10 SCUBA HACKS YOU NEED TO KNOW!
I’m sharing ten easy SCUBA Diving Hacks I’ve collected over the years from all my different diving experiences.
I use this collection of SCUBA tips and tricks all the time. Some of these hacks I’ve figured out on my own and others I have “borrowed” from other divers and dive buddies.
Disclosure: I am an independent blogger, and all blog posts are based on my own opinions. I link these products because of their quality and not because of any commission I might receive from purchases.
I always have 2 or 3 of these Every diver has their favorite type of defogger. I used baby shampoo for a long time, but every mask is different. I hate mask fog, and my current mask eats baby shampoo for breakfast. Constantly rinsing my mask underwater to get rid of mask fog ruins my dive. Now use I Spit Antifog Gel. I only use the gel, it is a better quality product than the spray version. To get even better results I put a thin layer of Spit on my mask lens the night before I dive. Then I do a quick rinse with seawater in the morning. I prefer rinsing with seawater. I had a divemaster tell me never to use freshwater to rinse a mask, and I stick to this advice as much as I can. True or not, I’m not sure – but it works for me.
This hack really helps keep my feet warm when diving during the colder months (cold for Florida that is!).
4. Dry Mouth Spray
I get a dry mouth when I SCUBA dive. I know this sounds crazy since I am in the water the entire time.
On a dive boat, I once saw a woman using Biotene mouth spray right before she put her regulator in and entered the water. I stole this idea and I love it. It doesn’t completely stop dry mouth but it really helps out a lot.
Really any brand of minty mouth spray helps. When I run out of my dry mouth spray (and forget to buy more) my backup is always Listerine pocket mist mouth spray.
5. Yup, Magic Eraser!
Magic Eraser – it’s not just for walls! It’s THE BEST for quickly cleaning dive slates.
I keep a ½ of one in a small dry box with my scuba tools.
7. Help Getting Your Fins Off Easier
A little dab of silicone on the sides of fin booties is the secret to getting fins off easier in the water. I have wide feet, so my SCUBA fins tend to “stick” to my booties.
Of course, this always happens after a dive, when I’m trying to quickly get my fins off before I get back on the boat. It’s especially bad when the water temperature is colder, and I am in a heavy wetsuit and doubled up on SCUBA socks! I look like a circus clown thrashing around in the water trying to get my fins off!
The best “hack” I have found for this problem is to put a small dab of silicone grease on each side of your SCUBA boot at the widest part of your foot. This makes the fins slide easily off.
8. Prevent Sea Sickness
This SCUBA trick works! It has been perfected by my dive buddy Maria. Unfortunately, she (used to)get seasick all the time. I’ve watched her puke over the side of a boat more times than I can count.
She has been experimenting on herself for years, trying every possible combination of ginger chews, pills, wrist bands, and patches. Through trial and error, she found an epic solution to preventing seasickness. Luckily, I am not prone to seasickness, but I still follow this SCUBA tip because once seasickness starts it’s ruined your diving and your day.
The huge mistake people make is taking seasickness pills right before they get on a boat.
The key to preventing seasickness is so easy. You have to pre-loading your system 1-3 days before your dive. Especially if you are prone to seasickness.
Since I am not prone to it, I take a pill the night before and then when I get up in the morning. If the water is rough (with more than 2 foot high waves) I will take pill another in-between my dives. I always use Dramamine at night and
9. Reef Safe Sunscreen
The first time I heard about reef-safe sunscreen was 9 years ago when I was getting back into diving. It was required for a whale shark research trip that I participated in as a “teacher scientist”. I couldn’t find it at any U.S.A. drugstore. I found one brand on Amazon for $40.00!!! I bought a cheaper “organic” one and figured that was good enough.
I learned two things about sunscreen on this trip: 1. Reef-safe sunscreen was in every drug store in Cancun Mexico and was only $5.00 a bottle!!! 2. Why reef-safe sunscreen is sooooo important for reef health.
Oxybenzone is the main culprit, but you can read the entire list of 12 toxic ingredients here. Oxybenzone kills the algae that live in coral tissues. Killing the algae coral depends to live on stresses or kills coral (through negative DNA impacts, abnormal growths, and coral bleaching).
My favorite brand is Stream 2 Sea, it’s available on Amazon and made by a small business located in the Florida Keys.
10. Easy DIY Snorkel “Clip”
Ok this tip I don’t use all the time because I hate SCUBA diving with a snorkel. I prefer to keep a roll-up one in a pocket on my B.C.
However, when I am required to use a snorkel or am out snorkeling, I use an elastic hair tie. A hair tie works much better than the cheap plastic clips most snorkels come with.
To use: Twist the elastic in figure 8 around the left side of the mask band and slide the snorkel through the two loops of figure 8. It couldn’t be any more cheap, simple, or easy.
Well, I hope these hacks help out your SCUBA diving adventures. Be sure to comment with your own SCUBA diving tips or tricks.
If you liked this article, make sure to read: 6 SCUBA Tips New Divers Need to Know!
Let’s be friends. Sign up for my newsletter and keep up with my wildlife news and adventures!!!
You May Also Like
Where To Shark Snorkel (Safely) in Florida!
Swim With Manatees Without The Tourist Crowds!
