Scuba Gear- Equipment Requirements and More

Those lucky enough who have had the experience of breathing underwater can attest to the beauty, splendor and mystery down there. Viewing rare fishes and plant life can make any adventurer giddy with excitement.

The sport requires certification because there are important lessons involved with underwater breathing and oxygen intake. These lessons will also cover the basic scuba gear needed for you to venture into the deep. But if you want to be ahead of the curve, here's a comprehensive guide to the basic equipment.

Masks - What's the point of swimming underwater if you can't see anything? Scuba masks allow you to view the marvelous world around you providing an airtight seal around your eyes/nose so water can't get in. Older masks have one lens that covers the whole mouth/nose area, but high-quality ones now have segmented lenses, like glasses. With a clear field of vision, silicone skirt, comfortable nose pocket, a high-grade, flexible silicone strap, and a comfortable nose pocket - these masks are your best bet for underwater success.

Fins - Don't go into any gear shop and call these "flippers"; you'll get laughed right out of there. Fins increase the power behind your kicks, greatly improving your ability to propel yourself through water. By increasing the area of your feet, fins displace more water when you kick and, in turn, that resistance gives you greater speed. Fins are very important because when you're wearing so much gear - wetsuit, air tanks, etc - it becomes very difficult to maneuver them. There are many fin-shapes, which you will learn more about through experience.

Weights - You've geared up and you're ready to take the first plunge. You jump in (splash!) and... you're stuck. Instead of looking at underwater marvels, you're stuck on your back and then you remember that you forgot your weight belt. We all have varying degrees of buoyancy that help us float in the water, which is a life saver if you're stranded out on the ocean, but no good to us if we WANT to sink - that's why most people need weight belts to counteract their natural buoyancy. A traditional weight belt consists of a nylon rope and solid weights that can slide on and off the belt. However, you can also use pouches with weights in them similar to beanbags. The trick is to become neutral in the water so you're neither sinking nor floating.

Wetsuits - Scuba gear is designed to make the swimmer as comfortable as possible, but no other equipment provides comfort better than a wetsuit. Underwater environments are cold, so unless you're diving in tropical waters at the warmest time of year, chances are you're going to need a wetsuit to keep warm. Wetsuits work by trapping a layer of water between your skin and the suit. Without further circulation, the trapped water becomes warmed by your body heat, thereby acting as an insulator. There are drysuits that prevent water from entering the suit altogether, but these are very pricy and not necessary for beginner divers.