Assuming that as a new diver you have already purchased your own mask and snorkel, then it is time to start looking at the rest of the gear available to purchase and see what you might want to buy. My first stop at this point would be to purchase a diving torch.
Why a torch next? Well, there are many dives when a little illumination can be a great benefit. Night dives are an obvious use of a diving torch, but also on many daylight dives the faithful diving torch can come in useful. Looking into a cave or illuminating a piece of coral to see the best possible colour are just a couple of uses. But if you are trying to point something out to a fellow diver underwater, then a diving torch can be used as a suitable pointing aid.
My next recommendation is the first of the larger price tag items. Thankfully, choose carefully and this one will not need a load of maintenance to keep it on the right track. But you have to do your research as my next piece of equipment on the to-have list is the diving computer. It sounds so easy, but some models do not have changeable batteries. Bad enough if you are on a diving holiday and the battery dies on your, but even at home you then have to post it off to the repair centre and pay for new batteries to be installed. My own diving computer simply has an unscrew panel, then a battery is replaced simply and quickly.
But why a diving computer next? Well it is part of your personal safety equipment. Used properly, alongside another timing device, it will log your time and depth and indicate whether your have completed sufficient stops. It will also calculate the cumulative effect of diving to keep you safe over many dives in several days.
At some point you will probably also want to look at buying your own fins. Again, these are quite personal but the size of them can make them a little difficult to take on holiday with you. Make sure that your suitcase is large enough to accommodate your fins before you start packing! Depending on where you are visiting for your diving trips, you might choose open or closed foot fins. If you go for the open foot variety, which is what you will require if you are ever likely to use a dry suit or any kind of footwear in colder water, then it is also probably worth buying your own diving boots. Why? Well it means that if you ever want to jump into the sea and go for a snorkelling session, you can use your fins. Also, if the dive centre you are using provides only closed foot fins because they are used to warmer weather, then they might not have any boots to hand.
There is loads more diving equipment to be buying once you are established as a diver, but before you take the plunge and start to buy anything make sure that you carry out your research and read some diving equipment reviews. You might just discover a pearl of a piece of equipment, or learn not to buy a dud.
