Fins
Regulator
Fins
What do they do? Without fins, you’ re going nowhere fast! Fairly obviously, they enable divers to propel themselves underwater, but they also allow a high degree of manoeuvrability. Skilled divers never use their arms to change position or move faster – it all comes from the legs. There are a myriad different designs, but they all consist of a space for your foot, and a‘ blade’ or‘ paddle’, which generates the thrust. Never refer to them as‘ flippers’, unless you want to make the experienced divers in your club go apoplectic. How do I choose them? It’ s really important to have comfortable fins, so this is usually one of the first things a diver buys, along with a good mask and snorkel. UK divers buy‘ open heel’ fins that secure to your ankle with a strap, rather than‘ full foot’ fins, which are more associated with warm water diving( and which are less practical for shore diving, in any case). If you’ re diving in a wet or semidry suit, you’ ll need to buy neoprene boots for use with strap fins. There are many different concepts and designs, but the best way to start is with a standard paddle-style fin of medium length and stiffness. Benchmark price: £ 50- £ 150
Regulator
What does it do? The classic regulator set comprises four elements: The first and second stages, the submersible pressure gauge( SPG) and the alternate air source or‘ octopus’. The first stage is connected to your cylinder and reduces the high pressure gas to an intermediate pressure, which is then delivered to the second stage‘ or demand valve’ via a medium pressure hose. Simply put – you put it in your mouth, breathe through your mouth and it delivers the right amount of gas at the right pressure. This is the‘ aqua-lung’, as invented by Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan. It provided the foundation of our sport, and with quite a lot of refinements, it’ s still serving us better then ever. The alternate source is a backup demand valve, and the gauges will tell you how much gas you have in the cylinder, and your current depth. How do I choose one? A good regulator set is an object of desire, and new divers long to buy their first one. That said, it is a relatively expensive item
and most clubs maintain their own training sets, so the normal thing is to wait until you have logged a few dives before buying your first one. Your choice will be informed by the type of diving you will be doing and your budget. Ask your instructor or a senior member of your club for advice on this one. And always remember that a regulator is life support equipment that must be stored securely and maintained with annual servicing. Benchmark price: £ 500
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