Buying Scuba Equipment

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Scuba Diving

The little mermaid wanted nothing more than to become human, but for us lifelong landlubbers, the idea of breathing underwater is equally alluring—and challenging. This guide shows you where to get certification, find a place to dive, get the best deals on equipment and connect with the scuba diving community.

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Scuba Diving Certification

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Where to Scuba Dive

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Scuba Diving Vacations

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Scuba Diving News

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Buying Scuba Equipment

“Scuba” is an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, so it follows that you need a significant amount of gear to do it. Not only does diving require the apparatus itself, but you’ll also need a mask, fins, weights, a buoyancy compensator and more. This section shows you how to evaluate scuba gear and where to find it.

Dulcinea's Insight

Although all the sites below allow you to buy gear online, you may not actually want to. Scuba gear can be cumbersome and your comfort will be a matter of personal taste. You may want to visit a store where you can try things on.

The diving magazines listed in the sections above are surefire sources for product reviews, especially when an item is first introduced on the market. Such magazines may also report on good dealers, or have recommendations from pros.

All the sites listed below make similar promises of “best price guarantee.” You can either find a site you like the best, or use all three. Since they’re discount sites, they might have different items in stock at different times.

Dulcinea's Picks

For gear guides …

Sport Diver Magazine lists and reviews hundreds of products in several categories of gear. Editors at the magazine have selected products, and you’ll find links to sites where you can purchase products or learn more.

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The Scuba Guide has a gear directory that provides a few ways you can search for gear. Browse items by manufacturer using the list on the right, or by item type using the photos in the center of the page.

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For buying gear online …

Scuba.com is a well-organized site offering many different brands of scuba gear. All products are under full warrantee, and Scuba.com offers 150% price protection. If you find a product they sell for less anywhere else, you’ll get 150% of the difference as a credit toward your next purchase.

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LeisurePro , the oldest online gear dealer, has a flashier site that does most of what Scuba.com does, including promise you the best prices out there. You can also return gear for a full refund after 60 days, and a store credit after 120.

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JoeDiverAmerica.com promotes many of its less expensive products, although it has a comprehensive range of gear from name brand manufacturers. One unique feature of Joe’s is that it offers exchange/store credit for used gear within a 90-day return period.

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Who knew?

Vintage Scuba Supply buys and sells vintage and antique scuba gear. Send in your gear for repair, buy products to help fix your old gear or just browse through their online museum.

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