When preparing for any underwater adventure, having the right diving equipment can make or break your experience. But whats more important are the extra tools you bring that can make your diving experience a more fulfilling one. In this guide, we'll take a look inside a seasoned diver’s bag and explore the essential extras that every scuba diver should carry.
Safety Essentials
1. Surface Marker Buoy (SMB)
An SMB is critical for making your location known to boats, especially in drift or open water dives. It is an essential safety diving equipment to bring on every dive to ensure that the team above the waters know on your whereabouts.
2. Dive Knife
Dive knives are extremely useful for entanglement situations and getting yourself out of sticky situations. It is also just a general all rounded tool that is good for cutting anything that needs cutting. Getting a compact, rust-resistant model with a serrated edge is ideal.
3. Whistle
For signalling above water to call out to team members, which is especially useful in emergency situations.
4. Dive Torch
Even during day dives, a dive torch is helpful for peering into crevices, enhancing colors at depth as well as emergency signalling. For night dives, always carry a primary and backup light.
5. Reel and Spool
Useful for navigation, deploying your SMB, or cave and wreck diving. A compact finger spool with 15-30 meters of line is lightweight and practical.
6. Spare Parts and Save-a-Dive Kit
This includes O-rings, mask strap, fin straps, mouthpiece, zip ties, and silicone grease. This kit can save a dive from being cancelled due to minor equipment failure.
7. Defogger
This helps to prevent your mask from fogging up, ensuring that you have a clear view in any occasion. There are eco-friendly options available as well that won’t harm marine life.
8. Dive Slate or Underwater Notebook
Waterproof writing materials are great for communicating with divers underwater as well as taking notes on training.
9. Dry Bag
For keeping valuables like your phone, certification cards, or car keys safe and dry.
10. Towel
Simple, but easy to forget. Keeps you clean and dry after exiting the water.
11. Rehydration salts
These are good for helping divers recover after a dive. This is especially because diving is such a strenuous activity and these salts will help in replacing electrolytes exhausted during dives.
12. Carabiners
For keeping your gears secure. When getting from one dive spot to another, rides can be bumpy and things may fall off board. Having a set of carabiners can help lock things in place so they dont fall off easily.
18. Camera
A GoPro or any water proof camera is useful for capturing moments on the trip that you can look back and reminisce.
Conclusion
While packing your core essential diving equipment is important, its these small little pieces of equipment that can not only improve one’s diving experience but also potentially save lives. Check back to this list whenever to ensure that you’ve got yourself covered for your next diving trip.