Streamlining your dive gear is an essential thing to improve underwater efficiency, conserve energy and reduce drag. If you streamline your dive gear properly, you will enhance your whole diving experience and make it both more safer and enjoyable 

This guide will provide you with practical tips to help you achieve a more streamlined setup to ensure you move through the water with ease.

5 Tips to Streamline Your Dive Gear 

When you streamline your drive gear properly, you won’t only enhance your comfort but also significantly improve your scuba diving performance. Here are five steps to help you streamline your drive gear underwater:

• Ensure to only carry what you need.
• Minimize and secure houses.
• Stow your snorkel.
• Dial in your weight.
• Get the proper fit.

Ensure to Only Carry What You Need 

It’s a common mistake in scuba diving to load down the d-ring with too much gear as if you are a Christmas tree. Ensure to be selective instead of clipping on every piece of equipment you own. 

If you are diving on shallow reefs, you don’t need the stage bottle. In case of wreck diving, trade your fish ID cards, as you will need a reel and dive lights.

Minimize and Secure Houses 

Don’t leave the hoses hanging, and ensure to cut out any extra houses when possible. Having a computer with a remote air sensor won’t make you need a high-pressure hose.

Ensure that your gauges and octopus are clipped to your buoyancy control device and the hoses are routed properly under your arms.

Stow Your Snorkel 

Although the snorkel is considered a required equipment which we can’t dive without, it can be a snake hazard or cumbersome in some types of diving, such as wreck diving and drift diving.

If the conditions are rough, choose a collapsible model that fits in the pocket of your BC to ensure having it at the ready when you want to save your air at the surface.

Dial in Your Weight 

When you wear too much weight, that forces you to over inflate the BC which in turn causes drag and burns air quickly.

Make sure you are wearing enough weight that makes you sink to eye level when completely exhaling at the surface. At first, you will work a little to descend but when you reach 5 to 10 ft deep, you will enjoy having near perfect buoyancy control without the need to add any air to the BC.

Get the Proper Fit

Having well fitting and comfortable scuba diving equipment is a golden key to stay streamlined. The most important pieces to put in consideration are the wetsuit and BC to ensure getting the right fit, visit the local dive shop and take your time to find the model and the size that are suitable for you.