The ice is melting. The quarries are thawing. You are officially running out of excuses to avoid getting wet. Spring is the time to drag your gear out of the closet, realize half of it needs servicing, and frantically start upgrading before the local dive boats get booked up.
To save you from the scramble, we put together a list of the exact gear you should be looking at to start the season right. This is the stuff we actually dive, stock, and trust.
Your Dive. Your Way: The Custom Hollis CRIB Packages
Stop settling for off the shelf equipment that ignores how you actually dive. If you want to truly dial in your buoyancy and streamline your profile this season, the Hollis Custom CRIB packages let you build a premium rig tailored specifically to your needs and your favorite colors.
Whether you are flying a single cylinder, heavy twin doubles, or a minimalist sidemount setup, you control the build. For single tanks, you can choose an aluminum or stainless steel backplate paired with a 22 lb or 35 lb wing. If you are diving heavy doubles, you can step up to a 45 lb dual bladder or a massive 50 lb single bladder on a Solo or Elite 2 harness. Sidemount divers can customize the Katana 2, featuring the Quick Fit System and a low profile 40 lb wing in either single or dual bladder configurations. You pick the specs, you pick the colors, and you hit the water with a clean, perfectly balanced kit. Just keep in mind that custom color components are currently on preorder for mid-May, so you will want to get your build started now.
Clear Vision: The AntiFog Revolution
Spitting in your mask is a time honored tradition. It is also kind of gross. SEAC has completely changed the game with their new AntiFog line.
Whether you choose the dual lens Seac Clear, the frameless Seac Pura, or the low volume Seac Wild, you get their exclusive Dual Plasma Antifog treatment. You literally just wet the lenses, rub them with your fingertips, and the fog is gone. The Pura offers a massive field of vision, while the Wild reduces internal volume for effortless equalization on deeper dives.
Thawing Out: Exposure Suits
Water temperatures in spring are unforgiving. You need serious thermal protection.
If you are diving wet, the Fourth Element Xenos Arc Wetsuit line (available in men's and women's 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm) is a massive step forward. It is made from Ocena, a composite of natural rubber and recycled car tires that reduces environmental impact. The 7mm version includes double wrist seals and internal silicone ankle seals to completely lock out cold water.
If you are staying dry, the Waterproof D7 EVO Drysuit (available for men and women) is the apex predator of breathable drysuits. It features the patented FLEXLOCK soft silicone wrist ring system and a flexible YKK Aquaseal dry zipper. Heavy duty Kevlar reinforces the knees and seat, making it tough enough for wreck diving while remaining incredibly mobile.
Breathing Easy: Regulators
Your life support equipment is not the place to cut corners.
For the tech divers hitting deep, cold water, the XS Scuba Highland Vortex Regulator (First Stage and Second Stage) is an absolute tank. It is suitable for water temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and comes EAN40 compatible right out of the box with a lightweight Miflex braided hose.
If you want a piece of diving history with bulletproof reliability, look at the Poseidon Cyklon or Jetstream second stages. The Cyklon was the first single hose regulator in the world, and the modern versions still dominate in freezing conditions. It operates at a high intermediate pressure of 166 psi and delivers air flawlessly whether you are right side up or upside down.
The Brains of the Operation: Computers
Finally, you need something to track all this bottom time. The Seac Tablet Bluetooth Dive Computer and Transmitter Bundle is a powerhouse.
It uses the Bühlmann ZHL-16C algorithm with six levels of conservatism. It handles up to three Nitrox mixes (up to 99 percent oxygen) and connects wirelessly with up to three transmitters. The massive high contrast LCD screen is easily readable in murky spring water, and the built in Bluetooth lets you dump your logbook straight to your phone before you even take off your wetsuit.
Gear Up And Go (Diving)
Get your gear sorted now so you are not the diver holding up the boat while you search for a spare o-ring. Whether you are upgrading your life support or just finally buying a mask that doesn't fog up every three minutes, getting your kit dialed in early means you can actually enjoy the water the second the season hits.
Stop procrastinating, check your gear, and let's go diving.