8 Best Dive Safety Gear In 2023

Most experienced divers will always carry a small but powerful dive light in a BCD pocket. Even on a bright sunny day, you may suddenly find yourself in a low light situation, be it in a strong shadow or silt out condition. The Orcatorch D550 is an outstanding light to have with you on every dive. The size of this light and its power makes it a great dive light for night diving either as the primary light or backup light. They are also great for looking into dark places.

The Orcatorch D550 is very powerful for its size and offers three settings, a high setting (1000 Lumens), a medium setting {367Lumens} and a strobe light setting (1000 lumens). On land using the high setting, the beam will illuminate over 250 meters away. It uses a rechargeable battery that is included as well as the battery charger.

The development of dive computers has greatly increased the safety zone of diving. The Cressi Leonardo Diving Computer is one of our favorite dive computers as it is a great choice for beginner and advanced divers. It displays all the information you need on a high-definition screen that gives large numerical displays.

The Cressi Leonardo Diving Computer is a single-button dive computer with Air, Nitrox, and Gauge modes. When in Air mode, the screen shows you all the needed information of depth, dive time, ascent speed, and remaining bottom time. The Nitrox mode is FO2 adjustable between 21% and 50%, and the PO2 is adjustable between 1.2 bar and 1.6 bar. This covers the full range of recreational Nitrox diving. A CNS oxygen toxicity graphic indicator tracking your oxygen exposure is displayed in the Nitrox mode as well. Dive computers use logarithms to calculate your diving risk. This dive computer allows the diver to select from three levels of conservatism.

An underwater knife or other cutting device is a dive tool that every diver needs. Unfortunately, the ocean is polluted with plastics, and many dive sites will have abandoned fishing lines and nets. These can be a hazard for divers and marine life. You need a cutting tool in case you become entangled.  

We’ve discussed fishing knives and kayak knives in previous guides, as well as the best dive knives. But if we had to pick just one knife to go into a well-rounded beginner’s collection of the best dive safety gear, this should be it.

This Spyderco black and steel serrated knife is a durable, high-quality dive knife that will accompany you through many underwater adventures. Unlike most dive knives, this is a folding knife and will easily and safely store in a BCD pocket. Its special steel blade will never rust, regardless of you diving in saltwater or freshwater. The high-strength lock mechanism and the reinforced handle give you absolute control when wielding it and can be opened with one hand.

There is nothing more dangerous than surfacing after a dive and not seeing your dive boat. You might have drifted out of sight or maybe even the dive boat left you behind. It does not happen often but it does happen. The Nautilus Lifeline is rapidly becoming required equipment aboard remote liveaboard diving to reduce your risk. If you return to the surface after a dive and can not locate your dive boat, the Nautilus Lifeline can get their attention. Before your dive, you will program your lifeline with the ID of the dive boat.

The Nautilus lifeline has two operating positions. It can be activated in a position-only mode which will send a signal to your boat's radio as well as broadcast your location to all ASI-equipped boats within 34 miles. If the device is in position mode for 30 minutes it will change to an emergency broadcast which all boats which receive the signal must respond to. In a true emergency, you can set the operating mode to send a distress call immediately without a 30-minute delay.

Finally, this signaling device is for drawing attention from your diving buddies. Imagine casually swimming under the sea surface and marveling at the view, when you suddenly see something so beautiful that it needs to be shared. Unfortunately, your friend or colleague is so focused on something else, that you can’t seem to get them to look your way. This is where cool scuba diving gadgets like this one come in. Just shake it and it will rattle loud enough for your friend to hear and look your way.

Scuba Choice Tank Rattle Stick Signal Bell is a small tube 4-3/4" in length, with a plastic cap at one end and a metal ball inside. Inside the cap is a strong magnet. When the cap is on the tube the magnet holds the metal ball in place. Removing the cap allows the ball to move freely in the rattle. Shaking it makes a loud rattling sound. When finished, replace the cap, hold the tube cap side down and the magnet will capture the metal ball. Simple but effective.