This is the diving equipment worn by or carried by the diver for personal protection or comfort, or to facilitate the diving aspect of the activity, and may include a selection from:
Underwater breathing apparatus • Scuba equipment: Primary
cylinder(s), carried back-mounted or
side mounted and open circuit
regulator(s), or
rebreather sets.
Alternative air source such as
bailout bottle or
pony bottle, and
decompression cylinders and their associated regulators.
Secondary demand valve (Octopus). Sometimes a
full-face diving mask is used. • Surface-supplied equipment:
Helmet or
full face mask, diver's umbilical, airline, bailout block, bailout cylinder and regulator. File:Draeger twin 7l cylinders with twin hose regulatorPB068176.jpg|Early twin cylinder set with twin hose regulator File:Twin 300 bar cylinders with isolating manifold.jpg|Twin scuba cylinders with isolation manifold File:Charging a spare air cylinder PB048172.jpg|Charging a small bailout cylinder from a larger aluminium scuba cylinder File:Scuba 01.jpg|Scuba regulator: First stage with primary and secondary demand valves, submersible pressure gauge and low pressure hose for BC inflation. File:DecompressionPrepEdit.JPG|
Technical diver with back mounted open circuit scuba and sling mounted decompression cylinders File:Diver using Inspiration rebreather at the wreck of the MV Orotava P6308046.JPG|Diving with a
closed circuit rebreather File:IDA-71 with lid of casing opened showing interior P5167777.JPG|Russian made IDA-71 rebreather set File:2011 06 04 Harburg Taucherhelme DSCI5241.JPG|Heavy standard
diving helmet, lightweight demand helmet and band mask File:US Navy 051026-N-0000X-001 Electronics Technician 1st Class Matthew Ammons, a diver assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two (MDSU-2), is fitted with a Kirby Morgan 37 Dive Helmet.jpg|Diver wearing lightweight demand helmet
Environmental protection The underwater environment usually requires a diver to wear thermal, sting and abrasion protection. • In cold water, a
diving suit such as a
dry suit (at temperatures of 0-10 °C), a
wet suit (at temperatures of 21-25 °C), or a
Hot water suit (surface supplied diving only) is necessary. •
Boiler suit overalls are often worn over the thermal protection suit by commercial divers as abrasion protection for the more easily damaged and expensive diving suit. • In very warm water (temperatures of 26-30 °C), many types of tough, long, everyday clothing provide protection, as well as purpose made garments such as dive skins (made of lycra) and shorty wetsuits. In some cases, simple regular swimsuits are also used. • Diving
gloves, including
wetsuit gloves and
dry gloves, mitts, and three-finger mitts •
Diving suit hoods are worn mainly for thermal protection, but also provide some impact protection and some protection from environmental contact with contaminants and stinging animals like jellyfish. • Diving boots - With dry suits, the boots are usually integrated. •
Safety helmet for
scuba diving. (Not part of the breathing apparatus.) • Diving
chain mail may be used as protection against bites by large marine animals •
Diver's cages may be used as protection against large predators •
Atmospheric diving suit provides complete isolation from the environment File:Fullsuit.jpg|Full wet suit File:Plongee CombinaisonsEtanchesDansLaGlace-199912.jpg|Dry suits File:Wetsuit0806.jpg|Short and full length wet suits File:Diving boots.JPG|Wet suit boots File:Neoprene diving glovesP7100001.JPG|Neoprene diving gloves File:Neptunic shark suit 1.jpg|Chain mail shark suit File:Sharks outside cage.jpg|Shark proof cage File:Deep Sea Diving Suit.jpg|Atmospheric diving suit
In-water stabilisation and mobility This equipment includes buoyancy control equipment and mobility equipment: Buoyancy control is achieved by ballasting with diving weights and compensating for buoyancy changes during the dive using a buoyancy compensator: •
Diving weighting system - to counteract the buoyancy of the
diving suit and diver to allow descent. Professional divers may use additional weighting to ensure stability when working on the bottom •
Buoyancy compensator, also known as Buoyancy Control Device, BCD or BC - is usually a back mounted or sleeveless jacket style device which includes an inflatable bladder used to adjust the buoyancy of the diver under water, and provide positive buoyancy at the surface. The buoyancy compensator is usually an integral part of the harness system used to secure the scuba set to the diver. The earlier collar style buoyancy compensator is seldom used any more. Mobility equipment allows the diver to move through the water and maneuver on the spot: •
Fins for efficient propulsion •
Diver Propulsion Vehicle - to increase the range of the diver underwater File:DiverBC.jpg|Jacket buoyancy compensator File:DiveXtras Sierra.jpg|Diver propulsion vehicle (scooter) File:Zavorra.JPG|Weight belt File:Scubapro bionica flips.jpg|Swim fins
Equipment for dive monitoring and navigation These are the equipment used for monitoring the course of the dive and following the dive plan when undesirable events are avoided. They include planning and monitoring the dive profile, gas usage and decompression, navigation, and modifying the plan to suit actual circumstances. •
Depth gauge lets the diver monitor depth, particularly maximum depth and, when used with a watch and
Decompression tables, also allows the diver to monitor decompression requirements. Some digital depth gauges also indicate ascent rate which is an important factor in avoiding decompression sickness •
Pneumofathometer is the surface supplied diving depth gauge which displays the depth of the diver at the surface control panel. It uses hydrostatic back-pressure on a low flow rate open ended air hose to the diver to indicate depth. •
Diving watch is used with depth gauge for decompression monitoring when using decompression tables. Largely superseded by dive computers, where elapsed time is one of the standard displays, and time of day may also be available. •
Dive timer is an instrument that displays and records depth and elapsed time during the dive. It is usually possible to extract the information after the dive. This function is often available as "Gauge setting" on dive computers. •
Diving compass for
underwater navigation. This may be a regular magnetic compass, but is often a selectable function of a dive computer, where a miniature magnetometer is used. •
Submersible pressure gauge, also known as a "contents gauge" is used to monitor the remaining breathing gas supply in scuba cylinders. •
Dive computer helps the diver to avoid
decompression sickness by indicating the
decompression stops needed for the
dive profile. Most dive computers also indicate depth, time and ascent rate. Some also indicate
oxygen toxicity exposure and water temperature, and may provide other functions. A display of cylinder pressure is available on air-integrated computers, either via a direct high pressure hose, or remotely via a pressure transducer and through-water transmission. •
Distance line, guide line, or "come-home-line" can be used to guide the diver back to the start point and safety in poor visibility. • A cave line is a line laid by a diver while penetrating a cave to ensure that the way out is known. Permanent cave lines are marked with
line markers at all junctions, indicating the direction along the line toward the nearest exit. File:A depth gauge and submersible pressure gauge.jpg|A
depth gauge and submersible pressure gauge File:Pressure guage close up.jpg|Submersible pressure gauge File:Surface supply air panel for 4 divers P3053737.jpg|A surface supply panel for four divers showing four pneumofathometer gauges File:Suunto D9 Dive Computer.jpg|A
watch sized dive computer incorporating an electronic compass and the ability to display cylinder pressure when used with an optional transmitter File:Dive computer logbook.jpg|Dive computer showing the log of a previous dive File:UW Navigation tools.jpg|Nav finder and underwater compass - basic underwater navigation tools. File:Suunto SK-7 diving compass in aftermarket wrist mount P9021026.JPG|Diving compass in aftermarket wrist mount with bungee straps File:Shearwater Perdix and Ratio iX3M GPS in compass mode P9070460.jpg|Dive computers in compass mode File:Distance line.JPG|50 metres of line on a reel File:Line_Arrow_of_Agnes_Milowka.jpg|alt=Line arrow marker|Line arrow marker File:Mini SPG Diving.JPG|A miniature submersible pressure gauge (mini SPG) used on
pony cylinders Vision and communication Underwater vision is significantly affected by several factors. Objects are less visible because of lower levels of natural illumination and are blurred by scattering of light between the object and the viewer, also resulting in lower contrast. These effects vary with wavelength of the light, and color and turbidity of the water. The human eye is unable to focus when in direct contact with water, and an air space must be provided. Voice communication requires special equipment, and much recreational diver communication is visual and based on hand signals. •
Masks allow the diver to
see clearly underwater and protect the eyes. •
Full face masks protect the face from dirty or cold water and reduce risk by securing the gas supply to the diver's face. If it contains no mouthpiece, the diver can talk, allowing the use of communications equipment. •
Half masks cover only the eyes and nose. The diver breathes from a separate mouthpiece on the regulator or rebreather. • A prescription mask, or glasses which can be mounted inside the mask or helmet to provide clear vision underwater, enhancing the experience and safety for those with vision problems. A prescription mask contains lenses mounted in the scuba mask frame or bonded to the original viewports. •
Diving helmets are often used for
surface-supplied diving. They provide the same benefits as the full face mask but provide a very secure connection of the gas supply to the diver and additionally protect the head. • Underwater
writing slates and
pencils are used to transport pre-dive plans underwater, to record facts while underwater and to aid communication with other divers. •
Dive lights, which are usually waterproof and pressure rated
torches or flashlights, are essential for safety in low visibility or dark environments such as
night diving and wreck and cave penetration. They are useful for communication and signalling both underwater and on the surface at night. Divers need artificial light even in shallow and clear water to reveal the red end of the spectrum of light which is absorbed as it travels through water. Underwater video lights can serve the same purpose. • Hand-held
sonar for a diver can provide a synthetic view using ultrasonic signals emitted and processed by an electronic device and displayed on a screen. • Ultrasonic signalling devices which attract the buddies attention by vibration have been marketed and may have some limited utility. Image:Scubamask.jpg|A diving half mask provides clear sight and protection for the eyes. File:Full face diving mask - ocean reef.JPG|A full face mask covers the eyes, nose and mouth. File:Dive light on soft Goodman type handle P4177480.JPG|One piece LED dive light with soft Goodman type handle Image:Diving-torch.jpg|A "canister" style dive light
Safety equipment Diving safety equipment in the broader sense would include all equipment that could make a dive safer, by reducing a hazard, reducing the probability of an adverse event, or mitigating its effects. This would include basic equipment such as primary breathing apparatus, exposure protection, buoyancy management equipment and mobility equipment. The more specific meaning is equipment primarily and explicitly used to improve safety of a dive or diving operation. Equipment intended to improve safety in the second sense includes: •
Diver's safety harness, to which a lifeline may be attached, including bell harness, AR vest, or jump jacket. • (or tether): A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point, which may be used for: • communications, by diving line signals, • to allow the diver to be found by the stand-by diver following the line, • to provide a
guideline to the surface control point to guide the diver on return, • to assist the diver to maintain position in a current, • in an emergency, to recover the diver to the surface, and • in some cases lift the diver out of the water. •
Shotline: A line connecting a shot weight to a marker buoy, used to mark a dive site and provide a vertical reference for descent and ascent. •
Buddy line: A short line or strap connecting two divers in the water, used to prevent them from being separated in poor visibility and for communication by line signals. •
Jonline: A short line or webbing strap to tether the diver to the shotline in a current. • Alternative ascent system: Defined in Queensland law as "A highly visible buoyancy device such as a delayed surface marker buoy that provides a submerged diver with an ascent line that the diver may follow to the surface and use to complete any decompression requirements." •
Surface marker buoy, which indicates the position of the divers to people at the surface. May be used as an alternative ascent system. • DSMB - (Delayed, or deployable surface marker buoy), or
decompression buoy which is inflated at the start of, or during the ascent, to indicate the position of the divers to the surface team, and as a signal that the divers are ascending. A definitive type of alternative ascent system. • Cutting tool •
Knife to cut lines, nets or to pry or dig. Not intended for personal protection against underwater predators as it is generally ineffective for this purpose. • Diver's net or
line cutter. This is a small handheld tool carried by scuba divers to extricate themselves if trapped in
fishing net or
fishing line. It has a small sharp blade such as a replaceable
scalpel blade inside the small notch. There is usually a hole at the other end of the handle for a lanyard to tether the cutter to the diver. •
Trauma shears. Very effective as a line cutter, with low risk of inadvertent injury or damage. Usually carried in a pocket or special purpose sheath. • Automatic diver recovery devices which inflate the BCD if the diver stops breathing have been marketed. They are not generally used and the risks may outweigh possible benefits. File:Diver harness with weight pocketsPA268054.jpg|Front view of jacket style diver harness with removable weight pockets File:Aa scuba netcutter.jpg|
Scuba diver's net cutter. 7 inches long File:Blue Reef Dive Knife.JPG|Underwater Kinetics general purpose dive knife File:Trilobite line cutter with sheath on diving harness P3187295.JPG|Trilobite line cutter with sheath on diving harness File:Aa trauma shears.jpg|Trauma shears File:DiverGuard.jpg|DiverGuard automatically inflates the buoyancy compensator if the diver stops breathing. File:Diving spool with double ender bolt snap P6147909.JPG|Spool with line and double-ender clip File:Dive reel with DSMB P9245620.JPG|Dive reel with stored DSMB Image:Avvolgisagola.jpg|A
stainless steel line holder with a 20-metre line
Surface detection aids The purposes of this class of personal equipment are to: • allow the support
boat to monitor and find divers on the surface during or after a dive • prevent the diver being struck by
boat traffic • mark the diver's position when
drift diving or while at the
decompression stop • help rescue services in
lifeboats and
helicopters to locate the diver Surface detection aids include: •
Surface marker buoy, decompression buoy, delayed SMB, safety sausage or blob • Red or yellow collapsible
flag - high visibility, robust, usually stored bungeed to cylinder •
Whistle - cheap, will only be heard by people far from engine noise •
Torch or flashlight - if at sea after nightfall •
Strobe light - needs long-lasting batteries • High pressure whistle - expensive but effective • Orange
dye marker - increases diver's visibility from search
helicopters •
Mirror such as a used
compact disc - to reflect sunlight or searchlights • Red pyrotechnic
flares - for helicopters and lifeboats •
ENOS Rescue-System •
Emergency position-indicating rescue beacon (EPIRB) •
Emergency locator beacon - A transmitter carried by the diver that can send a GPS position by
VHF radio and/or
Automatic identification system (AIS) •
Glow stick - for night diving
Backup equipment Backup or redundant equipment is equipment carried in case of failure of the primary equipment. This may be safety critical equipment necessary to allow safe termination of the dive or equipment carried to improve the probability of successfully completing the task of the diving operation if the primary equipment fails. The most common example of the former is bailout gas, carried routinely by solo, technical, and professional scuba divers, and most surface-supplied divers. Solo and technical divers may also carry a backup mask, dive computer, decompression gas and other equipment based on risk assessment for the planned dive. Some backup equipment may be spread amongst a diving team, when instant availability is not critical, this practice is termed
team redundancy.
Personal tools and accessories •
Underwater camera, strobe (flash),
video lights and
housing - for
underwater photography or
underwater videography •
Diving reel,
dive spool or
line holder to store and transport a
distance line or line for a surface marker buoy. A dive spool, or line spool, is a short cylindrical tube with a large flange at each end, around which a length of line can be wound, and a line holder is a flat H-shaped frame or piece of rigid sheet material on which a length of
line can be wound, as an alternative to a reel or spool. The line may be used with a
surface marker buoy or a
delayed surface marker buoy (decompression buoy), where negative
buoyancy of the spool or line holder will help with unwinding the line underwater. •
Dry box to hold objects the diver needs to keep dry at depth (wallet, cell phone) •
Dry bag to carry items that must stay dry on the boat. • to hold personal dive equipment for travel. Soft bags are traditional for local use, when the dive gear may be wet when packed after use. For air travel, hard and soft bags, including those with wheels and telescopic handles are available. • s for securing to harness
Diving tool bag to carry tools that may be required for the job. Various types and sizes are available. • to hold onto a reef in a current. This is a metal rod with a handle and a bent tip to grip the reef surface. It is claimed to do less environmental damage than the diver's hand, and is also less likely for the diver to injure themself on sharp substrate. A reef hook may have a single or double claw tip, and may have a rope, webbing or coiled plastic coated lanyard, and may be clipped to the diver's harness at the other end for hands-free use. When hanging off the reef at the end of the lanyard the diver can keep sufficiently clear of the reef to prevent fin-strike damage while effortlessly maintaining position in a moderate current. Some skill is required for safe and effective use. • A , or rescue rope, is a short lanyard or strap carried by a surface supplied stand-by diver to be used to tether an unresponsive diver to the standby diver during a rescue. It is attached at one end to a D-ring on the stand-by diver's harness, and has a clip at the other end which may be secured to a D-ring on the casualty's harness to allow the rescuer the use of both hands during the return to the bell or surface. ==Diving team tools and equipment==