equipment

As you come towards the end of your pool training you will have to organise your kit.
Branch kit is available for use in the pool and we hire out BCs, regulators, cylinders and weight belts for open water dives. What the branch does not hire out for open water dives is mask, fins, snorkel, wetsuit and boots, gloves and a safety flag. These you will need to buy (although some dive shops hire out wetsuits). A lot of this information is covered in the theory lectures but this is a summary.

mask

It's useful to get a mask early on in your pool training, so it fits your face properly. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, some masks can be fitted with prescription lenses, or you can wear contact lenses under your mask. Take your optical prescription when you go and buy a mask and if it is a fairly simple prescription they can fit it at the dive shop.
Cost: around £30, plus £20-25 per lens for standard prescriptions.

snorkel

Cheap snorkels are fine. The more expensive ones have valves at the bottom to make them easier to clear, but aren't necessary. A lot of people do not take a snorkel with them on normal dives.
Cost: £6 to £20.

fins

Do not buy fins for pool use (the closed heel type). The fins you use in the open water are designed for wearing over boots, so have straps at the back to adjust them.
Cost: Anything from £20 to well over £100, but £40-60 is a reasonable price to aim at.

wetsuit

Talk to an instructor about a wetsuit as the type you need for UK diving is called a semi-dry suit and is a thick wetsuit (7mm neoprene) with seals to minimise the amount of water that gets in. It is important that your semi-dry suit fits you well, so take your time buying it (some shops may allow you to return a suit if it has only been used in the pool, but ask for advice in the shop when trying it on).
Second-hand semi-dry suits can often be found (look at the adverts in the back of 'Dive' magazine, buy a copy of 'Loot' or check our notice board). As mentioned earlier, you need to try your suit out in the pool, so make sure you get it in plenty of time before you aim to do your first open water dives.
Cost: £150 to £200 new.

boots

Neoprene boots are worn inside your fins. Zipped ones are easier to get on, but the zips can eventually go wrong. Boots are not required if you decide to buy a dry suit.
Cost: around £30.

dry suit

Again, talk to an instructor before buying a dry suit. As the name suggests, these suits keep you dry when you are diving as they have tight seals on the wrists and neck, and integral boots.
They are not essential for most of the UK diving we do, but many people find a wetsuit too cold at certain times of the year.
There are two types, membrane and neoprene. You should ask to have the difference explained to you. The disadvantage of a dry suit is the cost. Second hand drysuits are available, but please seek advice before buying one, as it is important that your suit is in good condition and fits you.
Cost: typically between £400 and £600.

gloves

Neoprene gloves are essential most of the year in the UK, but some people do not wear them in the warmest months. 3mm thick should be fine for most people, 5mm thick keep your hands warmer but reduce your manual dexterity.
Cost: £20 to £30.

safety flag

These are invaluable for helping the boat handler spot you when you surface from your dive. It is a branch rule that everyone must have a flag when they dive from the boat. We usually have some in the equipment room for sale.
Cost: £15 from the branch, £18-19 in dive shops.

goodie bag

A simple net bag to hold your mask, fins, gloves and other loose items on the boat. Not essential, but well advised so you don't lose everything!
Cost: £6-8.

A torch, knife and watch and/or computer are not essential for your first dives, although a knife and watch are strongly recommended.

Dive shops vary in size and the makes of equipment they stock. Look in Dive magazine (you'll get a copy as part of your BSAC membership) or ask in the equipment room for shops that other club members use.
In all dive shops, ask for a discount. Generally you won't get much off if you're just buying a mask, but if you buy a few things at once, you may get a 10-15% discount.
If you're intending to buy a lot of kit and are prepared to wait, the annual dive shows can offer some extremely good bargains. Second hand kit can be very good value, but ask for advice.

As part of your beginners training fee you can hire a regulator, BC, cylinder and weight belt for 5 days free of charge. A deposit of £100 must be left when kit is hired. After you've used your free days the charge is £5.50 per item per day of diving.
Once you have the diving bug, you'll want to gradually buy your own equipment, but you can carry on hiring from the branch as long as you need to.