Whether it’s the experience and grandeur of the underwater world or the up-close and personal view of the  fascinating marine life it holds, you know after that first plunge into clear blue waters that you’re hooked and will go scuba diving again. If that’s the case, you’ve probably already completed or decided on your Open Water certification and your next dive vacation.

As a beginner you may not have given much thought of owning your own dive gear as it’s possible to rent what you need to Scuba dive, but you know you’re going to dive again, keeping that in mind it’s worth owning some essential diving equipment. Here’s a a look into basic diving gear worth investing in as a newbie to scuba diving and what to consider while making your purchase.

Scuba Masks: This is the first and the most basic piece of equipment you want to buy for diving or even just snorkeling and enjoying coral reefs or fish in shallow waters.  Diving masks come in different sizes, although adjustable with the mask strap, it’s very important that the mask fit you well and not be loose so as to let water in or even to tight giving you mask squeeze with the water pressure at depths. It’s important that your mask is a comfortable fit for your face, gives you the maximum and a clear view underwater and most importantly not let water in your mask. The last thing you need is your mask flooding and ruining your dive experience, so a scuba mask must be first on you list of scuba gear to own.

Scuba Fins: Just as important as a mask, are the fins you use for movement underwater.  Normally paired together with scuba booties for a good fit, good fins are very important. An inappropriate pair of fins can make your dive miserable, give you blisters or chafes and even sap more energy fining causing you to tire out more quickly. There are two options for getting a pair of scuba fins. Full-foot pocket dive fins which enclose the whole foot and the open-heel pocket wherein it encloses the front portion of the foot and has a heel strap that braces the fin to the foot. The heel strap on this type of dive fins can be adjustable with buckles on each side of the foot. The second type of fins can be worn barefoot but is better with scuba booties. While it’s possible to rent, owning a pair of fins that fit properly is well worth it for sure.

Wetsuits: Not so much a necessity, but wetsuits are useful to have while diving in chilly waters or incase of thermo-clines. Made from layers of neoprene, wetsuits provide good insulation and thermal protection during a dive. Wetsuits are also good protection form sunburn and rashes to sensitive skin from the BCD.  The two main types of wetsuits are namely the long john full length that covers your full arms and legs and the shorties which feature short sleeves and tights that cover upto your thighs. Wetsuits also come in various thickness’ providing more or less protect from the cold, although for very cold dives drysuits are used.

Dive Computers: Dive computers are a great investment if you plan on diving a bit. Essential for every diver’s safety during a dive is always knowing your depth, dive times and pressure. Cost aside, the dive computer makes scuba diving more informational and less risky than ever. With the use of a dive computer a diver, professional or recreational, has an idea on the status of his dive underwater at all times. There are a multitude of features that a dive computer can have and as a beginner a basic dive computer will do with a tracking of your dive profile, times, depth, pressure and decompression stops. Just like every other thing, dive computer has its limits and too much reliance on dive computers is risk, however it’s an essential piece of equipment for safe diving.

There’s a lot more gear to scuba diving, however as a beginner you should look to own these 4 essentials to better your diving experience. When you’re comfortable in the water and look to diving more in the you can invest in other scuba gear to put to use. Till then happy diving!