CUUEG Equipment Guide

One of the little known benefits of Diving is that you will never again be at a loss when someone asks you what you want for Christmas. Unfortunately, no matter how well loved you are, you will have to buy some of your equipment yourself. This guide is intended to give you an idea of what you will need and how and where to buy it.
There is a section giving advice on buying a drysuit here.

Basic Equipment

To start on one of our diving courses, you will need to own a set of basic kit. We may be organising a group kit sale at the start of your course, but if not, or if you wish to buy elsewhere, you will need to go shopping.
The basic kit you will need is:


If you already own a pair of slipper type fins, you can use these for pool training, but they're not appropriate for use in open water outside the tropics. If you do not intend to get a dry-suit then you will also need wet boots to wear on your feet over which the strap-style fins fit.
We use snorkels in the first pool session, where snorkeling techniques are taught, but you won't need it subsequently when in scuba kit (a snorkel is really of use only for snorkeling) and the club has plenty for trainees to borrow. However, some divers find it useful to have a snorkel with them on dive trips, and some people hate them! It's up to you whether to buy one.
You might also want to get a cheap (shorty) wetsuit to use in the pool - dive training usually is not very strenuous and you may start to feel the cold.

Where To Buy

It's a good idea to buy at a proper diving shop, as they will have a range of equipment for you to try and will be able to give specific guidance as to what you will need as a diver, and also to be able to check for fit.

 

Locally to you:

See any issue of Dive or Diver magazine retailer adverts, or look in Yellow Pages (or yell.com) under "Divers" (or possibly "Water Sports"). Wet-suit boots and snorkels can be bought at a watersports shop if you don't have a dive shop nearby, but they may try and sell you equipment that is unsuitable for UK diving. Better still ask someone who's been diving for some advice! - come along and talk on a Wednesday.

On the internet:

It's important to get personal kit that you know fits you, by trying it on - that's why we ask you to buy it rather than hiring it to you. For this reason it's a good idea to find a good shop where you can try a range of products
If you know what you want you can get good prices on the Internet (although you can also try asking a Dive Shop to match an online price), but be careful, particularly with expensive items and things that need to fit you properly (suits, masks, gloves etc). For many generic items and bits and bobs, however, the internet can be the source of some very good buys.

Dive Shows

There are two UK Dive shows - one in London in the spring and one at the NEC, Birmingham in the autumn. These are an opportunity to see most of the UK online retailers and many manufacturers under one roof. You will be able to find anything you need, and probably lots of other expensive things that you didn't know you needed!

What To Look For

You should get good advice from the staff in the shop you visit, but for those wishing to know more, below is a set of (slightly edited) guidance from an old BSAC syllabus. At current prices you should be paying of the order of £90-100 for the lot.
Hope this helps - and happy shopping!

Introduction to Masks

Mask permits eyes to work in natural medium of air, in which eyes can focus.
A mask should enclose the nose permitting:

  • Balancing air pressure within mask.
  • Equalising pressure on ears (ear clearing).
  • Clearing water which may enter mask.

Look for these features:

  • Moulded rubber / plastic body with feather edge skirt, comfortable fit against face.
  • Adjustable strap. Nose pockets which permit pinching of nose.
  • Toughened / safety face plate secured by mask frame.

NB: Glass itself should be marked "Tempered" (or "Toughened") and bear the CE mark.
For spectacle wearers prescription lenses are available for some masks and for some masks adhesive corrective lenses can be added. If you are simply short- or long-sighted a prescription mask will not cost much more than a non-prescription mask.
(NB: If you wear strong spectacles or contact lenses, it is a good idea to invest in a prescription mask. If your spectacles are required only for reading etc. and you can manage walking around and reading your watch without them, you will probably need no sight correction underwater. It is possible to wear contact lenses under a mask, but not recommended, as you may lose or damage them if your mask floods, and this is one of the drills we practice.)

What to avoid and why:

  • Masks with built-in breathing tubes or which also enclose mouth - increased "dead space": very difficult to clear if flooded.
  • Non-safety / non-toughened glass face plate - dangerous.
  • Perspex face plate - difficult to keep free of fogging.
  • Goggles / masks which do not include nose - risk of compression injury to eyes.

Testing for correct fit:

  • Mask should be tested for good fit with snorkel or demand valve held in mouth.
  • Push hair back from forehead and offer mask to face.
  • Inhale gently through nose to hold mask in place.
  • If it's possible to draw air in, mask not sealing correctly. Try re-fitting/re-sealing.
  • If there's no improvement try different model.
  • While mask is on face, check that nose can be pinched through nose pockets.

Introduction to Fins

Fins provide propulsion, permitting diver to swim further and faster; without fins, and with encumbrance of all other equipment, diver is virtually immobilised.

Features of Fins

  • Two main types: Slipper type and adjustable heel strap fitting.
  • The slipper fin is usable only in the swimming pool/tropical waters, not appropriate for British open water diving.
  • For dry-suit diving strap-style fins simply need to fit to your dry-suit boots.
  • For wet-suit diving a pair of wet-boots are worn on the feet, over which strap-style fins should fit.
  • Fins are not "handed" - they fit either foot.

CUUEG owns slipper type fins (Mares "X3") for pool training. You will need to buy fins for open water use, which will need to be of the heel strap variety.

Look for these features:

  • A rigid fin blade - essential if you want to "frog-kick" and use other maneuvering fins strokes.
  • Fins come in different sizes – the foot pocket must fit.
  • For dry-suit diving a negatively-buoyant fin is often an advantage.
  • For diving abroad a lightweight fin may be preferred due to baggage allowances and when diving in shortie wet-suits.

Testing for correct fit:

  • Try fins on to ensure that foot is comfortable; if in doubt, buy a larger size - tight fins can lead to cramping.
  • Socks or fin retainers can be used if fin is loose fit.
  • Be aware that many people later change to dry-suits, and the boots on these can be slightly bigger externally than the corresponding size of wetboots.

What to avoid and why:

  • Flat and inadequately ribbed fins, or soft, flexible fin blades - inefficient propulsion.
  • Overly complex buckles – high risk of breaking and trapping line, and usually expensive.

Sizing:

Slipper fins will usually be marked according to shoe-size. Heel-strap fins are usually marked "S", "M", "L", etc. Sizes are not universal between manufacturers.
The best approach is to try the fins on in conjunction with your dry-suit boot or wet-suit boot. (You may be able to borrow fins/boots from other club members.) Bear in mind that "heavy duty" and "welly-style" dry-suit boots are larger than wet-suit boots of the corresponding foot size. "Soft neoprene" dry-suit boots are similar to wet-suit boots. Wet-suit boots are (very approximately) one size smaller.
As a rough guide for Jet Fins, assuming "heavy-duty" dry-suit boots:

  • Size 6 and below are better off with "L"
  • Size 7 can take either, but "XL" is preferable
  • Size 8-10 require "XL"
  • Size 11 and above may require "XXL"

Jet Fins:

A majority of our instructors have found the best fin for UK diving is the "Jet Fin". (This is not necessarily the case for tropical diving trips when a lightweight fin may be preferable if you have a limited luggage allowance or are diving in a shortie wet-suit.) The main Jet Fin manufacturer is Scubapro. Their "XL" size has a larger blade (as well as a larger foot pocket) compared to the "L", so is preferred for those who could use either size. The blade size on "M" and "L" are the same (RRP £72).
Cheaper alternatives are available from Northern Diver and Sub-Aqua Products (RRP £40). The "L" and "M" sizes are virtually identical to the Scubapro version, making these a good buy. However the "XL" version does not receive the enlarged blade size that Scubapro's "XL" does, making the saving less sensible. Turtle Jet Fins are available for those with very large dry-suit boots in "XXL" (RRP £95).

Other fins:

There are many fins on the market. Some of these will be suitable, others will not. Many manufacturers have scientific testing that "shows" that their fins are faster/better etc. However, these tests usually refer only to speed for flutter kicking, and say little about their compatibility for any other kicking styles which you may want to use.
We can recommend either the Mares "Avanti Quattro" (RRP £90) or Mares "X3" (RRP £48). Both of these fins are lightweight, and are comparatively rigid, and are a good compromise for those who do not wish to buy Jet Fins.

Introduction to Snorkels

A snorkel allows a diver to breathe while swimming on surface with face submerged.

Look for these features:

  • Cheap price - there's no need to spend extra on gizmos here...
  • Made of semi-flexible plastic / hard rubber with moulded mouthpiece which should be capable of swiveling slightly.
  • Mouthpiece flange fits between lips and gums and teeth grip on stumps.
  • Tube length 40 to 45 cm bore 2 to 3 cm diameter.
  • Tube should be L or J shaped or with convoluted bend.
  • Draining snorkels are OK (but not essential) so long as deflector directs exhaled breath up the tube rather than straight out through valve at lower end.

Testing for correct fit:

  • Try range of snorkel tubes. Find one with comfortable "bite".

What to avoid and why:

  • Snorkel with any form of valve at upper end intended to prevent entry of water. They are unnecessary and usually ineffective.
  • Complicated arrangements for clipping onto the mask - you will often wear the mask without the snorkel, and these can cause inconvenience.

Drysuits

This section gives an overview of Drysiut features and what to look for when you buy one. If you'd like more information and pictures you can download an informative and in-depth guide from X-Ray Magazine here, but note that some of the articles are written by manufacturers and may not be impartial.

Anatomy of a Drysuit

A scuba drysuit is basically a full-body waterproof suit, with seals round the neck and hands, a waterproof zip for you to get in, and valves to allow you to add and vent air.

Suit Material

There are 2 main types available in the UK at the moment:

  • Membrane (also known as tri-laminate) - a thin but sturdy 'bag' round the diver; generally has more room for expansion but isn't stretchy and doesn't provide any insulation
  • Neoprene - the same material as used for wetsuits. They provide some insulation, and are slightly stretchy, but need to be a slightly better fit than membrane suits. Neoprene compresses at depth, losing insulation and buoyancy. Crushed neoprene suits avoid this, but tend to be very expensive. Compressed neoprene reduces the effect somewhat, but not completely. (There is some more information on this here, from DUI, who make nice but expensive crushed neoprene suits). We would advise against getting a neoprene drysuit that wasn't at least 'compressed neoprene'.

Most people in the club have membrane drysuits; if you're buying new, we'd advise going for membrane over neoprene where features are otherwise similar. That said, many people do dive safely and comfortably in Neoprene drysuits.

Seals

Diving drysuits have seals for the head and neck. Seals are either Latex or Neoprene - Latex are generally slightly cheaper but may last less time, and provide less insulation. You can easily replace one with the other, and you can replace them yourself or get a shop/manufacturer to do it.

Zip

The zip is probably the most expensive single item on a drysuit, and a new one fitted would cost between £140 and £180. There are two types - rear entry zips on the shoulder (you'll need your buddy to zip you up), and front entry zips that go over your chest (you can do these up yourself). The front entry ones are generally more expensive.

Valves

You have one air inlet valve somewhere on your chest, which connects to your cylinder to allow you to put air in. There are two options for the connector, Apeks and Sitek (also known as 'international'), and the drysuit should come with a matching hose. Sitek connectors are the same as the ones used by most wings and BCDs, and the club regulators all have these connectors, so we'd recommend getting a Sitek inlet if possible, however getting a new connector for the drysuit valve costs about £4 so it's not a big issue.

You also have a dump valve. Here there are two main choices - an Autodump and a Cuff Dump. Cuff dumps are found on the left wrist, and will dump air when you raise your arm so that the left wrist is the highest point on the suit. Autodumps are located on the left shoulder, and can be adjusted to different pressure settings; a fully open one will dump any excess air, whereas a fully closed one will keep all air in the suit, handy for when you're on the surface and want some extra insulation. Most people in the club have autodumps.

Autodumps can be positioned in various different positions on the shoulder, see here for a diagram. They all work, but if you have the choice, then the "DIR style" may be slightly more comfortable with the club equipment and the way we tend to dive.

Note that you can get some drysuits without the valves - these are useless for scuba diving unless you don't plan to go deeper than about 3m, as they will get squeezed onto you and become very uncomfortable.

Undersuit

You'll want some kind of undersuit to keep you warm underwater. Commonly their insulation level is given in grams per square metre of material - 200g is common for UK diving; the thicker you have the more air you will have in your drysuit, and so the more weight you need. It's often easier to add extra layers of thermals and jumpers if the undersuit isn't warm enough; this means you can alter what you wear according to the conditions. Most drysuit manufacturers will sell undersuits as well. They tend to vary in the quality of the stitching.

Fourth Element offer a slightly different undersuit, the Arctics, which is based around fleece rather than thinsulate. Some people prefer them because they need less air; others complain they're not as warm. Northern Diver sell a similar version slightly cheaper. If you have thermal underwear and soft shell clothing (the sort of thing you'd wear skiing or hillwalking) you could try experimenting with different combinations as an alternative.

Generally the undersuit will be a 1 piece (whole body) or 2 piece (separate jacket and trousers), with separate booties for the feet.

How to tell if a suit is a good fit

Ideally, put the suit on whilst wearing an undersuit. If you haven't yet got one, use a few thick jumpers and thick trousers. You should be able to get in comfortably, and be able to crouch and have full motion of your arms (including putting them behind your neck). Common things to watch for are not enough material at the armpits, restricting your arm motion. Ideally there shouldn't be too much spare length on the legs - otherwise you're at risk from floaty feet. If it's a bit baggy round the arms or torso, this tends to be less of a problem, as long as it's not extreme. Don't be surprised if the neck and wrist seals are initially very tight - you can stretch these before diving, so it's less of an issue.

Options when buying a drysuit

Boots

Drysuits will typically come with 'wellington boots' - big rubber boots (sometimes neoprene) that are integrated with the suit. If these fit you well, they are great - however if you have too much free space in them you have the potential for floaty feet, and they can be awkward to put on. There are several different materials used, and different boot sizes, so it's best to try the suit on. (Don't forget that you'll probably want undersuit booties, or at least thick ski socks, to keep your feet warm

An alternative is to get neoprene socks on the drysuit to keep you dry, and outside them put a 'rock boot' or wetsuit boot to provide a sole to walk on, something for your fins to strap to, and to keep the sock tight round your foot. A few people in the club have these. They're definitely a nice option if you can get them

Pockets

Some drysuits come with pockets, some don't. There are a range of different types and sizes of pockets, some with zips and some with velcro. Pockets are also the easiest thing to put on yourself later, so don't worry too much if your suit doesn't come with them; as a beginner you probably won't have anything you need to carry in them. Velcro bellows pockets on the outside of the thigh are generally preferred in the club; some suits will come with them on the front of the thigh instead, which is marginally less streamlined, but not a big issue.

Hood

Some drysuits have the option of an integrated hood; we'd suggest instead buying a separate hood - as much as anything else, if you're doing warm water wetsuit diving you can reuse the hood.

Braces

A set of braces helps keep your drysuit on you while you've only half put it on. These are probably more useful for rear entry suits than front entry. Nice, but not essential.

Sources

Manufacturers

If possible, go to your local manufacturer, try their off the peg suits, and if necessary they can measure you for a made to measure suit. You can see a list of manufacturers here, and a map of their locations round the UK here. Note that we in the club haven't tried all of these, so it might be worth searching for reviews before deciding where to go. Yorkshire Divers Forums are a good starting point for these - but bare in mind that every manufacturer will have a few poor suits, because making something totally waterproof is very difficult; how a company deals with stuff when it goes wrong is more important, and some companies seem to have a better reputation for customer service than others. Opinions and facts are very different.

Some places do made to measure suits online, which are good value if you're careful with your measurements - but made to measure suits also take a while to make (sometimes 6 to 8 weeks), and we've had problems with manufacturers not strictly keeping to their deadlines before, so order with plenty of time.

Many manufacturers will sell cheaper ex-demo suits, or made to measure suits that didn't quite fit. You may also have more room for negotiation when dealing with the manufacturer, especially if you want one them to price match one of the online made to measure deals.

If you are buying a suit online, check the size chart for the manufacturer on their website - they all have an extensive range of sizes and you might find one that is right for you. Buying a stock suit will be quicker. Some manufacturers will also make small adjustments to stock suits

For undersuits, as well as the manufacturers themselves, look at Lomo and Fourth Element

Local Dive Shops

Your local dive shop ('LDS') may have a few different drysuits to try, if they don't, find another Dive Shop. They will probably also be able to measure you and order some in - you may pay a little extra for this, but you get the convenience of someone local to talk to if you have issues. Also if you're buying a Drysuit you will probably be able to get a discount or a special price if you're buying an undersuit/hood/gloves at the same time - try to get an idea of the online prices before you buy so that you know if you are paying a lot more than you should.

Second Hand

You can also find some good second hand deals on the Yorkshire Divers Forums, and also on ebay. Of course, if you get something 2nd hand and it doesn't fit you, you can hopefully sell it at the same price. If you're buying second hand online and you can't try the suit on, ask the seller to make sure that the boots are the right size (that is big enough for you to wear a thick pair of socks in), and that it fits someone that is your size (i.e. height and weight). It's not uncommon for second hand drysuits to need replacement seals (wrist or ankle). These are just glued on, depending on your technical abilities this may be a trivial job, or not. If you're considering this route, you can find some prices for repairs here, or for DIY prices and instructions see here. These aren't necessarily the cheapest prices, but should give you an idea. Ebay is also a good place to look for second hand undersuits.

If you find a suit on ebay that looks good to you and you would like a second opinion, ask someone in the club - we can't tell you whether it will definately fit you, or whether it leaks, but we will be able to tell you if it's a reputable brand and if it's suitable for diving>