell you the amount of air you have left.  Again, I could sit here all day talking about the features – have a look at what is out there and talk to people who already have one – if only to hear their reasons for buying the one the have!

Optional, but highly recommended:

Dive Light

I would highly recommend taking a dive torch with you, even if your dive is in the middle of the day.  As you go down, less visible light gets through the water, so everything takes on a murky bluey greeny colour.  To fully appreciate the colour of coral, wildlife and other things, take a white light torch.  They are also handy for shining into nooks and crannies to check out what might be hiding in there!  If you are diving a night dive, it is a good idea to have a small, cheap backup torch – just in case!

SMB and Reel

Surface Marker Buoy.  These come in 2 flavours – standard or delayed.  The standard SMB is inflated on the surface and is dragged around by the diver wherever they go.  In some places it is mandatory to have one of these out, especially in places where they might be a lot of boat traffic.  It just makes people aware that there are divers down.

The delayed SMB is the sausage shaped one that can be rolled up and put in your pocket till you need it.  Generally divers will put these up at the end of their dive to signal to their dive boat where they will be surfacing.  Orange ones are used for this purpose, but the yellow ones are usually used to show that there is an emergency or that something is wrong.  You will also need a reel – and it is down to personally preference what type of reel you go for, although I would advise against getting something too small!

Please wait until you have had some training before attempting to use a delayed SMB, there are several things that could go wrong and end up dragging you up to the surface, and you could end up in a decompression chamber, which I’ve heard isn’t too fun!

Knife

It is a good idea to have a dive knife strapped to your leg or arm, so you are able to cut yourself away if you get tangledin rope or fishing nets or anything else that might be around.  Even if you don’t usually carry one, I would highly recommend getting one if you dive a wreck!

There are loads more accessories and things you can get, but this is what you need for diving – birthday and christmas presents to yourself are good ways of getting more toys!  I like to give myself mid year presents too….

About the Author: Elyse hopes to be an instructor soon, but until then she will write articles and visit as many different dive destinations in the world as possible. She is currently living in Malta, and loving the new diving on offer.

Mask and Snorkel

Masks come in all shapes and sizes and can range from about £10 to £700 depending on style and technology.  Something in the £30 to £40 mark should get you a decent mask that will last.  If possible, try using different types of mask at your school before buying one, so you know what style and shape works best for you.

If you have a prescription, you can get lenses for your mask that are made especially for you allowing you to see everything underwater – which makes for a much more enjoyable dive!  You can wear contact lenses, but if your mask floods, there is a good chance your contacts will get washed away.  Obviously that can be a problem if you have a strong prescription and can’t see enough to surface safely.

Sometimes you can buy a snorkel with a mask as a set.  They are much of a muchness really, some have one way output valves at the bottom near the mouth, and others have splash guards on the top.  Go with what ever you feel like really!  With PADI, the snorkel is an essential part of your kit, but BSAC regard the snorkel as optional.

Wetsuit, Gloves and Hood

The type of wetsuit you will want will depend completely on where you will be diving.  You can get long ones,shortones, one piece, two piece.  Personally, I have a two piece consisting of a full length wetsuit that is 8mm thick and a shorty that is 7mm.  These can be worn one at a time or both at the same time depending on the temperature of the water.  In Australia, I just wore the long one, when I was in Guernsey, I wore both!

Another thing to look out for is whether the wetsuits are wet or semidry.  As far a I know, most diving wetsuits are generally semi-dry.  This means that they have seals at the ankles, wrists and neck, so once the wetsuit has filled with water, it is held more effectively against your skin, so once your body has warmed it, it won’t go anywhere.

Some wetsuits come with a hood built in, or with a separate hood as part of a package.  Make sure you get one of these, even if you plan on diving only in warm countries.  We all know the well known saying that you lose most of your heat through your head, well underwater it is 10 times worse!  Diving at night when the temperature may well be quite a bit cooler than the day, it will be handy to have one.

Similarly with gloves, they are good to have incase it gets a bit cold.  Although you maybe asked specifically not to wear gloves when diving some dive sites such as wrecks or reefs.  This is supposed to stop you from touching and so preserving whatever it is you are diving.

Boots and Fins

There are 2 types of fins.  One you wear boots and put your fins on over the boots, and the other type is the combined one where you put fins on bare feet.  If you will be diving in colder water, boots and fins will be the better option as the boots provide more insulation against the cold.  In warm water, either type would do.  Personally I would recommend getting boots and fins, if only for the fact that you can protect your feet while walking down a rocky beach for a shore dive!  Plus you can use the boots for other activities other than diving – I use mine when I go windsurfing!

About the Author: Elyse hopes to be an instructor soon, but until then she will write articles and visit as many different dive destinations in the world as possible. She is currently living in Malta, and loving the new diving on offer.

Basically, it is a boat that is capable of going 50mph on the surface of the water, and can then dive to a max depth of 50 metres!  As it isn’t an enclosed vehicle, the driver/skipper and any passengers will have to wear scuba gear – but talk about making an entrance to a dive site!  You can just imagine that – all these people who have got up early so their boat can get a decent spot near a wreck, then you pop up a bit later and just dive – IN YOUR BOAT – to the dive site, park up and go for your dive!  Brilliant!

There are two models planned – the SC3 – which is a 3 seater, and the SC6 – which is, yes you guessed it – a 6 seater!  The SC3 is currently in the prototype stage and the SC6 is planned, but not been built yet.  Predicted timeframes suggest the first few should be delivered to their new owners by the end of 2010. The prices aren’t advertised on the website, but different sources say that the price is around £100,000 or $164,000.

So a 2011 delivery date will give me a chance to save a bit of money

If you want to know more -have a mooch around their website:  www.scubacraft.com

About the Author: Elyse hopes to be an instructor soon, but until then she will write articles and visit as many different dive destinations in the world as possible. She is currently living in Malta, and loving the new diving on offer.