Complete UK Dive Gear Checklist

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Nothing kills the buzz of a dive day quite like arriving at the coast and realising your hood is hanging on the bathroom door. Or your torch batteries are dead. Or you forgot the changing robe and it's February. This checklist exists because we've all been there.

Quick Reference

Print this checklist and tick off items before leaving home

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Core Diving Equipment

Mask (tested with hood)

Snorkel (for surface swimming)

For snorkel buying recommendations, see the best snorkels UK guide.

Fins (with boots for open heel)

Wetsuit or drysuit (7mm minimum for year-round cold water)

Hood (essential for cold water, 5-7mm)

Gloves (3mm summer, 5mm winter minimum)

Boots (sized for your fins)

BCD (weight capacity for cold water requirements)

Regulator with octopus (cold water rated, sealed first stage)

Dive computer (fresh battery)

Weight belt or integrated weights (8-12kg typical for cold water)

Cylinder (own or hire arranged)

Safety Equipment

Surface marker buoy (SMB) and reel (essential for cold water diving)

Dive knife or cutting tool (kelp, fishing line hazards)

Torch (primary, even daytime)

Backup torch (recommended)

Whistle (surface signalling)

Mirror or signalling device (surface location)

Cold Water Additions

Save-a-dive kit:

Extra mask strap

Extra fin straps

Zip ties

O-rings (standard sizes)

Mask defog

Neoprene glue

Tool kit (basic screwdrivers, Allen keys)

Spare batteries (torch, computer if applicable)

Boat Diving Additions

Mesh gear bag (drains water)

Dry bag (for dry items on deck)

Seasickness medication (if needed)

Warm layers for boat travel

Waterproof jacket

Sunscreen (yes, always)

Cash for charter fees

Food and water

Reef hook (for drift diving)

Shore Diving Additions

Gear crate or trolley (for long walks)

Walking boots or sturdy shoes (approach to site)

Changing robe or mat (parking lot changing)

Thermos with hot drink (post-dive warming)

Towels (multiple for variable weather)

Snacks (for between dives)

Seasonal Adjustments

Summer (June-September):

5mm wetsuit may suffice for warm days

3mm gloves acceptable

Thinner hood (5mm)

Sun protection essential

Winter (December-March):

7mm semi-dry or drysuit essential

5mm or dry gloves

7mm hood minimum

Extra warm layers for surface

Hand warmers

Pre-Dive Verification

Before leaving home:

Computer battery checked

Regulator dust cap secure

All straps and buckles functional

No visible damage to equipment

Save-a-dive kit stocked

Insurance and certification cards

Emergency contact information

Before entering water:

Buddy check complete

Weight check done

Computer on and functioning

SMB accessible

Regulator breathing test

Post-Dive Protocol

Rinse all equipment in fresh water

Dry completely before packing

Log dive with computer data

Note any equipment issues for repair

Check for lost or damaged items

Emergency Information to Carry

Coast Guard: 911 or VHF Channel 16

DAN Europe emergency: +39 06 4211 5685

Nearest recompression chamber location

Your emergency contact details

Your insurance policy number

Dive Site Essentials

Different dive sites have specific requirements worth noting.

Cornwall and Devon (South West) Generally better visibility. Warmer summer temperatures (14-16°C surface). Strong currents at many sites. Reef hooks useful for drift diving. Shore access can involve long walks with gear.

Dorset and Hampshire (South) Portland and Swanage offer excellent diving. Boat diving common. Current awareness critical. Many wrecks require torches even in summer.

Scotland (Scapa Flow and West Coast) Cold year-round (8-12°C). Drysuit recommended. Excellent visibility in Scapa Flow. Remote locations require extra planning. Ensure sufficient thermal protection and backup equipment.

Wales and North West Variable conditions. Strong tides at many sites. Shore diving popular. Holyhead and Pembrokeshire offer good visibility windows.

East Coast Generally poorer visibility. Cold water. Strong currents. Many wreck sites. Torches essential. Drysuit extends season significantly.

Common Mistakes Divers Make

Learn from others' errors to avoid your own ruined dive days.

Underestimating cold: Even summer cold water diving is cold by global standards. Always bring more thermal protection than you think you'll need.

Forgetting the hood: Heat loss from your head is massive. A forgotten hood can make diving uncomfortable or unsafe.

No SMB: Many dive sites have boat traffic. Surfacing without an SMB is dangerous. Always carry one, always deploy it.

Dead batteries: Computer, torch, and camera batteries fail at the worst moments. Check before every trip. Carry spares.

Insufficient weight for drysuit: Switching from wetsuit to drysuit changes your weight requirements. Test buoyancy before committed dives.

No backup torch: Typical cold water visibility means torches are essential, not optional. When your primary fails mid-wreck, you need a backup.

Building Your Gear Bag System

Organised packing prevents forgotten items.

The staged approach: Pack in reverse order of use. Items needed first go in last. Mask and computer on top, weights at bottom.

Dedicated dive bag: Keep all non-perishable items permanently packed. Defog, spare straps, tools, and save-a-dive kit live in the bag.

Checklist app: Use a phone app with recurring checklist. Tick items as you pack. Reset after each trip.

The night-before rule: Pack completely the night before. Last-minute packing leads to forgotten essentials.

Night Diving Additional Kit

Night diving requires specific additions to the standard list. Many UK dive sites are significantly better after dark -- crabs, lobsters, and small fish behaviours change completely.

Primary torch: Canister or large hand torch -- considerably brighter than daytime use requires. Minimum 1000 lumens.

Backup torch: Non-negotiable for night diving. Not the same as having it for daytime insurance. This is primary safety equipment.

Tank marker light: Cylinder-mounted LED marker visible to surface cover and buddy. Clips to cylinder valve.

SMB light: Chemical light stick or clip-on LED for your SMB. Makes you visible at surface in dark conditions.

Compass: Navigation by natural reference points is harder in low-visibility or dark conditions. A compass is essential, not optional.

Buddy communication: Agree on light signals before entry. Standard signals: slow wave = OK, rapid wave = attention needed, circular motion = ascend. Brief your buddy explicitly -- don't assume they know your signals.

Surface cover: Night diving without surface cover is not recommended for most sites. Someone who knows your plan, entry and exit points, and emergency contacts.

Extra warm layers for after: Cold water night diving leaves you colder than equivalent daytime diving. Bring more post-dive warm clothing than you think necessary.

Photography and Video Gear

Underwater photography adds considerably to your pre-dive checklist. Forgotten batteries or uncharged equipment wastes the dive entirely.

Housing and camera: Camera fully charged. Spare batteries charged. Housing O-ring checked, cleaned, and lightly greased. All ports locked. Leak test completed (submerge to 1-2m before committing to full depth).

Lights: Primary video lights fully charged. Backup lights charged. Check mount arms and clamps for looseness. Check diffusers intact.

Macro lens and accessories: Any wet lenses or diopters packed. Lens cloth for post-dive cleaning.

Post-dive photography care: Rinse housing in fresh water for 10-15 minutes before opening. Open housing only in fresh water or sheltered from spray. Dry O-ring area before resealing. Never store housing sealed with used O-rings.

Multi-Day Trip and Liveaboard Checklist

Extended trips require planning beyond the single-day checklist.

Equipment: Service regulator before any trip where service is overdue. Spare mask -- losing your only mask on day one of a 7-day trip is miserable. Wetsuit repair kit stocked. Spare computer battery if applicable.

Logistical: BSAC or PADI certification card (paper, not just on your phone -- some operators require physical card). Dive medical or declaration if required by operator. Travel insurance with dive cover confirmed. Emergency contacts and itinerary left with someone at home.

For guidance on choosing between PADI and SSI for your UK training, see the PADI vs SSI UK guide.

Health: Seasickness medication if you're susceptible -- take the day before, not on the boat. Decongestants if you have any sinus issues. Ear drops for ear care after multiple daily dives.

For longer liveaboards: Wetsuit shampoo for on-boat rinsing. Small towels for personal use. Ear drying drops (extended multi-day diving makes ear infections more likely). Logbook.

For help choosing the right thickness for UK diving, the wetsuit thickness guide UK covers temperature ranges and suit recommendations.

On return: Full rinse of all equipment immediately on return home. Don't leave gear in the car for days. Post-trip is when equipment problems hide -- log any issues while memory is fresh.

Post-trip reset: After every trip, restock the save-a-dive kit, replace any used batteries, and note any equipment issues for repair. Resetting immediately means your bag is always ready for the next trip rather than starting from scratch each time. Ten minutes now prevents an hour of frantic searching at six in the morning before the next trip.

Bag Care and Longevity

UK conditions test gear bags harder than most other diving environments. Salt water, grit, rocks, and the weight of cold water kit combine to accelerate wear on anything poorly made.

Rinsing the bag itself: The bag gets as much salt water exposure as the kit inside it. Rinse the mesh bag weekly during active diving season. Buckles, straps, and any metal components corrode from salt crystal buildup. A quick hose-down takes 2 minutes and significantly extends strap life.

Backpack strap durability: The shoulder straps on diving bags carry significant weight -- a fully-loaded cold water kit can exceed 20kg. Check stitching at the strap attachment points every few months. This is where bags fail first. If you catch fraying stitching early, a local alterations shop can reinforce it for £15-20. Replacement after failure costs considerably more.

Mesh bag lifespan: Quality mesh bags from Mares, Scubapro, or similar brands last 5-8 years of regular use. Cheap mesh bags degrade within 2-3 seasons -- the mesh stretches and the buckles corrode. The £15 saving over a quality bag disappears in shorter lifespan and replacement cost.

Between-season storage: Clean the bag thoroughly at the end of each diving season. Let it dry completely before storing. Folded damp mesh in a garage over winter grows mould and degrades the material. Store open in a dry, ventilated space.

Our Recommendation

Print this checklist. Stick it inside your gear bag. Check it before every trip. Five minutes of discipline prevents an entire day of frustration.

For dive bag buying advice, see the best dive bags UK guide.

Use this checklist before every trip until checking it becomes automatic. The five minutes spent ticking boxes are considerably easier than the alternative: standing at the entry point realising your SMB is on the bathroom floor in Exeter. After 50 trips, you won't need the list anymore. Until then, use it every time without exception.

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