Julie Andersen Sr Global Director, Brand for PADI Worldwide – a diver for over 20 years and founder of Shark Savers, Shark Angels, and Fin Free gives us her top tips for the best diving gear essentials to have on board to ensure clients get the most out of every dive.
1. Regulator
Owning your own regulator allows you to have peace of mind that you are the only one who has breathed from it. Bonus… you also don’t have to worry about adjusting the settings every time you dive.
A regulator is a great investment that, with the proper maintenance, will be your literal life support system for decades! I always recommend investing in this piece of gear thinking about the future of your diving as well, considering how you’ll dive, where, and how frequently.
Personally, I love lighter regulators–you certainly can’t beat titanium regulators for travel and the heftier price tags are certainly worth it. But technology has come a long way and even the less expensive regulators allow you to breathe as if you are on land – even when deep underwater.
Each dive manufacturer tends to have a range of regulators (which include both the first stage and second stage) from daily “workhorses” to very high-end specialized regulators. Your local PADI Dive Center can help you choose the right regulator for your budget and your diving preferences.
2. Computer
Hands down, if you invest in one piece of dive equipment, choose a dive computer. Not only is it the most important piece of safety gear that a diver should have on them at all times, but the addition of features to dive computers literally also makes them smart devices underwater (think Apple Watch for divers!)
From surface GPS and mapping to heart rate monitoring, dive log collections, and fitness tracking, this is the equipment to splurge on. And while you may think you don’t need all the fancy features because you won’t use them, chances are you will. I love the smart features my dive computer offers and I put them all to good use whether I am above or beneath the surface.
One of my favorite features of a dive computer is the fact that it does all the hard calculations for you. They are designed to determine your bottom time, your surface intervals and even factor in your nitrox levels. These calculations will not only enhance your safety while diving but also improve your overall well-being by adjusting your diving algorithm based on factors such as skin temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate.
Plus, for those that love to log their dives, you can sync this information to your dive computer’s app to store all the information and log your dives all in one place.
Every manufacturer has different usability, from the number of buttons on the computer (two, three, or four) to how the dive computer transfers data – so you’ll want to spend some time with your manual to get the most out of your computer.
3. Buoyancy Compensating Device (BCD)
This critical piece of equipment not only holds and connects all your life-support gear and lets you establish the right amount of buoyancy you need, but it is the primary piece of gear that lets you be a responsible and skilled diver.
Achieve perfect buoyancy on every dive by choosing a BCD that fits, has the proper amount of lift, and ideally with weights integrated. Definitely try a jacket style BCD that has front-inflation and a back-inflated BCD to determine which you prefer. To further enhance your skills with your BCD, you should also take PADI’s Peak Performance Buoyancy Course, which teaches you how to achieve neutral buoyancy.
Having your own BCD also enables you to add lights, whistles, clips and other safety devices and keeps them arranged in the way that you prefer and are familiar with. You can also upgrade many BCDs so that the inflator hose serves as an alternative air source as well, eliminating the need for additional hoses and a secondary “octopus”. It’s streamlining at its finest.
4. Wetsuit
Personally, I’d put buying a wetsuit a close second to a computer, as being comfortable and keeping your body temperature regulated is the number one factor in my dive’s enjoyment. I love to stay below the surface as long as possible, so having a wetsuit that fits well and keeps me cozy is absolutely key.
If your suit is too tight, you’ll be incredibly uncomfortable, and if it’s too loose, you can get cold quickly. And honestly, I also prefer to know that I’m the only person that’s been in my suit. Simply slipping into a suit that is your own will help you get in the water faster, know the correct amount of weights that you need and be better able to enjoy your dive.
There is no universal size chart when it comes to wetsuits, so I highly recommend trying on different styles (there are a lot of them) and also different manufacturers to determine what you prefer for your body type and style of diving. You’ll have many options from zippered wrists and ankles to wetsuit thickness and from integrated hoods to plush linings inside to keep you warm.
My personal go-to is a 3 mil back zip suit with a 2 mil hooded vest underneath if it gets cold – and I’ve chosen wetsuits made from higher-end materials that are also environmentally friendly. There is a huge difference in thermal protection based on materials and all wetsuits are not made alike.
I also highly recommend picking a wetsuit that is kind to our blue planet and is made from sustainable materials; my wetsuit is made from petroleum-free limestone neoprene, solvent-free glue and recycled polyester.
Unfortunately, the materials, manufacturing process and lack of recycling options can make exposure protection choices hard on our environment, which is why PADI launched the first of its kind recycling program in the UK this month to allow for the repurposing of old wetsuits using sustainable methods – rather than them ending up in landfills.
5. Underwater camera
Once you’ve mastered your peak performance buoyancy, you become comfortable underwater, and you’ve earned your PADI Advanced Open Water certification, you won’t want to go anywhere without a way to capture all of the incredible moments underwater… myself included. There are plenty of beginner options to take both stills and video, from GoPro to Canon.
Rather than learn a new device, I love taking my iPhone underwater, which is why I am very excited about a new option–the Sea Life SportDiver SmartPhone housing that I now take out for every aquatic adventure. Not only is it compact and easy to travel with, but the housing is also compatible with most Android models and the iPhone 7 and up. This enables me to use the photography skills I’ve already acquired using my sophisticated smartphone camera above the surface and take below the surface now too.
Using the Sea Life app, you have access to all of your phone’s typical settings, including Portrait Mode and Live Photo. It can also be outfitted with a tray and lights – so you can increase the quality of your photos as you increase your skills (and your investment!) Depth-rated to 130 feet, the SportDiver housing has a vacuum seal and dual leak alarms for additional security to make sure your phone is safe underwater.
And the images, once you learn a few tips, can give the professional housings and setups a run for their money, like this image I captured while on a liveaboard in Socorro Island last year!
6. Neuro x PADI reusable tins
Make sure to pack functional gum and mints that keep you energized with clean ingredients between dives and also gives back to supporting the creation of positive ocean change.
PADI and Neuro, the two leading lifestyle and purpose-driven brands, have united in a shared mission that is born out of the transformational powers of the water– and are offering a streamlined way to enhance your wellbeing and that of the ocean. Throughout the year, they will be releasing a collection of two limited edition reusable Neuro x PADI tins designed to be used with all the bulk Neuro bag products, with 20% of profits donated to PADI AWARE Foundation and $100K USD committed to the world’s largest purpose-driven diving organization’s nonprofit charity by the end of 2024.
The first of the co-branded tins that are now available for purchase showcases artwork created by Neuro co-founder Kent Yoshimura, who is also a renowned mural artist, and depicts a whale breaching in the ocean.
“The whale is symbolic of how everything is interconnected and small changes can have a huge impact upon our ocean – and all life that calls it home,” explains Yoshimura. “By refilling and using this tin, you’ll cut down on your packaging waste, fuel yourself with clean ingredients to live your best life, and do more for all vulnerable marine species.”
“At least 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year and more than 250 million tons of plastic are estimated to pollute our waters by 2025,” says Julie Andersen, PADI’s Senior Director of Brand. “Much of that debris is ingested by all of the ocean’s creatures – including the symbolic megafauna like whales. By creating this campaign, PADI and Neuro have come together to drive change and heal ourselves, our communities, and the ocean – our largest and most important ecosystem on this blue planet, and the very thing responsible for life on earth.”
7. Tula Blue – Waterproof jewelry for Scuba Divers
Beautify your exploration in the ocean with Tula Blue, a line of waterproof jewelry that moves with you on any adventure, no matter how deep below the surface you explore. This minimalist fashion brand ascended from the depths of CEO and Founder Heather Stringer’s love for the ocean, where she and her team in Texas hand make each individual piece using sustainably sourced crystals and semi-precious gemstones spun and secured onto nautical-grade rope that is similar to what sailboats use.
“Each piece of Tula Blue, whether it be an anklet or a necklace, is designed to be a gift from the planet so that in turn you can be a gift for the planet,” says Stringer. “We’ve redefined how you can wear your intentions and are helping female scuba divers and freedivers feel beautiful while they explore and protect the ocean.”
Tula Blue is the first water-proof jewelry line made specifically with ocean explorers and advocates in mind – with the range of crystals and gemstones representing the various healing powers the ocean can provide and serving as a reminder that it will take a community of like-minded females to keep our ocean beautiful and healthy. One of the most popular among scuba divers is the labradorite pendant, which represents a drop of the ocean and metaphysically is a gemstone that is one of the most powerful protectors and enhances connection in the natural world.
Weaving purpose into everything they do, Heather has teamed up with PADI Club to donate 5% of every purchase from members to ocean conservation programs run by PADI AWARE.
About PADI
PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organisation with a global community of 6,600 dive centres and resorts, 128,000 professional members and more than 30 million certified divers to date. Fully committed to our blue planet, PADI empowers people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and connecting the passionate through Learning, Club, Travel, Gear and the PADI AWARE Foundation, with a singular goal of creating ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean. SM www.padi.com
