Scuba diving has been one of the most popular water sports for many years now. Its unique beauty lies in the fact that it’s done underwater with the help of special gear – scuba gear. Aside from a mask, a snorkel, an exposure suit, and fins, a recreational scuba diver needs life-support equipment as well. Without it, a scuba diving session practically turns into a freediving one. Read on to find out why BCDs, regulators, and dive computers are irreplaceable items of scuba gear.
Buoyancy Control Devices (BCDs)
A buoyancy control device, also known as buoyancy compensator, is an immensely important piece of life-support equipment. This complex item contains an inflatable air bladder which allows the diver to achieve neutral buoyancy at any depth as well as positive buoyancy while resting on the surface. Moreover, the buoyancy control device is designed to make carrying a tank and accessories easy.
When shopping for a BCD, you should look for one that fits you perfectly. This means that the BCD you opt for should be comfortable even when inflated. Another thing you should pay attention to is the accessibility and ease of use of the valves, straps, and pockets. You should also check whether the inflator hose can be reached easily as well as whether the inflate and deflate buttons can be distinguished from one another.
Regulators
Diving regulators are indispensable items of scuba diving equipment. Without a diving regulator, there can’t be scuba diving. The main purpose of this piece of scuba gear is to convert the high-pressure air in the diver’s tank into ambient-pressure air so they can breathe it. Furthermore, it delivers air to the scuba diver’s BC inflator.
When it comes to choosing the right diving regulator for you, you must keep in mind that high performance and comfort are the key benefits it should yield. Since quality diving regulators can deliver a high volume of air even at low tank pressures, you shouldn’t hesitate to splurge on this item of scuba gear. If you fear that you might make a poor choice, I advise you to consult with experienced scuba divers and have a nice, informative talk with dive store staff members.
Dive Computers
Dive computers are really useful tools because they constantly measure the time as well as the depth of the dive. By doing that, a dive computer automatically recalculates the diver’s no-decompression status and offers them longer dive times within a safe envelope.
When searching for this invaluable piece of scuba diving equipment, you should look for one that’s user-friendly and can be easily mounted. A feature-packed dive computer that doesn’t offer easy and quick access to the most necessary pieces of information during a diving session isn’t worth your money.