| By :
Mark Jenner
Scuba diving can be a lot more enjoyable if you choose well balanced equipment. It is even more important being comfortable with you gear when you are learning and many are put off from bad experiences at the start. A full set of diving equipment is very expensive and most people are unable to keep buying items until they get it right. When starting buy yourself a comfortable mask that you know you can rely upon, and a set of fins also. These are personal items that are close fitting to your body. The mask in particular must be leak free and a good fit on your face - loaning a mask will lead to leaky spoiled dives. When learning in colder water you should get your own pair of warm gloves at least, and if possible your own suit. You can buy the other items of scuba gear later on. Qualifications can be gained by using the main bits of kit provided, and you will get to know the various configurations that are possible. Then when you come to buy your buoyancy jacket, regulators and cylinders you will be more experienced in what to expect and you will know what you will be more comfortable with. For example, most people in a cold water diving club will be recommended to buy a 15 litre diving cylinder for the type of diving they expect to be doing. However, there are many divers who will find this cylinder heavy, and because their breathing is slow and regular might find that they only need a ten litre cylinder which is far more comfortable to carry. This situation is just as relevant for more experienced divers. For example, take the diver who is commencing technical diving training. He or she will be advised to purchase twin twelve litre cylinders because it seems that 'that is standard practice'. However, these tanks weigh around thirty five kilos with the harness and this is far too heavy for those with a smaller frame. Another popular choice is two ten litre tanks - though some people find these are too short to rest on a bench when sitting on a boat waiting to dive. Many opt for twin seven litre sets but feel that the amount of gas it is possible to carry is too little for much of the diving they expect to do. Another alternative would be to buy twin sevens rated for three hundred bar pressure - but these are difficult to fill completely at most filling stations. However, if you do your research, you will find that there is a seldom used twin eight and a half litre configuration on the market. These are as long as twelve's and as light as a single fifteen. This setup will allow the adventurous diver to extend their range considerably while still having the added benefit of twin tank redundancy - and at a weight that will not break the back! It pays to try out gear before you buy it. If you can borrow or rent items before committing to the purchase you can save costly mistakes, or find that your enjoyment of the sport is considerably enhanced.
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