The best Giftsfor scuba diversin 2023

THE book for every new or experienced diver

If you know someone who would like to try out scuba diving but is afraid to do so, or an experienced diver who had a bad experience, this is the book to get.

I wrote it with all the people in mind that I have taught to scuba dive and if you’re looking for something personal as a gift, check it out. 🙂

Best for

• Beginner scuba divers
• Anyone who is afraid of diving
• Those interested in psychology

Tips for buying

• An e-reader version is coming soon

Walk to your next dive in style.

A dry case (I prefer the term diving egg) will allow you to take valuable items such as your car keys or cash with you underwater without getting them wet.

Best for

• All scuba divers
• Snorkelers
• Swimmers

Tips for buying

• They come in different colors

Walk to your next dive in style.

Everyone needs a pair of flip-flops so why not make this a gift? There are plenty of cool-looking ones out there.

Best for

• Anyone in warm places

Tips for buying

• Don’t get cheap chines copies

Stay warm and protect your ears

Headbands and bandanas are great for two reasons. Firstly, they keep you warm and cozy, and secondly, they protect your ears from the wind. Super important after any dive!

Best for

• Anyone who loves water-sports
• Children

Tips for buying

• I like the ones made of recycled fabric the most

The convenient way to change at the beach

We all know it’s super annoying to hold a towel around yourself when you’re trying to change at the beach or public pool.

Changing towels can be put on like a sweater and make changing so much easier. Must have for convenience!

Best for

• Beach goers
• Scuba divers
• Women like them more usually than men

Tips for buying

• See if they come in unisex or men/women/children versions

In case you need attention underwater

Not everyone likes to use tank bangers or other emergency tools like it. But they are undeniably very useful in case something does happen.

They come in different shapes and sizes, but all work in a similar way.

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Dive instructors & Dive Leaders

Tips for buying

• The lighter the better

Want your coffee warm after a dive?

When diving at the lake, we always bring thermos full of tea or coffee to stay warm and hydrated.

They make for great, inexpensive gifts and are convenient not only for divers.

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Snorkelers
• Surfers
• Ocean lovers

Tips for buying

• Get a good one to really keep the content warm/cold

Does this need any introduction?

Mugs are arguably the oldest trick in the gifting toolbox. Everyone loves them and there are about 6,782,195 different designs available. I like mine to be scuba-related.

I also really like this scuba diver one which changes its picture when heating up!

Best for

• All ocean lovers

Tips for buying

• Check out the color changing ones

Cute and a nice reminder

Get a nice reminder of your favorite hobby wherever you go or drive with a fun little keychain.

They are also great for attaching it to your BCD to mark it.

Best for

• All ocean lovers
• Scuba divers

Tips for buying

• Try to get one made from recycled plastic

Classic and fun

Socks are always a great present because we usually would not spend money on buying fancy or colorful ones for ourselves.

Make somebody happy and buy them those shark socks. They’ll be forever grateful!

Best for

• All ocean lovers

Tips for buying

• I like the understatement ones more than the super flashy kind. They also fit better to normal clothes.

Put your name on it!

I still can’t get over the fact it took me four years before tagging my own scuba gear with my name.

Now, you can super cool and personalized tags for every part of your equipment and never have to worry about getting it mixed up again.

Best for

• Divers with their own equipment

Tips for buying

• Make sure to get a full set for all equipment pieces

Another one bites the dust

Who hasn’t bitten off a piece of their mouthpiece at least once? Regulator mouthpieces come in dozens of different colors and sizes, but also in special designs that lower jaw fatigue.

Love it.

Best for

• Scuba divers with their own regulator
• Frequent travelers
• Divers with smaller jaws

Tips for buying

• Be careful with allergies and don’t forget to add a few zip ties

Drive around in style

While colorful license plates are not allowed in most countries outside of the US, this vintage scuba diving license plate still makes for a great inexpensive gift for divers.

It’s also cool for putting it on the scuba gear closet.

Best for

• Divers with their own cars

Tips for buying

• Check the local regulations before using it on your car

Make your mark

Every dive needs their own, personal stamp to put into each others logbooks after a dive. It’s just such a fun and personal way to stay connected and express yourself.

It’s also a fun present for freshly certified Dive Leaders & dive instructors starting out their professional diving career

Best for

• Any diver
• Dive professionals

Tips for buying

• Check whether they already have their own custom stamp

Keep your logs nicely sorted

I am a big fan of logging all dives. Of course, there are apps…and dive computers…but I always love looking at my old logs, writing down phone numbers, or collecting other divers‘ stamps in my logbook.

Those diver stamps are a great scuba diving gift on their own, by the way…

Best for

• Beginner scuba divers
• Works well for sailing, too!

Tips for buying

• Ensure they don’t use an app for logging their dives

Make drying your wetsuit a breeze

Hanging up wetsuits can be such a pain sometimes…🙄 I know what I’m talking about, as I own about 20 different ones including the Social Diving rentals.

Universal hangers allow you to organize and dry your dive equipment all in one place without losing it. There are even some with built-in fans!

Best for

• Scuba divers who dive at home
• Great for traveling

Tips for buying

• Drysuits often require special hangers

Make drying your wetsuit a breeze

Dedicated covers are a must-have in order to keep your hair from getting stuck in the mask strap. You can personalize them to make them an even better gift for your diving friends.

Oh…make sure they have a good scuba mask first, though…

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Freedivers
• Snorkelers
• Children
• Everyone with long hair

Tips for buying

• Full-face mask users won’t have much benefit from these

Super useful for instructors and others

Dive slates are a staple for dive guides and dive instructors and are very useful, especially during advanced diving courses.

However, even recreational divers, technical divers, or really anyone who would like to write things down underwater can benefit from them.

Best for

• Advanced scuba divers
• Dive instructors & guides

Tips for buying

• Beginner divers should first focus on handling their equipment better

Super useful for instructors and others

Dive slates are a staple for dive guides and dive instructors and are very useful, especially during advanced diving courses.

However, even recreational divers, technical divers, or really anyone who would like to write things down underwater can benefit from them.

Best for

• All ocean lovers

Tips for buying

• Check for allergies first

Keep your skin intact…and our oceans

Reef-safe moisturizer is a super nice gift for women and also protects fish and corals.

Therefore, reef-safe sunscreen is a perfect gift for scuba divers!

Best for

• All ocean lovers
• Female divers, snorkelers & swimmers

Tips for buying

• Check for allergies first

No more expensive airport surprises

Portable luggage scales are a must-have for frequent scuba travelers. Avoid paying for excess baggage fees, even if you went on a souvenir shopping spree on your trip.

I use this one.

Best for

• All travelers

Tips for buying

• The lighter, the better

They will love you for it

Every scuba diver needs o-rings. Yes. Everyone.

And it’s also something most won’t buy on their own so do them a favor and get it for them. They will be forever grateful!

Best for

• All scuba divers with their own scuba gear

Tips for buying

• Not for beginner divers who don’t yet own a regulator or BCD

Save space, stay hydrated

Divers and backpackers both know the pain of so much to pack, so little space. This collapsible water bottle saves you a lot of space and is really lightweight.

Great for backpacking trips and excursions to your local dive site.

Best for

• Really anyone

Tips for buying

• Get one that’s made of recycled plastic if possible

Save space, stay hydrated

Divers and backpackers both know the pain of so much to pack, so little space. This collapsible water bottle saves you a lot of space and is really lightweight.

Great for backpacking trips and excursions to your local dive site.

Best for

• Really anyone

Tips for buying

• Get one that’s made of recycled plastic if possible

Better vision underwater

Mask defog is convenient but most of the time, they put extra chemicals into our oceans. Therefore, we now have reef-friendly versions which defog your mask without polluting our seas.

Sea2Stream makes reef-friendly defog and it’s super cheap.

Best for

• Really anyone

Tips for buying

• Get one that’s made of recycled plastic if possible

Some good reads

I love reading books, especially on anything scuba diving-related. They also make for great gifts on any budget. From inexpensive novels to photo collections on display, you’ll find something that falls in your price category.

Find suggestions for great scuba diving books, and my picks for the 10 best scuba diving books.

Best for

• Anyone

Tips for buying

• Check my suggestions first 🙂

Personalize your dive bags and anything else

Decals are fun to decorate and personalize anything from your fridge, to dive bags or your car. They are also a very affordable scuba diving gift.

Best for

• Those who love to decorate

Tips for buying

• –

Looks better, the more you use it

Scratchable travel maps are some of the coolest things I see at other people’s houses when I visit them.

Seeing where they have been to and maybe even finding destinations you went to together is a lot of fun.

There are many different ones out there, I like this one a lot.

Best for

• Travelers
• Kids to learn the map

Tips for buying

• They come in various sizes

Keep your belongings safe and dry

Dry bags are useful gifts for scuba divers, snorkelers, and anyone who likes going out to the beach. They are also very popular for Standup Paddling (SUP).

Get a cool color so you don’t mix it up with everyone else’s.

Best for

• All ocean lovers

Tips for buying

• They are not meant for scuba diving with them!

Can’t have enough of these

Do you take underwater photos? Do you like to share them with others on your trips? Then you’ll need some of these. Great as small or large gifts, depending on how much storage space you go for.

I use a number of the Seagate 2TB ones to store my files. They are incredibly cheap and work like a charm.

Best for

• Perfect for photographers

Tips for buying

• Get a shock- and waterproof one!

Stay hydrated in style

Staying hydrated is super important when diving. This water bottle shaped like a scuba tank will make for a great present for any scuba diver. And it looks really cool.

Best for

• Great for all divers

Tips for buying

• Get a light one for traveling

Great for a night out with friends

Let’s be honest, I am totally biased. I love sharks and hammerheads, especially.

Therefore, I am the proud owner of a shark bottle opener myself. They’re cool. You’ll love it.

Best for

• Great for everyone

Tips for buying

• They come in different shapes (it doesn’t have to be a shark…but it should!)

Change without getting everything wet

Wetsuit changing mats are really convenient and keep your car seats and other belongings in your bag from getting soaking wet.

They can also be used as a dry bag in some cases.

Best for

• Great for scuba divers

Tips for buying

• Get one that turns into a dry bag when folded

No more wet car seats

If you dive at home at local lakes, quarries, or beaches, you know how annoying it can be when your seats get wet from scuba gear or wetsuits.

A waterproof seat cover is, therefore, a cool present for divers, swimmers, and anyone else.

Best for

• Divers with a car

Tips for buying

• Don’t get the cheapest option, as they sometimes have a weird plastic smell to them

If they don’t have them yet, get them

Fin spring straps are arguably the number one convenience improvement every diver experiences when trying them for the first time.

If your friends still don’t use them, get them spring straps. You’re welcome.

Best for

• Scuba divers & snorkelers

Tips for buying

• Check which fins they have first

Gift them protection and peace of mind.

Every diver needs insurance, so this is one of the most sensible gifts for scuba divers out there. Insurance plans start at below $100 and will never be one of those “oh thanks…“-never to be used again-gifts.

Check out this dive insurance comparison to find one that fits or simply gift a voucher for the next renewal fee.

Best for

• Scuba divers & snorkelers

Tips for buying

• Check which fins they have first

Good sound, good times

Waterproof speakers are great for diving trips at the beach.

I really like JBL speakers as they sound nice and are very durable, but Bose and others I’ve tried were also great.

Best for

• Beach goers
• Travelers

Tips for buying

• Check out different-sized options

Keeps you safe from sun and rashes

Rashguards are super useful, inexpensive and a must-have for skin-suit or shorty divers.

My favorite is the Quicksilver Lycra rashguard.

If you want more recommendations, check out the best rash guards in 2023!

Best for

• Beach goers
• Scuba divers
• Light-skinned people
• Children
• Surfers

Tips for buying

• Check out my other recommendations for rash guards

Recharge at any time

A power bank is a must-have accessory, but solar-powered ones are just a bit better. Especially on liveaboards and prolonged dive travel, these are invaluable.

The new solar-powered ones are, therefore, perfect for all divers and travelers.

Best for

• Travelers
• Ocean lovers & beachgoers

Tips for buying

• Get a dry bag to protect the power bank from water

An invaluable device to cut lines underwater

Line cutters are one of those diving accessories that come in super handy at moments when we least expect them.

Not only are they great to cut orphaned fishing lines that trap fish and other animals, but they can also be used on scuba gear in case of emergency.

Best for

• All scuba divers
• Freedivers
• Experienced snorkelers & skindivers

Tips for buying

• Not for children

Get seen above water

Surface marker buoys are a mandatory accessory at many dive spots. If you want to find a gift for a beginner scuba diver, this is definitely one they will appreciate.

If they have never used one of them before, show them our guide on how to use a surface marker buoy.

Best for

• All scuba divers

Tips for buying

• Get an orange, yellow or red one

Travel in style

Taking scuba gear on our trips is a challenge every diver faces. Therefore, dive bags make for great gifts for scuba divers.

I use the Aqualung Explorer II, and the Cressi Moby 5 but there are many options out there. They come in different sizes and options but I recommend picking the lightest one to save weight when traveling.

Best for

• All scuba divers
• Snorkelers
• Freedivers

Tips for buying

• Check the best dive bags in 2023 for more suggestions

A classic gift for scuba divers

Scuba fins are an important part of our scuba gear and still in the range of affordable gifts for scuba divers.

My favorites are the Apeks Rk3, and I use them myself.

Best for

• All scuba divers
• Snorkelers
• Freedivers

Tips for buying

• Check the best scuba fins in 2023 for more suggestions

Your personalized scuba figurine

I first saw models for divers on Instagram where they regularly post super cool photos of their newest creations.

Each of them is handmade and full of details. Not affiliated with them, but if I wanted to gift my dive buddy something super special, this would definitely be on the list.

Alternatively, you can get some cheap models on Amazon, too.

Best for

• Collectors

Tips for buying

• You can get yourself made as a model, too!

Solid and great for beginners

Budget Dive Computers like the Cressi Leonardo or Suunto Zoom Pro make for great gifts for newly certified scuba divers.

If you want more inspiration, check out my guide on the best dive computers for every budget.

Best for

• Freshly certified scuba divers
• Occasional divers looking for a replacement

Tips for buying

• Get one that has a „Nitrox“ mode!

Time-tested and real quality

If there is one thing, almost every scuba diver can benefit from and enjoy, then it is making videos and photos of our diving adventures.

A GoPro is the easiest way to get started with underwater photography and has the advantage that it doesn’t require any setup or learning curve to use.

Oh…and there are tons of add-ons to make your underwater shots even better!

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Snorkelers
• Surfers
• Anyone who likes outdoor sports

Tips for buying

• Read my GoPro Hero10 review first
• There are budget alternatives, however, the GoPro is worth the price you pay for it

Made for great underwater shots

An underwater camera is a step up from small action cams and allows for taking superb photos underwater.

My favorites for beginners are the Olympus TG-6 and the Sealife Sport Diver Pro and many of the underwater photos on this site were taken with it. They’re both affordable and highly extendible.

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Snorkelers
• Underwater photographers
• Freedivers

Tips for buying

• Check out the best underwater cameras in 2023 for more recommendations
• Don’t forget the housing for the camera if anybody else is looking for a gift, too

Gift them a dive course

Diving courses are great scuba diving gifts for anyone and any occasion. It doesn’t have to be a big course, either.

My recommendations are specialty courses, as they are more budget-friendly and also don’t require huge time commitments.

They are also great as vouchers!

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Non-scuba divers

Tips for buying

• Get them a voucher if you’re not sure which course they would like

Get a professional diving video of yourself

Many divers love to take photos and videos but eventually realize, they never have any cool photos of themselves as they were too busy capturing everything else.

You can offer to take a video of them and make it look cool or contact us to really get your diving videos and photos to the next level!

Best for

• Scuba divers
• Also great for freedivers & others

Tips for buying

• Many women love mono fin and mermaid shootings!

Take a vacation, together if possible

Every diver loves liveaboard safaris. Gifting one is arguably reserved for the most special occasions, however, there are indeed inexpensive ones out there.

As liveaboards can range from anywhere between $800-$8,000, I leave it up to you to decide if it falls in your budget.

Best for

• Scuba divers with at least 30-50 dives
• Great for couples!

Tips for buying

• Check out my recommendations for the best liveaboard diving for beginners!

The best dive computers on the market

It’s no secret that the Shearwater Teric is on my list of the best dive computers out there. If you want to treat yourself, or maybe a significant other, to something super special, get the Teric.

On the other hand, if you are into all kinds of sports and would like to combine a smartwatch with a dive computer, get the Garmin Mk2 Descent, which is also what I use personally.

Best for

• Experienced scuba divers
• Also great for freedivers

Tips for buying

• Read my reviews for the Shearwater Teric and the Garmin Mk2 Descent