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Shopping for dive gear isn't the cheapest pastime in the world. And there's nothing worse than forking over a large amount of cash, only to realise later that you bought the wrong thing.
Buying the right product for yourself can be difficult even for an experienced diver who knows exactly what he needs. When you're a novice just starting out, it can be impossible.
So, here's my advice on getting the best out of your dive shop. It's mostly fairly universal advice, but it IS mainly targeted at UK divers. I'd like to thank the folks at Yorkshire Divers for their feedback on this guide as well.
The first thing most people buy is the mask, fins and snorkel combination.
That's your basics. Now, assuming you're a qualified diver who's ready to start getting fully kitted-out, what should you buy first?
In my opinion, your first purchase should be a dive suit. If you're a warm-water diver, then you don't want to be hiring wetsuits that dozens of people have hired and urinated in before you. If you're a cold-water diver, your suit MUST be a good fit, or you're going to spend all your dives cold, wet, and miserable. Nothing can detract from your enjoyment of diving like being uncomfortable the entire time, and few things can dull your ability to cope with a crisis more than being cold.
After the drysuit, get a regulator. Your own regulator is likely to give an easier breathe and be more reliable than a hired one.
After you're sorted with regulators, you're ready for a Buoyancy Compensating Device
After those items, the order in which you buy is mostly dependant on what diving you're doing:
If you're diving in the UK, a good, powerful torch is a necessity. Even if you don't believe in diving in water that's not warmer and clearer than your local swimming pool, a dive light can be handy to bring back all the colour the water has leeched out.
Size and type of cylinder are an important choice.
Surface marker buoys: The SMB
The Computer
Then there's Gloves
That's about all your major purchases covered. Other bits and pieces you can add as and when. However, a few general pieces of advice you should consider
Good luck with your purchasing.