Open Water Equipment

The below is intended as a helpful checklist of what is needed for open water diving in the UK, dive equipment is very expensive and there is a vast variety of options available to you.

We strongly recommend speaking at length with a number of instructors to get an idea of what may best suite your needs and budget. Choosing the right shop will also provide you with the best advice, ideally take an instructor with you to help you spend wisely.

The list below is an absolute minimum to safely enter the open water.

Exposure protection suit

• Dry Suit – Membrane and Under Suit, or Neoprene with thin under suit or similar, socks or thermal booties, ankle weights – pool training is required before using a dry suit in the open water.

• or Semi-Dry with boots, swimming costume, towel and wind proof jacket.

Wet suits are not suitable for UK waters.

Everything else

• Hood (if not integral with semi-dry suit)

• Gloves

• Knife

• Fins

• Mask

• Snorkel

• Weight belt

• Buoyancy compensator with backpack

• Cylinder

• Demand Valve – 1st and 2nd stage with contents gauge and octopus

• Net (goodie) bag

• Depth Gauge

• Watch

• Food and lots of soft non-fizzy drinks

Optional extras

• Dive Kit Bag

• Compass

• Net cutter / scissors

• Torch

• Surface Marker Buoy + reel

• Set of tables

• Slate to write on / submersible tables

• Computer

• Tool kit