Required Equipment

Diving is an equipment intensive activity.  As divers, we require a lot of equipment to keep us alive in and under the water.  This is life support equipment, and it should be treated as such when choosing, maintaining, and servicing your scuba gear.  Whenever possible, scientific divers should own their equipment.  Divers will be more comfortable, safer, and more proficient with gear that is specific to your size and needs.  However, if you do not own and cannot purchase gear, you may be able to rent from a local dive shop.  Even if you plan on renting gear, there are some items that cannot be rented.  There are two dive shops in the San Luis Obispo Area:

• Depth Perceptions Diving Services
• SLO Ocean Currents

Personal Equipment (cannot be rented)

• Mask
• Snorkel
• Gloves (minimum recommended thickness =  3 mm)
• Booties (minimum recommended thickness =  3 mm; sturdy sole)
• Fins (open heel style to accomodate booties)
• Dive Light (at least one)
• Dive knife
• Compass

Main Equipment (may be rented)

• Regulator
  • Must have primary 2nd stage and an alternate 2nd stage (either an Octopus or Air II like device)
• Submersible Pressure Gauge/SPG (must know how much air you have!)
• Depth Gauge (have to know what depth you are at!)
• Timing Device (need to know how long you are down!)
• Dive Computer (not required but highly recommended)
• Buoyancy Compensator/BC
• Weightbelt (integrated weights are fine, but you will need a weightbelt for free-diving in MS410)
• Wetsuit (recommend minimum of 7 mm thickness, but many dive with up to 10 mm)