Scuba Gear List for Beginners: What to Buy, What to Rent
Every piece of scuba gear a beginner meets: what each one does, what new divers usually buy first and rent first, our price ranges, and where to buy.
On your first dive course, the boat deck is covered in gear. The first questions are usually "what is all this?" and "do I have to buy it?" This guide walks through the scuba gear a recreational diver uses: what each piece does in the water, what new divers usually buy first, what they rent first, and the prices on our site.
What each piece does comes from PADI's guides. The prices come from our own product pages.
The scuba gear list
- Mask: lets you see clearly underwater. PADI points out that divers wear masks, not goggles. Goggles are for swimmers. See masks
- Snorkel: lets you breathe at the surface, so you save the air in your tank for the dive, before and after. See snorkels
- Fins: control how you move and how fast. Divers call them fins, never flippers. See fins
- Boots (booties): needed with open-heel fins. They help in colder water and protect your feet when you walk on shore or on a boat deck.
- Wetsuit: keeps you warm and protects your skin. It comes full length or as a shorty. In colder water divers use a drysuit, which has built-in boots. See wetsuits
- Tank (cylinder): holds the high-pressure gas you breathe. It holds air, not oxygen, so "oxygen tank" is the wrong name.
- Regulator: lets you breathe from the tank. The first stage connects to the tank valve and lowers the pressure. The second stage is the mouthpiece you breathe from. See regulators
- Octopus: a spare second stage, often yellow, for your buddy if they run out of air. More in What is an octopus? See octopus regulators
- SPG (submersible pressure gauge): shows how much air is left in your tank.
- BCD (buoyancy control device): a vest with an air bladder. Add or release air to control your buoyancy. It also carries the tank. See BCDs
- Dive computer: measures depth and dive time, and helps work out how long you can stay at that depth. See dive computers
- Weights and weight belt: help you sink from the surface. They go on a belt or in an integrated weight system, depending on your gear.
Extras can come later, for example a dive light for looking into coral or inside a wreck, and a gear bag. See dive lights · See bags
What beginners buy first, and what they rent
You don't need a full set on day one. PADI writes that owning gear is not required, but some places may ask you to bring at least your own basics: mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit.
Personal-fit items: usually bought first
Mask, snorkel, fins, boots and wetsuit depend on the shape of your face and feet. PADI is direct about it: fit is everything, and the best mask in the world won't work if it doesn't fit you. A leaking mask or a badly fitting rental BCD can take a lot of the fun out of a dive. Another PADI article lists the writer's own first basics as fins, boots, mask and a computer, and says it's common for new divers to invest in basics like these after the open water course.
For help with fit, read How to choose a dive mask and How to choose dive fins.
Big items: fine to rent at first
Most people start by renting the regulator, BCD, tank and weights. PADI's advice is to buy the bigger items, such as a regulator, suit and BCD, once you know what suits you underwater. While you rent, ask to try different options so you learn which one works best for you. As for tanks and weights, PADI notes that most dive packages include them.
The dive computer sits in between. Some divers rent one at first, others buy early. One PADI author counts a computer among the basics worth owning from the start, together with fins, boots and a mask.
Gear names to get right
PADI lists these as common beginner slips.
- It's a tank or cylinder, not an oxygen tank. Divers breathe air.
- They're fins, not flippers.
- It's a mask, not goggles.
- Divers often call regulators regs, and the second stage is also called a DV (demand valve).
Scuba gear prices on our site
These ranges come from the models that have a price on our site today. For models without a price yet, ask us on LINE.
| Gear | Price on our site |
|---|---|
| Masks | ฿1,290–฿19,900 |
| Snorkels | ฿2,300 |
| Fins | ฿4,290–฿15,990 |
| Wetsuits | ฿16,800 |
| BCDs | ฿29,900 |
| Dive lights | ฿7,490 |
| Regulators · octopus · dive computers · bags | Ask for a price on LINE |
We don't sell boots yet, nor tanks or weights. Use the dive shop's, or the ones included in your dive package.
Where to buy scuba gear
Buy from an authorised dealer and you get the brand's warranty. Dive Records is an authorised dealer for GULL · SCUBAPRO · Apeks · Dive Rite · Aqualung. See every model on our dive gear page.
For now, orders go through LINE at @diverecords. Pick the model, colour and size on the product page, then tap the LINE order button and the details go into the chat. For masks, ask us on LINE before you order. Shipping within Thailand is free from ฿2,000; below that, we quote the fee in the chat before you pay. Shipping and size-exchange terms are on our shipping and returns page.
Not sure where to start? Message us first, or watch our tips for beginners video.
FAQ
What is the basic scuba gear?
PADI says every diver should use a mask, snorkel and fins. The set that lets you breathe underwater is the tank, BCD and regulator, plus a dive computer, weights and an exposure suit such as a wetsuit.
Do beginners need to buy a full set?
No. Most start with the personal-fit items: mask, snorkel, fins, boots and wetsuit. The regulator, BCD, tank and weights can be rented at first.
Is it "flippers" or "fins"?
Fins. In the same way, divers wear a mask, not goggles, and breathe from a tank or cylinder, not an oxygen tank.
