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Directory of dive shops in Abu Dhabi and UAE
Equipment cost and rental guide


Equipment Considerations

Here are some guidelines on what to look for when buying your own personal diving equipment.

This part of the page is under construction. I intend to augment it with photos at some point.

For exact requirements, approximate costs, and availability in the UAE, please refer to the Equipment Guide.

Regarding Face Masks: When novice divers experience discomfort underwater, this can often be attributed to a poorly fitting face mask, so it is important to get one that fits properly.

Regarding Fins: You won't have problems in the pool if you have inadequate fins, but in the ocean where distances are greater, you don't want to be either underpowered or overpowered.

Exposure protection: You will need exposure protection for most of the year in the UAE (though not in summer) and almost all the year in Oman and in the waters off the Northern Emirates. You need protection particularly in the pool during the cooler months (the ocean tends to be warmer than the pool in winter and cooler in the summer, but you tend to spend longer in the pool, which drains your body's heat energy). Protection is needed not just from exposure to cold temperatures, but also for protection from jellyfish stingers that might be drifting in the water (stray cnidoblasts, not necessarily the tentacles).

A cheap option in spring/summer is the one-piece cover-alls sold in oil industry supply stores. A wetsuit is better -- a 3 mm. full-length one is ideal for Gulf waters. Another option is a light lycra body suit.

Contact Lenses: You may wear contacts while diving, but you may be inconvenienced in some of the exercises underwater where you flood your mask.

 

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Last updated: July 2, 1999