🤿 The 9 accessories in detail
#1
🛟 Safety first
SMB 5 ft Surface Marker Buoy with 98 ft finger spool
A 5 ft marker buoy sold as a set with a 98 ft (30 m) finger spool, a double-ended clip and an emergency whistle. On a Florida or Cozumel drift dive you can surface far from where you started: the SMB shows the boat exactly where you are.
✅ Pros
- · Spool, clip and whistle included
- · Tall 5 ft tube, easy to spot
- · 4.7/5 on Amazon.com
❌ Cons
- · Practise deploying it from depth with an instructor
- · Brand not shown on the listing
5 ft30 m spoolWhistle
Check price on Amazon →#2
✂️ Safety
Dive Rite Ceramic Line Cutter
A ceramic blade protected inside a hook-shaped body, supplied with a sheath. It cuts monofilament cleanly without the risk of slicing yourself, and ceramic does not rust in salt water. Around piers and wrecks, lost fishing line is the real entanglement risk.
✅ Pros
- · Ceramic blade, no rust
- · Protected edge
- · 4.7/5 from 180 reviews
❌ Cons
- · Not for thick rope
- · Mount it where either hand can reach it
CeramicSheath includedUnder $30
Check price on Amazon →#3
🔦 Backup light
Wurkkos DL02 Dive Light (3,000 lm)
A compact 3,000-lumen rechargeable dive light. Even in clear tropical water, a light brings back the reds and oranges under ledges and in swim-throughs, and it is the light you need for a night dive or as a backup.
✅ Pros
- · 3,000 lumens
- · Rechargeable
- · 4.5/5 from 400+ reviews
❌ Cons
- · Check the depth rating on the listing before deep dives
3,000 lmRechargeableCompact
Check price on Amazon →#4
🥽 Comfort
Cressi Big Eyes Evolution
A dive-school classic: tilted lenses for a wide view downwards, where your gauges are, a low internal volume that is easy to clear, and a silicone skirt. To check the fit, hold it on your face without the strap and breathe in through your nose: it should stay put.
✅ Pros
- · Wide downward field of view
- · Low volume, easy to clear
- · 4.5/5 from 750+ reviews
❌ Cons
- · One adult size: try the fit
- · Wash the new lenses before the first dive
Low volumeSiliconeMade in Italy
Check price on Amazon →#5
💧 Comfort
Cressi Premium Anti-Fog
A few drops on dry lenses, spread, quick rinse, and the mask stays clear. Warm, humid air on the boat and cooler water at depth is exactly what makes masks fog. One of the most reviewed dive anti-fogs on Amazon.com.
✅ Pros
- · Very cheap
- · Nearly 12,000 reviews
- · Small bottle for the dive bag
❌ Cons
- · A new mask must be degreased first
LiquidPocket-sizedBestseller
Check price on Amazon →#6
☀️ Warm water
Roadbox UPF 50+ Long-Sleeve Rash Guard
A light UPF 50+ long-sleeve swim shirt. In tropical water many divers dive in a rash guard alone, or wear one under a shorty: it blocks the sun between dives, protects against stinging plankton and scrapes, and means less sunscreen in the water.
✅ Pros
- · UPF 50+ sun protection
- · Quick-drying
- · 23,000+ reviews
❌ Cons
- · No thermal protection: not a wetsuit
- · Check the size chart
UPF 50+Long sleeveQuick dry
Check price on Amazon →#7
🪸 Reef safe
Thrive Reef Safe Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
A mineral sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide, labelled as compliant with Hawaii's Act 104, which bans oxybenzone and octinoxate. Hawaii and several Caribbean destinations restrict chemical sunscreens near reefs: a mineral formula keeps you on the right side of the rules.
✅ Pros
- · Non-nano zinc oxide
- · Hawaii Act 104 compliant per the listing
- · 4.5/5 from 1,800 reviews
❌ Cons
- · Mineral sunscreens can leave a light white cast
- · Apply 15 minutes before getting in the water
SPF 50MineralVegan
Check price on Amazon →#8
🧭 Navigation
OVOVFANY Wrist Dive Compass (5 ATM)
A wrist-mounted dive compass with a TPU strap. Entry-level dive computers usually have no compass, and this is how you get back to the anchor line without surfacing on a shore or boat dive.
✅ Pros
- · Wrist strap included
- · 4.3/5 from 160 reviews
- · Under $30
❌ Cons
- · Learn to use it on a navigation course
Wrist mount5 ATMTPU strap
Check price on Amazon →#9
🎒 Transport
Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag
A roll-top dry bag with a waterproof phone case, sold in several sizes (20 L is right for a dive day). On a dive boat everything gets wet: this is where your phone, keys and dry clothes go.
✅ Pros
- · Several sizes on the same listing
- · Phone case included
- · 33,000+ reviews
❌ Cons
- · Pick the size before adding to cart
Roll-topPhone case20 L option
Check price on Amazon →❓ Frequently asked questions
Which accessories should I buy first for a dive trip?
A mask that fits and an anti-fog, then sun protection: a UPF 50+ rash guard and a reef-safe sunscreen. Next come the safety items you don't always get from the dive shop: an SMB with a spool, a line cutter and a backup light.
What does 'reef safe' sunscreen mean?
There is no single legal definition. In practice it means a mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) without oxybenzone and octinoxate, the two filters banned by Hawaii's Act 104. Several other destinations have similar rules.
Can I dive in a rash guard without a wetsuit?
In very warm water (around 28 °C and above) many divers do, especially on shallow dives. A rash guard protects against sun and minor stings but gives no thermal protection, so a 3 mm suit is still more comfortable for several dives a day.
Do I need an SMB on a guided dive?
Many dive operators require one per buddy pair, and it is essential on drift dives where the boat follows the group. It is cheap and fits in a BCD pocket.
Do I need a compass if my dive computer has one?
Entry-level computers usually have no compass. A wrist compass remains the basic navigation tool taught on the Advanced Open Water course, and it does not need a battery.