My Dive Gear

As a professional dive instructor and avid fun diver my equipment makes me my money and keeps me alive underwater. These are my scuba equipment recommendations for single-tank, double-tank, and sidemount diving. This list covers technical diving gear recommendations and single tank diving recommendations. I’ve also included suggestions of models and brands that I may not use but are a similar caliber to my equipment recommendations. Please buy your gear at your local dive shop. If your local dive shop doesn’t sell this equipment then reach out to me and I’ll link you with a reputable online store. If you’re enrolled in a course with me contact me before purchasing equipment.

Best Dive Gear Brands

When purchasing equipment I want something that is durable and reliable. I also want to work with companies that are US-based or have employees in the US. I like to support the economy and have easily accessed support. Dive gear breaks, needs to be serviced and sometimes just needs to be replaced. There aren’t many companies that fit these requirements, which is why Dive Rite makes up most of my equipment. I am not sponsored by them, but I do enjoy promoting their brand.

My Favorite Brands

Dive Rite
Shearwater
Waterproof
Fourth Element

Other Good Brands

Armor Bags
Divesoft
Halcyon
Henderson

Essentials

Masks

Fit, build quality, and low profile – in that order.

For all scuba diving, I use the Dive Rite ES155.

For snorkeling/freediving, I have a hammerhead.

Fins

Dive Rite XTs are my fin of choice. I’ve used a bunch of the jet-style and low weight jet-style fins and none of them give me the power and maneuverability that the XTs. The XTs are longer and thinner than many of those styles of fins, but that’s not a drawback to me. I can frog, back, helicopter and flutter with the XTs so they hit the mark for me. The foot pockets don’t fit everyone (obviously). If the XTs don’t work for you I suggest the Fourth Element Tech Fins or Deep Six Eddys.

Dive Computer

All levels of diving require a dive computer. Technical levels require 2. The shearwater computers are my go-to for most diving. Perdix and petrel are my primary choices. There are competitors in Europe that give Shearwater a run for their money but no one comes close in North America. I have been using Garmin products for years to track swimming/running/etc. The Garmin G1 offers everything I wanted in a small watch form factor. It has the ability to track all my diving and fitness activities. The display isn’t as large and bright as the shearwaters but it does a great job as an everyday computer and watch combo.

Regulators

I exclusively recommend Dive Rite regulators.

Dive Rite has a few options for regulator first and second stages. They are all good choices but for the reasonable price of the Dive Rite regulators it’s tough to justify any but their best tier. I have a mix of the XT1 (turret first stages), FT1s (fixed first stage) XT4s (premium second stage) and XT2s (regular second stage). The XT1 and XT4 combo is very high performance, very easy breathing and works for all configurations. The XT1 is environmentally sealed so it’s appropriate for cold water, has a turret and a 5th port. The XT4 second stage is lightweight with a full inline adjustment barrel.

I’ve serviced hundreds of regulator sets and the Dive Rite regulators are by far the easiest to service. The internals are made well and durable. they don’t skimp like other brands with plastic parts that break easily or are impossible to service.

There are plenty of other regulators that are significantly more expensive than the Dive Rites. I’ve used most of them and been unimpressed. I’ll never understand the obsession with piston regulators and am not a fan of them. Also, I strongly urge people to buy reputable brands with US based service technicians. Anyone can OEM some regs from overseas and sell them for pennies through their online store.

Single Tank

Single Tank BCD

When I’m hunting lobster, diving shallow or teaching I use the Dive Rite Travel wing paired with a backplate and basic harness. This system has plenty of lift, a low profile and nothing extra. You can add weight pockets and other accessories if you need them, but nothing beats the simplicity and reliability of the Dive Rite travel wing+harness. Backplate and wing (BPW) systems are better in all diving applications compared to jacket BCDs. Not all BPWs are good though. Harness can have too much bulky plastic, wings can be too big or too small, and backplates can be the wrong weight. The Dive Rite Basic harness and travel wing doesn’t have these problems.

Regulators

I prefer an “advanced open water” style setup for single tank diving. The AOW style setup is a great system that keeps a regulator necklaced for backup and another on a longer hose located under the arm. This system is sold as a kit by Dive Rite. I don’t like standard single cylinder regulator configurations and I think 7ft hoses are superfluous for open water applications.

Backmounted Doubles

Backplate and Wing

Dive Rite Classic wings. 40lb wing fits 80s, 50s, and 85s. 60lb wing for for 108s.

Basic harness and backplate. I use steel for drysuit diving and aluminum for wetsuit diving.

I don’t use wings with bungee systems or other “extras”. Simple is beautiful.

Regulators

I use a traditional DIR/Hogarthian system for the most part. The second stages are on a 7ft long hose on the right side and a necklaced short hose on the left. Each routed behind the head. A single pressure gauge on the left side and a low-pressure inflator (LPI) to the wing coming from the right post. For air and nitrox diving I use an additional LPI hose from the left side. For trimix dives in a drysuit, I use a 6cuft cylinder.

Sidemount

BCD

Sidemount systems are always evolving. I have been diving sidemount for over 10 years and I’ve used some great and terrible BCDs. I primarily dive steel cylinders in a very “Florida style” configuration.

Right now I am happily using the dive rite Nomad Ray. I say “right now” because as systems evolve I evolve with them, but right now it’s a great system for me. The Ray was designed to accommodate gas in the wing without creating a turtle effect or squeezing your waist. It does a great job balancing the need for lift and the placement of lift. My other favorite part is the unique hardware – bend butterfly and tiny bent drop d-rings. When I first saw these neat little innovations I assumed they wouldn’t work. I was wrong, they work great, even with gloves and big snaps. Conversely, the ray still works well with aluminum cylinders and no gas in the wing. It does a great job of checking all the boxes.

The ray is unique as a system so there aren’t many other’s I’d recommend. Since I primarily dive in Florida I’m not a fan of the MSR-bag wings and their evolutions. They tend to not handle air in the wing well which poses problems with diving in restrictions. Many of those systems were perfected for ocean diving with 80s and a wetsuit – which isn’t why I use sidemount.

Regulators

I typically use 6in HP hoses, sometime lollipopped sometimes down the cylinder, slimline gauges, a 7ft right-side longhose wiht elbow, 22in necklaced shorthose with an elbow, 15in opposing 5th port inflator hoses and EDPM hose retainers.

Lights

Primary

Dive Rite EX35 for caves.

Dive Rite CX2 for the ocean.

Backups

Dive Rite CX2 or BX2.

My ocean dives aren’t long enough to merit the canister light, so it is for caves only. The Cx2 is also easier to wield and has plenty of power and battery for the dives I do.

I’ve tried the economy brands of lights that have taken the industry by storm over the past few years and they never worked well for me. Light technology is constantly advancing and new light manufacturers pop up all the time. Because they deal in volume and stock lights, Dive Rite is objectively slower to adopt and release new lights. Other brands that are based in Asia can pop a new light out every 6-8 months. That’s not feasible for a company that orders and stocks in the US. Even with that restriction I swapped to all Dive Rite lights years ago because I was tired of tossing poorly made metal lights away and having them fail during dives.

Strobes

Strobes have their place in diving applications. They’re useful in navigation and for emergencies. I prefer a heavy clip on these buoyant strobes so they’re not as floaty underwater.

TekTite Strobe Lite-6

Exposure Protection

Drysuit

I dive dry for all cave diving and any tech diving with temperatures below ~78F. I’ve used a lot of brands and styles of drysuits – vulcanized, neoprene, trilam, ones that fit, ones that leaked. There are a few brands that stand out for reasonably priced suits with good support and dealer networks in the US. Drysuits don’t last forever, they’re expendable and it’s important to remember that if you use them they will need patches, seals, and zippers.

Waterproof – I’ve been using WP suits since ~2014. The neoprene d10 and the Nylotech D7X are the two that stand out the most. The d7X is a solid choice for a suit. It’s luxury priced but it has luxury features. The economy WP suits are still a good value and build quality.

Dive Rite – I was pleasantly surprised with the newer 900 series drysuit from Dive Rite. The suit fit well, had customization options, and FL-based repair support.

Fourth Element – FE makes a great suit and I’d recommend the brand to anyone who’s interested in a full custom suit.

A note on drysuit valves. Most drysuits come with a front-button inflator. These valves work by engaging the LPI hose and allowing gas to flow into the suit with a button push. The side-push style inflators do not activate the LPI hose until you press the button. This is a significant reduction in part wear and a much simpler design. They are also probably less prone to accidental inflation and failures – but that’s anecdotal and unproven. The mechanism of operation is sufficient to deserve the upgrade in my opinion.

Undergarments

Real undergarments make a huge difference for drysuit diving. I prefer diving specific undergarments because their wicking ability and thermal properties in the event of a flood are superior to most outdoor clothing and absolutely better than normal clothing. The only reason I don’t have diving specific socks is because someone stole my Fourth Element Artic socks and I never got around to buying another pair. Waterproof and Fourth Element have the best undergarments of the market. The “X00 gram” style fluffy undergarments are on the old end of undergarment technology. A base layer and thermal layer(s) take advantage of fabric technology that keeps you toasty when dry and survivable when wet. Never wear cotton as a base layer.

Baselayer: Fourth Element J2

Thermal Layer: Fourth Element Artic or Waterproof Body2x

Socks: Smartwool

This is the combo that works for me in most environments I dive. I might add a Fourth Element xerotherm, or a Waterproof Body2x for colder water.

Heat

Heated vests are almost a requirement for long CCR cave dives and cold water. I want heat that I know will work with a flooded suit. That’s why I got the venture heated vest. It’s not as fancy as some of the systems made by drysuit manufacturers with external batteries but none of those systems are approved to be used with a suit flood. It works well and it’s made to function under a wetsuit so I’m confident it will work if I have a flood. Plus, I can use it during the winter in the ocean.

Wetsuit

I wear a 5mm as a minimum wetsuit thickness. I like the buoyancy characteristics, a wider range of thermal tolerance, and the protection a full-body suit gives me. The brands that stand out for value/performance/durability are Waterproof and Fourth Element. Both of these brands offer high-end suits. If you’re looking for something more economical the Henderson line will work well, but won’t last as long. The specific models I like are the Waterproof W4 and Fourth Element Proteus II.

Pockets

All my wetsuits get a glue-on pocket for storing accessories. I used to use a clip on pocket but that’s like a clip-on tie – it’s not the same. I’ve never found tech pants I like and the glue on gets placed exactly where I want.

Gloves

Wreck diving requires gloves. ANSI cut level 5 gloves from the hardware store (or branded Hammerhead at the dive shop) are the best I’ve found for dexterity and protection. There are plenty of brands but this style and “cut level” are my favorites.

I avoid cold water diving. I’ve used all kinds of “high dexterity” gloves in cold water and always felt clunky with thick neoprene gloves. The newest Fourth Element 5mm gloves are the exception to that feeling. I have been very pleased with how well they work – even dealing with thin cave line, CCR buttons and my small warm water bolt snaps.

Tools

Reels

I prefer sidewinder-style reels for primary reels over classics or clickers. My favorite reel is the Dive Rite Azimuth reel.

Spools

Even the cheap spools work well. I wanted something a bit easier to use so I upgraded to the Dive Rites, but any spool will do as long as you do 4 things:

Unspool and respool line so it can’t jump over the edge.
Remove some line so the spool isn’t totally full.
Use a high quality stainless steel clip.
Store it with a simple but secure wrap.