Buying Your First Scuba Gear Kit

A Soul Divers guide on what to consider when buying gear

As an instructor, one of the most common questions I get from recently certified divers is “what gear should I buy?” I could point out hundreds of comments on my Instagram posts asking which mask I use, what BCD brand is the best, or which fins I recommend. These are smart, valid questions! Scuba gear can be very expensive, so it’s easier (and smarter) to make this kind of high-dollar, long-term purchase when you have a strong recommendation from a trusted source.

There’s no one, easy, clear-cut answer though, because here’s the truth:

The best BCD is whichever one fits you right.

The best mask is whichever one fits you right.

The best regulator is whichever one fits your diving conditions/environment right.

Brand, style, and color are all secondary. So, let’s break it down piece by piece to help you find and buy a scuba kit that will serve you well through your beginning adventures and beyond. If you want to skip the article and simply see the gear I recommend for new divers in my curated Amazon Storefront, just click here!

Start With a Mask

Your mask will arguably be the most important piece of gear you buy. A comfortable mask that fits you well will DRAMATICALLY improve your diving experience. That’s why it’s the first piece of gear I recommend to everyone, and the only piece of gear I recommend you buy going into your Open Water course. The challenging and foreign skills in the course will be at least a little easier if your shit rental mask isn’t pinching, pressing, and leaking the whole time.

The mask that fits me like a glove and I’ll wear until I die might be a leaky nightmare for you! I’ve had $120 masks flood endlessly, and know instructors who swear by a $30 cheapy they bought 5 years ago. The long and the short of it is, sometimes you’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince!

When I consider a mask, I’m looking for a few key features. First, I need a skirt that is fairly trim so it doesn’t sit on my hairline, and the skirt and nose need to be very soft and flexible. This is critical for me so I can comfortably equalize without hurting my nose rings. Lastly, I look for a super wide field of vision so I don’t miss a thing.

If you want to try the Beuchat MaxLux S mask I use and love, you can find it on Amazon right here. It comes in 10+ colors and you can even get the snorkel to match!

Invest in a Regulator

Regulators are definitely an investment! It’s going to be the most expensive part of your kit, or close to it. The good news is, it’s not usually necessary to buy a super high-end reg in order to get quality. The reason I recommend buying a regulator even before a BCD is that BCDs are mostly about comfort, but regulators are all about safety.

If you’re going to trust one or the other to dive shop rental gear, I personally would rather bring my reg and borrow a BCD.

Regulators are generally sold as individual parts that must be assembled into a whole unit before use, which is cool because it allows you to mix and match pieces or replace single parts based on your needs. But it can also be frustrating for new divers because it now becomes 4 purchase decisions instead of just one, so let’s take it piece by piece.

First Stage

This is the heart and brain of your regulator setup, so choose wisely based on the type of diving you’ll be doing.

If you will be diving in cold water (and especially if you will be ice diving), you need to invest in an environmentally sealed regulator first stage to prevent first stage freezing. This is non-negotiable for cold water conditions.

If you’ll mostly be diving warm or tropical waters, you can skip the environmentally sealed first stage. They’re more expensive (check out the price on this Atomic option) and cost a little more in annual service, too, so if you don’t need it, it’s not worth paying for.

Choosing a balanced first stage will help with ease of breathing when at deeper depths or when your tank pressure is low. Unbalanced first stages may distribute air to the second stages in an uneven way, making it harder to breathe under those same conditions. A balanced first stage is a little more expensive but a smart investment.

Finally, you need to choose a DIN or Yoke first stage. DIN is generally considered to be a more secure connection because it screws directly into the tank valve, while Yoke regulators use an adaptor. For standard recreational diving, DIN is not strictly necessary, and slightly more expensive, but lots of divers swear by it. This ScubaPro DIN is environmentally sealed and runs less than $400. Feel free to opt for the cheaper yoke option. If you’re planning on doing a lot of deep dives (100-135ft/30-40m) maybe opt for DIN.

Check out the balanced Mares first stage that I use, which also conveniently comes with the primary and alternate second stages, so all you have left to buy is the SPG.

Second Stages

It’s most common to buy second stages of the same brand as your first stage. Within that brand, choose a model that makes sense for your diving needs. Many brands now offer compact and lightweight second stages that are great for traveling and are more comfortable to store as the alternate/octopus.

Just like with your first stage, you need to choose between balanced or unbalanced. Balanced second stages are generally easier to breathe off of compared to unbalanced ones. That said, balanced second stages are more expensive to buy and to maintain with no real added safety benefit or necessity.

A good recommendation would be to buy a balanced first stage and unbalanced second stages. I like this setup.

SPG (Submergible Pressure Gauge)

Don’t stress too much about which SPG you buy, as long as it’s from a reputable brand. I like the colored markings on this Cressi SPG.

You’ll simply need to choose which system of measure you’d like to use, PSI (most common amongst Americans) or Bar (Europe and Latin America use Bar pretty heavily). From there, choose a console that either only has an SPG or one with SPG and depth gauge (you’ll need this if you don’t have a dive computer). Keep in mind that depth gages will come in either feet or meters.

Buy a BCD (Buoyancy Compensation Device)

How you choose your BCD may change (maybe even a lot) over your diving life. There are a TON of different styles with wildly different fits and price ranges, but for this article, I’m going to stick to talking about classic “jacket” style BCDs. Why? Because they’re the most familiar for new and experienced divers alike and typically ring up for much cheaper than some of the fancier styles.

Jacket-style BCDs break down into two categories - weight integrated or not. If you’re a follower of mine, you probably know I love my weight belt…but most people don’t. Even though I wear a weight belt, I typically recommend an integrated system for new divers. This means that you’ll carry your weights in quick-release pockets built into the BCD. Many divers find this to be more comfortable and convenient (even though I don’t lol).

If you’re already comfortable in a weight belt, stick with it! I use a weight-integrated Cressi BCD, but just put my weights on my belt instead of in the pockets. I like my current BCD, but I recommend this one instead. It’s the next model up, so it has the same style and fit but with a higher-end weight pocket system that I find safer and easier to use.

I also like to look at the number of D Rings on the BCD, how and where I can store my octopus, and the style of the pockets (as an instructor, I carry quite a few things in mine). Not having enough D Rings can be a pain in the ass when you’re trying to clip on important accessories, especially as you grow as a diver. Again, I just love how this Cressi R1 has metal D Rings on both shoulders, plus more large D Rings at the cumberbund/clip and smaller ones on each side. Plus it’s lightweight (great for dive travel) and has 3 exhaust ports for maximum buoyancy control.

If you’re looking at BCDs online, it can be hard to understand how it is going to feel on your body. It’s a good idea to keep in mind that most BCDs are called “unisex” but generally means they’re shaped for men and run in men’s sizes, so ladies will probably need to order a size smaller than your normal T-shirt size.

There are a variety of BCDs designed specifically for women’s bodies, most notably the Mares She Dives line.

Buy and Learn How to Launch a DSMB

A DSMB - Delayed Surface Marker Buoy - is a massively important safety tool that’s simple to use and easy to carry. Every diver should have a DSMB and know how to use it.

This simple marker rolls up, clips onto your BCD, and can be unrolled and inflated underwater to let boats, jetskiers, and other divers know you’re below. In high boat traffic areas, DSMBs can and do literally save lives.

Here’s a great option with a 30m/100ft reel so it can be launched in an emergency, even at depth. Whichever you choose, I recommend avoiding plastic options, and those which can only be orally inflated. This inflation method isn’t ideal for newer divers!

About These Recommendations

These are all products I like and personally recommend, and if you purchase them through the use of any of the Amazon links included here, I may earn a small commission from that purchase. I NEVER link to a product I don’t personally believe in. Your purchases via my Amazon Storefront help support the scuba content you know and love, both here and on my Instagram account.

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