What Is Essential Scuba Diving Equipment? I've watched thousands of divers gear up over the past forty-plus years, and I can tell you this: understanding what constitutes essential scuba diving equipment isn't about buying the most expensive gear or following whatever the dive magazines are pushing this season. It's about knowing which pieces of equipment keep you alive underwater and which ones just make the experience more comfortable. The difference matters, especially when you're standing in a dive shop with a salesperson telling you that you absolutely need a $1,500 computer for your first open water dive. What Is Essential Scuba Diving Equipment? Here's the thing: essential scuba diving equipment falls into two categories, and new divers often confuse them. There's life-support equipment—the gear that literally keeps you breathing and sa ...