Mask, fins and snorkel

Even here, there's a lot to chose from. The things to bear in mind are:

• Mask: Forget cost, fit is everything. A simple $20 mask that fits you perfectly is better than a fancy $100 mask that you can't get a seal on. Try it on in the shop, and if possible, try it on with a snorkel, regulator, or just a mouthpiece in - your face is a different shape when your mouth is clamped round a DV, and a mask that fits you walking around on the surface but floods whenever you put your demand valve in is worthless. Simple is good - don't be seduced by masks with drain valves, built-in snorkels, or the like; these are useless additions that are designed solely for the purpose of making you pay more.

• Fins: Full-foot fins for use in the pool or warm water tend not to be all that fancy. Since they can ONLY be used barefoot, if you don't want to buy two pairs of fins, you're probably better off with open-heel fins, since these can be worn in any situation from the pool to drysuited open water dives.
  Open-heel fins have a strap at the heel, so they fit when you're wearing boots or a drysuit, and they come in a wide range of designs. Most recently, the big gimmick has been split fins. The debate is still ongoing as to whether or not split fins really are a huge leap ahead or just a gimmick. The general consensus seems to be that some split fins are worthless, but some are at least as good as conventional fins. Working out which is which is no easy task. If you're determined to get splits, then you could do worse than check out Divernet - John Bantin is notoriously anti-split, so if he gives a split fin a thumbs-up, it's a fairly safe bet. If you want to stick to a tried and tested fin design, then black rubber jetfins are about as safe as it gets - used by some of the most advanced divers in the world, and they've been around for decades. Scubapro (the original makers) sell them at a high price, but clones are available a lot cheaper from people like Divex and Sub-Aqua Products.
  If your tastes run to something a little lighter or more colourful, then the other 'tried and tested' fin to look at is the Mares Plana Avanti Quattro.
  
• Snorkel: Most experienced divers insist that snorkels have no place in scuba diving. Some, however, insist that on surface swims or long waits for the boat, they can be useful. If you want a snorkel that'll last you whatever opinion you form, look for one that can be folded or rolled up compact so it can be stored in a pocket.
  No matter WHAT your instructor may have told you, you do NOT want a snorkel clamped to your mask. A snorkel attached to the mask is a snag hazard that can flood or even remove your mask, and is widely considered a sure sign of a novice diver: In a poll on an Internet forum, results were:
  • Snorkels are pointless, I won't dive with someone who takes one - 1 vote
  • Snorkels are pointless, but I really don't care about it much - 12 votes
  • Snorkels can be useful sometimes, but I don't take one - 20 votes
  • Snorkels can be useful sometimes, so I take one stowed away - 9 votes
  • Snorkels can be useful sometimes, I have one readily accessible - 9 votes
  • Snorkels are vital dive gear, I won't dive with someone who doesn't have one - 1

  So, two thirds of divers who voted do not even take a snorkel. And of the one third who did vote for taking one, some posted the modifier that they only took them when a long surface swim was expected.

  Examples of folding snorkels you could consider include Scubapro, Sherwood, and Technisub
  

  
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