Once you get bitten by the scuba diving bug, you are probably going to want to start putting together your own kit of scuba diving gear rather than continuing to rent it from your tour provider. This is especially true if you go on to more advanced dives and want to start making trips on your own or with friends. However, purchasing everything that you need can get pretty expensive which is why we have put together some helpful tips for purchasing your scuba diving kit on a budget!
Seek Out The Sales
The first piece of advice that we can offer is probably the most obvious and that is to look out for sales and special offers! The majority of popular dive locations are busiest in the Summer months. In fact, many spots become inaccessible or too dangerous once Winter sets in. That means that the dive shops in these locations will likely have some kind of end of season sale going on where they may sell off scuba diving gear at a heavily discounted rate. However, do not just wait for these semi-annual sales. Keep an eye out for flash sales and discounts all year round. You may find that when new models are released by manufacturers, retailers discount the old stock to make space for these new items. If you are comfortable with not having the very latest items then this is a great way to start buying your gear!
Find Some Package Deals
Another great way to get everything that you need for your scuba diving kit is to look for a package deal or starter kit. There are lots of different pieces of gear that you may want or need, but it is always best to start out with just your basic items, especially if you are on a tight budget. Most dive shops and equipment retailers will offer beginner packages and starter kits where you can get a discount on your gear by bundling it together. A word of caution though – some sneaky shops may package things together at their full price, but lead you to believe that it is cheaper as it is sold as a bundle. It is wise to have a good idea of what the retail prices are so that you can work out of you really are getting a discount when buying a bundle. You will also want to make sure that you are not buying a package that contains additional items you probably won’t use as this is a false economy.
Get One Piece at a Time
Finally, if you have a tight budget but you really want to start putting together your own scuba diving kit then do not go out and buy everything at once. Make a list of all of the items that you are going to want to buy and then start saving for one piece at a time until your kit is complete!
