What does it mean to be a better diver? A question that has been answered by many, and defined by even more.
The list may be long in certain situations, but they all boil down to the understanding of basics as a priority with meticulous practice in various environments.
A few of the important habits of a good diver are:
Make calm decisions
Remain composed in stressful situations
Maintain proper trim and have control over buoyancy
Be conservative about and comfortable with air consumption
Plan and follow the plan of a dive
Understand and make corrections in technique as required as you progress
The basics are always improved through practice, education and more practice, of course. But did you know, that better gear helps improve and speed up this process? Let's break it down and take a look.
Better mask - More comfort and better fit
Your mask is your window to the underwater world. Without it, seeing underwater is nearly impossible. So what features to look for in a mask and how does it help you?
Fit - A perfect fit is absolutely necessary in terms of a mask choice. Comfort should take precedence. A mask that hurts your temple, face or nose pocket takes focus away from your dive, which is undesirable. Perfect fit means no leaks with your strap adjusted only to hold your mask in place without any sort of discomfort over your face and no part of the hard frame is in contact with your face.
Ease of access to nose pocket - With different facial profiles, it is important to consider the quick access to your nose pocket for equalisation in a mask as well. Quick access means one less thing to worry about and added comfort.
Low Volume - As important are the other two aspects are, we mustn't forget the importance of a mask with a lower volume air space. Lower volume means it is easier to clear the mask and a smaller air space to equalise. Adding to the ergonomics and comfort of the mask.
Field of vision - There are different options and various choices in field of vision to choose among masks. Masks offer clear skirt, black skirt, twin lens, dual lens, tri-lens designs for various types of fit, comfort and field of vision. The important aspect to consider when choosing a mask's field of vision is what you want out of the mask. You should always consider a mask that offers the maximum field of vision while keeping the above points in check. Unrestricted vision helps to stay focused.
Hygiene - Last, but not the least, hygiene. Hygiene is of the utmost importance these days. Having a mask that you keep at your side, clean and sanitised is evermore essential than that is handed to you.
Having that perfect mask for you avoids the stress and added task of having to fiddle with it throughout your dive. Ease of handling the mask makes your dive easier and more comfortable.
Choose the mask that suits you best here.
Thermal Protection - Comfort, fit and protection from the environment
Dry suits, wetsuits, vests, hoods, gloves, boots, rash guards, specialised thermal protection, the list of options available across the market for thermal protection is immense and wide.
Thermal protection's main factor is to prevent hypothermia, as we are all well aware. And the choice of thermal protection is based on the type of dive and the environment you'll be conducting the dive in. Choosing the right item helps in improving your dive profile as well.
Most thermal protection materials are made of Neoprene of various thickness. And as thickness increases, so does the buoyancy. But added thickness aids in better thermal protection.
Thermoregulation of our body means certain parts of our body lose heat quicker than the others. So our priority is to protect these areas - Head, torso, groin and extremities.
Fit is one of the most important factor when choosing thermal protection. The suit should be fitting you snugly and comfortably. An ill fitting suit causes unnecessary water seeping and causes heat loss quicker. If the suit is too tight, however, it impairs movement and reaction time underwater, adding to discomfort and forcing you to lose focus.
Material - The type of thermal protection you choose depends on the type of environment you dive in. The colder / longer the dive is, the better thickness of thermal protection you choose. Added layers aid in better thermal protection as well.
Seals - Some of the options provides neck, ankle and arm seals to prevent/limit water from entering into the suit, adding to the comfort and thermal protection
An added benefit of thermal protection is also protection from the scratches, scrapes and jelly stings during the dive.
And, as discussed before, the idea is to aid in our comfort and ergonomics to make sure we don't lose focus on the dive itself.
You can choose from our collection of wetsuits right here.
Buoyancy Control - Control over your whole dive
Buoyancy control is the single most important skill to learn and master for every diver. Choosing the right Buoyancy Control Device affects your dive profile underwater. Each type of BCD will have it's specific trim and aspects that can change your body position and add to the comfort over your overall control.
What does it mean to have the right BCD and how can your BCD help you in achieving the desired result?
Style - BCDs come in various styles - Wing, Front adjustable, Back-Inflation and Stabilizing Jackets. Each style has its own ergonomic advantages. a. Front Adjustable - The front adjustables are the most common designs in the market. They are simple designs with various options depending upon the use. Being simple does not mean they're void of important features. Front adjustables can be a basic jacket with a simple operation and pockets to jackets loaded with features such as - integrated weight pockets, trim weight pockets, D-rings, Bladder bungees to aid in deflation and stabilisation, large pockets for storage, comfort padding, quick release rotating buckles etc. One among the important features to take note of would be trim weight pockets. Having a trim system at the back-side, over the top portion of the BCD allows you to add weights to weigh your torso down to assist in a more trim position. With their wrap-around style bladder, their strength is on the surface stability. b. Back-Inflation - Loaded with similar features as the front adjustable, the major difference would be how, instead of the wrap-around bladder, the bladder in this system is only on the back. The advantage of back-inflation style jackets is adding the comforts and features of the standard systems with more horizontal stability with less air consumption for use in the bladder, and the added trim aids in better forward propulsion underwater. c. Wing - The sought after system by the technical divers due to their unobtrusive nature, modularity, lift capability and the ability to add various features with simple clips and sliders. The comfort level of wing systems is unparalleled due to having few parts around your torso leaving your front free from obstructions. The stability offered in a wing is better than vest-style jackets due to this and offers a better trim underwater. With reduced drag due to unnecessary parts, the effort underwater while using the wing is significantly lower than the above styles. d. Stabilizing Jacket - A revolutionary design in the vest type jackets, the stabilizing jacket, as its name suggests is designed for stability. With its singular wrap around bladder that extends from the back all the way to the front, the jacket offers superior stabilizing comfort in any position underwater.
Fit - A perfect fit is important for any piece of equipment you use. An ill fitting jacket will make you roll around in the jacket, making it difficult to control your position, trim and adds difficulty in control underwater. Consider your measurements with adjustments with and without various thermal protection. Consider a jacket size that doesn't require the maximum adjustment to fit your form, for the maximum comfort and control, along with changing dive situations.
Inflation - An overlooked factor by many. The inflation rate of the BCD can make that difference in your comfort level and control. A controlled, fast inflating BCD helps in achieving the desired buoyancy that quicker, making the adjustments thats quicker and more precise. With SCUBAPRO Balanced Power Inflators offering 230 Litres per minute inflation rate, the fastest in the market, with a progressive inflation and deflation button, your control over your buoyancy is much higher.
Material - Considering the environment we expose our equipment to - sun, salt, temperature changes and abrasions from the environments, the material is expected to be built tough and durable. For a worry-free dive, in any condition, you'll need a jacket that can handle the little scrapes and bangs that may happen during a tough dive. And for such, you'll need a BCD with abrasion resistance and puncture resistance. With SCUBAPRO's EndurTex bladders with 420 denier rating, you are guaranteed to receive that extra protection.
Attachments - To be diving without worry, all extra accessories, including safety equipment should be tucked away with ease of access at all times. A BCD that offers attachments, pockets and mount points helps in keeping things at bay when unneeded and focus at the task at hand without task loading.
Choose the right BCD for you here.
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