The purchase of your diving equipment is a major investment. Buying quality equipment, caring for it properly and having it regularly serviced can ensure your investment lasts many years and 100's of dives. In each product category there is enormous choice available.

Firstly, we are here to help you make affordable and appropriate choices for YOUR diving needs. As  an Aquanaut dealer we have access to the largest range of the best equipment available from anywhere in the world. That said, when you are new to diving, it can be rather bewildering and most dive equipment seems the same - its not. In making an informed decision, ask as many questions as possible.

In making a decision to buy equipment, keep in mind the most expensive gear does not mean it is the best gear FOR YOU. There are a couple of basic guidelines:

• Buy the best equipment you can afford, and
• Make your decision based on the type of diving you WANT to do in the future, not based on the diving that you do now. For example, if you plan to do deep diving you will need to seriously consider a dive computer. Wreck diving - Non-split fins because split fins have a tendancy to cause 'silt-outs' (stir up the bottom sediments) and can also cause damage to delicate marine life by the way water is transferred from the fin during a kick.

Often the most cost-effective way is purchase dive gear as a package. In conjunction with Aquanaut we are pleased to offer these excellent Dive Gear Packages in a wide range of options to best suit your level of diving experience and budget. Additionally you can purchase a range of 'Add Ons' to suit your own needs and requirements.

As a guide, unless you can afford to buy all your gear at once or in a series of packages, you should consider buying your equipment in the following general order:

1. Mask, snorkel and fins with booties.

2. Exposure Protection. A wetsuit, semi-dry or dry suit, gloves and hood. If you feel the cold, perhaps a 'Sharkskin Vest' is also needed. With the equivalent of a 3mm wet suit, 'Sharkskins' dry rapidly, are neutrally buoyant and wind proof!

3. BCD (weight integrated), Regulators and Computer. These are the most expensive items and usually best purchased packaged together - this is almost always cheaper than buying individually.

Whenever you can, buy the following types of personal items (depending on your own diving needs):

• Dive slate
• Torch/es
• SMB (Surface Marker Buoy) with deployment device, eg spool
• Dive Reel
• Dive Tub
• Mask Defog
• Hangers designed specifically for dive equipment
• Dive Site Guides - Books
• Fish/Marine Life Identification Guides - Books
• UW Digital Camera, and so forth.