Gear for kids new to scuba diving

[ScubaBoyNZ]

Hi ther Scuba Board Followers, taking the kids diving for the first time and as they get their feet wet for the first time in scuba gear i want to know what is the best gear for them to start off with in their own collection, their first session will be a 2 hour dive class at a swimming pool to see how they like it,

Regulators, what is a good second stage to start with? something that looks and feels lightweight and compact but has gear performance, secondly dosent require a huge ammount of effort to breath from,

BCDs, somthing that is small and compact, but also getting the sizing right because not all stores have online information about size charts and then having to track it all down thru the brand and manufactures site,

Masks, do we stick with a mask and regulator or go for a full face set like OTS wich seems more comercial or Oceanreef G divers witch the girls love the pink or the blue

Fins, whats a good type to move through the water with very little effort, and wont cause too much strain, the oldest miss A broke her leg when she was 5 and just turned 14 last weekend she is still having some issues, it comes down to her growth and the break not healing very well, we guess the realignment surgery was a bit off, and only causes her pain if she is having growth spurts,

we are away on a cruise next year and hoping to add scuba to the list of activities by getting some experience first then hopfully a course before the end of the year

Thanks for Any input

Regards
ScubaBoyNZ

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'll address the mask (do not start out with FFM). The most important thing is the fit. A more expensive mask won't necessarily fit better. Also, the typical mask test that dive shops will have you do is problematic. I wrote about that here: https://divingwithkosta.wordpress.com/2020/12/24/the-mask-test-doesnt-work/.

The reality is that the top brands (Apeks, ScubaPro, Atomic, Deep 6, etc.) are all great regs that breath easily (I've owned regs from each which is why I've listed them, but there are many more). More likely than not, you will be happy with whatever you purchase.

It may come to no surprise, but I'd recommend BP/W, as that can be adjusted for any body. This might interest you: Info - Beginners Guide To BP/W

For fins, I'd try different options during the pool dive session coming up. There is a fair bit of variety, and I'm not sure what is most readily available in your country.

I hope this helps and I look forward to when my daughter starts diving (she's a fish already).

 

[doc_hud]

My 12yo, who has done 100+ dives, loves his Dive Rite BP/W, and I love that I simply need to spend $15 for new webbing as he grows. We were also able to get some colorful webbing from Piranha so that he could make it his own.

We found that masks were a highly personal choice. He ended up liking how the Oceanic Shadow Mini fit, but your child may find that a different mask works better for their face shape. Buy a mask from somewhere with a good return policy. (My LDS allowed for returning masks if they have only been used in the pool, which we took advantage of.)

 

[DogDiver]

NAUI instructor with all 3 kids diving. Son and one daughter are cave trained. If you think buying gear for open water children is expensive try outfitting two of your kids in full cave gear including drysuits.

Now to my point. Kids grow fast and dive gear ain’t cheep. Go with a good fitting mask and boots and fins. If budget allows a regulator and wrist computer will round out their kit. Rent the rest until they are in their late teens. If they stay with it and budget allows complete their kit. Oh my 12 year old grandson just started diving. I did buy him a nicely used BCD. But when he outgrows it, I’ll be setting him up (I never thought I would say this) with an aluminum backplate and low profile wing.