Commercial diving school gear list: what you actually need
Five schools' official equipment lists compared side by side, what the school supplies, what you bring, what it costs by the schools' own estimates, and what is still worth owning after graduation.
At commercial diving school the school supplies the expensive life-support kit: helmets, umbilicals, dive panels, compressors and the chamber. You bring the personal gear. Across the published lists we compared, that means an exposure suit (a 7 mm wetsuit in warm-water schools, a dry suit in cold-water ones), gloves and hood, a helmet liner ("snoopy") for the school's Kirby Morgan helmets, a knife, a harness or weights, fins and mask, steel-toe work boots, work gloves and a gear bag, plus hard hat and safety glasses where the school does not issue them. Schools' own estimates for this range from about $840 (Commercial Divers International, Arizona) to about $5,000 (Divers Institute of Technology, Seattle). The rule that saves most money: wait for your school's list and buy in the first weeks, not before.
Search "commercial diving gear list" and you get dive-shop product pages and forum threads that start with "buy a helmet". The schools' own lists say something quite different, and they differ a lot from each other depending on climate, programme and whether the course includes scuba or welding.
We compared the published required-equipment lists of five schools: Divers Institute of Technology (DIT, Seattle), Santa Barbara City College's Marine Diving Technology programme (SBCC, California), Ocean Corporation (Houston), Commercial Divers International (CDI, Arizona) and the Commercial Diving Institute (Kelowna, Canada), with a UK school, the Professional Diving Academy (Scotland), for contrast. Everything below comes from those lists, checked on 28 September 2026.
What the school supplies and what you bring
The split is the same everywhere. Life-support and system equipment belongs to the school, because it has to be maintained, tested and certified to the standards the school works to. Personal gear that touches your body belongs to you, for hygiene and fit.
The clearest evidence is the helmet liner. SBCC asks students for a "head cushion (aka 'snoopy') and chin cushion for Kirby Morgan Diving Helmets", and the Commercial Diving Institute in Canada lists a Kirby Morgan-style liner that "fits training helmets". You buy the liner; the school owns the helmet. Why the Kirby Morgan is the industry default is covered in our piece on the Kirby Morgan helmet.
Some schools go further. DIT issues your hard hat and safety glasses "after your first module". CDI Arizona supplies the first hard hat. The Professional Diving Academy in Scotland lends students a dry suit and base layers, a self-inflating life jacket and wet-weather gear for the course, and asks them to bring only safety boots, neoprene diving gloves and paperwork.
Required gear compared across schools
This table puts the published lists side by side. "Required" means the school lists the item as mandatory; "provided" means the school supplies it; a dash means the item does not appear on that school's list.
| Item | DIT (Seattle) | SBCC (California) | Ocean Corp. (Houston) | CDI (Arizona) | CDI (Kelowna, Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exposure suit | Dry suit with inflation whip (wetsuit optional, not needed) | Wetsuit, 7 mm minimum, with gloves, hood, booties | Wetsuit ($200+) | Wetsuit | Commercial dry suit with Poseidon-type valves |
| Undergarments | Required (for dry suit) | Cotton or natural-fibre clothes for chamber and welding | – | – | – |
| Diving gloves and hood | Five-finger gloves and hood | With wetsuit | – | Diver gloves | 5 or 7 mm mitts or gloves, two pairs |
| Helmet liner | Snoopy cap (buy through DIT recommended) | Snoopy and chin cushion for Kirby Morgan helmets | – | – | Kirby Morgan-style liner, available at school |
| Harness / weights | 5-point harness, snap shackle, min. 40 lb weights | Weight belt, 20 to 26 lb | Weight belt and weights ($60+) | – | – |
| Dive knife | Stainless, folding, locking | Dive knife plus 3 to 4 in. folding knife | – | – | Required (school sells one) |
| Mask, fins, snorkel | Required | Required (open-heel fins) | – | Fins | Mask and fins |
| In-water boots | Chafing boots or overboots | Steel-toe rubber "bottom boots" | – | Diving boots | – |
| Steel-toe work boots | Leather, required on campus at all times | Recommended; closed shoes required | Leather steel-toed ($50+) | – | CSA-approved work boots |
| Hard hat / safety glasses | Provided after first module | Z87 safety glasses | Safety glasses and welding cap ($25+) | First hard hat supplied; glasses, gloves, ear protection | Hard hat provided |
| Scuba kit | Bail-out first stage only | Full set: regulator, BCD, gauges, compass | – | – | Only for the occupational scuba course |
| Tools | – | Wrenches, pliers, file, screwdrivers, soldering iron | – | Welding helmet, grinder, slag hammer, brushes | Tool bag provided |
| Other | Dive watch (200 m), torch, gear bag, padlock, leather gloves | Slate, timer, gear bag, tool bag | Rain gear ($25+) | – | Life jacket, dry bag, coveralls, rain jacket, notebook |
| School's cost estimate | About $5,000 | Not published | From about $360 (sum of listed minimums) | About $843 | Personal budget sheet from admissions |
Sources: DIT required gear; SBCC Marine Diving Technology Required Equipment List (rev. 3.12.25); Ocean Corporation consumer disclosures (Commercial Diver Certification programme); Commercial Divers International required gear; Commercial Diving Institute required gear. Checked 28 September 2026. Ocean Corp.'s figure adds its listed minimums for the diving programme ($25 + $50 + $25 + $60 + $200), excluding the $200+ for open-water week in Galveston.
What the comparison shows
Climate decides the suit. The Seattle and Kelowna schools require dry suits; the California, Texas and Arizona programmes ask for wetsuits. DIT is explicit: "You DO NOT need a wetsuit for training purposes at DIT."
Programme content decides the extras. SBCC's programme includes scuba and technical courses, so its list includes a full scuba set and a tool kit. CDI Arizona teaches welding, so its list includes welding PPE and a grinder. DIT only asks for a bail-out first stage.
The published estimates differ by a factor of about six. The highest figure comes from the cold-water school that requires a dry suit; the lowest from a warm-water school that asks for a wetsuit and PPE.
The personal kit, item by item
Wetsuit or dry suit?
Whatever your school's list says. Do not buy either before you have it. If a wetsuit is required, SBCC's specification is a good reference: full suit, at least 7 mm, with gloves, hood and booties. DIT recommends a 7 mm "Farmer John" if you choose to wear one there. If a dry suit is required, check the valve type (CDI Canada specifies Poseidon valves or inlet) and whether the school wants wrist and ankle seals. DIT notes that the dry suit is a must if you want to pursue Canadian certification (CSA Z275.4). Our guide to choosing and maintaining a work dry suit explains materials, seals and valves.
Boots: two kinds
You need two different pairs. Steel-toe work boots for topside: DIT requires leather steel-toed boots on campus at all times, and SBCC notes they "will be necessary once in the industry". And in-water boots: commercial divers rarely wear fins at work. SBCC requires hard-soled steel-toe rubber "bottom boots" for its wharf dives and suggests 3 to 7 mm neoprene socks underneath, sized so they fit.
Gloves
Also two kinds. Neoprene diving gloves (five-finger, not mitts, at DIT; two pairs at CDI Canada) and topside work gloves. DIT asks for leather work gloves; CDI Canada wants a leather pair for wire rope and a lighter pair. SBCC asks for flexible work gloves "with dexterity in mind (no leather)" for its tool work. Read your list.
Knife, harness and weights
DIT specifies a stainless steel, folding, locking dive knife with a harness clip, a harness with at least five points plus a snap shackle, and at least 40 lb of weights. SBCC asks for a weight belt with 20 to 26 lb, including some small weights for fine-tuning. The difference reflects how each school rigs its divers.
Helmet liner
Cheap and personal. DIT recommends buying it through the school so it matches the training helmets; CDI Canada sells one on site. Wait and buy it there.
PPE and topside clothing
Hard hat, safety glasses (SBCC specifies clear glasses with a Z87 rating, "not sunglasses"), hearing protection at CDI Arizona, rain gear at Ocean Corp. and CDI Canada. For decompression chamber runs and welding, SBCC asks for 100% cotton or other natural-fibre clothing, a common fire-safety requirement in chambers and around welding.
Paperwork kit
Not gear, but it goes in the bag: your diving medical (the Professional Diving Academy asks for the original HSE certificate on day one), photo ID, and a notebook. You will also start your professional diving logbook at school.
Buy, borrow or skip: what is still useful after graduation
The question most students do not ask is what the gear is worth once school ends. This is our assessment based on what the schools' lists and the industry's working practice suggest; it is a guide, not a rule.
| Item | Our advice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Steel-toe work boots | Buy new, good quality | Required on almost every site and vessel; you will wear them daily |
| Work gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection | Buy new | Consumables you keep using |
| Dive knife, gear bag, padlock | Buy (used is fine for the bag) | Personal kit you take to your first job |
| Helmet liner | Buy at school | Personal hygiene item; matches the helmets you train in |
| Wetsuit | Buy, used acceptable if the fit and seams are good | Still useful for inland and warm-water work |
| Dry suit | Buy only if required; consider the school's package | The biggest single cost. Whether employers supply suits varies, so do not spend more than the school requires until you know |
| Full scuba set | Only if your programme requires it | Most commercial diving is surface-supplied; buy scuba kit only for a course that needs it |
| Diving helmet | Skip | None of the five school lists asks students to own one; ask employers before you ever consider buying |
Equipment you own also has to be looked after: our guide to inspecting and maintaining professional diving equipment covers what to check and how often.
Gear bag for your first job
Most new graduates start as tenders or entry-level divers, working topside as much as in the water. What goes in the bag for that first job, based on the items that appear on the school lists and carry over to work:
- ☐ Steel-toe work boots (and topside clothing for the site: coveralls, rain gear)
- ☐ Hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, work gloves
- ☐ Exposure suit, diving gloves, hood, in-water boots, liner
- ☐ Dive knife
- ☐ Small tool kit: adjustable wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, tape measure, marker
- ☐ Pocket notebook and pens
- ☐ Logbook, diving qualification, medical and ID (originals plus copies)
- ☐ Offshore tickets if the job needs them: see BOSIET and offshore survival tickets
What a tender does day to day, and why the tool kit matters, is explained in what a tender does.
Budget: what the schools themselves estimate
We have not built a shopping-list total from retail prices, because prices vary by country, brand and season and the lists themselves differ. The only honest figures are the schools' own:
| School | Published gear figure | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Divers Institute of Technology | About $5,000 (gear page); $5,850 for "Gear & Physical" in cost of attendance | Required diving gear including dry suit; the second figure adds the physical |
| Commercial Divers International (AZ) | About $843.45, before tax | PPE, wetsuit kit, welding gear |
| Ocean Corporation (TX) | From about $360 plus Galveston open-water trip ($200+) | Rain gear, boots, glasses and welding cap, weights, wetsuit (listed minimums) |
| Professional Diving Academy (UK) | Dry suit, base layers, life jacket, wet-weather gear lent for the course | Student brings safety boots, neoprene gloves and documents |
Sources: DIT gear and DIT cost of attendance; CDI required gear; Ocean Corporation disclosures; Professional Diving Academy, HSE Surface Supplied (Top-Up). Checked 28 September 2026.
To put that in context: DIT's total cost of attendance is $48,800, of which gear and physical are $5,850, about 12%. Gear is a real cost, but it is not the one that decides whether a school is affordable. For full course costs, see how much a commercial diving course costs and our comparison of US commercial diving schools.
How to buy without wasting money
- Wait for the official list from the school you enrol in. The lists above differ too much to buy for "commercial diving" in general.
- Use the time you are given. DIT needs all diving gear by week 5; SBCC staggers its list across the programme's first months. DIT notes that most students buy in the first week from dive shops with package deals.
- Ask about school packages and financial aid. DIT's financial aid office helps fund gear; CDI Arizona "offers packages for students".
- Buy the boots first. DIT requires them on campus at all times from day one.
- Keep receipts. In some countries work equipment can be tax-deductible once you are working; check local rules.
Get school and gear updates
We update this list when schools change their published requirements, and send new guides on schools, costs and first jobs when there is something worth reading. No spam.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my own helmet for commercial diving school?
No. None of the five school gear lists we compared asks students to own a diving helmet. Schools supply helmets and band masks, umbilicals and dive panels. What you do buy is a personal helmet liner, often called a "snoopy": SBCC asks for a head and chin cushion for Kirby Morgan helmets, and DIT recommends buying its snoopy cap through the school.
Wetsuit or drysuit for dive school?
It depends on the school, mainly on its water temperature. Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle and the Commercial Diving Institute in Canada require a dry suit; DIT says a wetsuit is not needed there. Santa Barbara City College asks for a 7 mm wetsuit with gloves, hood and booties, and Ocean Corporation in Houston and Commercial Divers International in Arizona list wetsuits. Buy only what your school's list specifies.
What gear do commercial divers own?
Mostly personal and protective kit: steel-toe work boots, work gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection, an exposure suit with gloves, hood and in-water boots, a helmet liner, a knife and a small tool kit. The diving system itself, including helmets, umbilicals, panels and compressors, is normally provided by the employer or school. Ask any employer what they supply before buying expensive items.
How much does commercial diving school gear cost?
The schools' own estimates range widely. Commercial Divers International in Arizona puts its required gear at about $843 before tax; Ocean Corporation lists minimums that add up to about $360 plus an open-water trip; Divers Institute of Technology, which requires a dry suit, estimates about $5,000. Some UK schools, such as the Professional Diving Academy, lend dry suits for the course.
Sources
- Divers Institute of Technology, Required gear (last modified 3 February 2026) and cost of attendance.
- Santa Barbara City College, Marine Diving Technology Required Equipment List (rev. 3.12.25).
- Ocean Corporation, Information disclosure statements, Commercial Diver Certification programme.
- Commercial Divers International (Goodyear, AZ), Required gear.
- Commercial Diving Institute (Kelowna, BC), Required gear.
- Professional Diving Academy (Dunoon, Scotland), HSE Surface Supplied (Top-Up): what is included and what to bring.
Published 28 September 2026. Figures checked on 28 September 2026 against the sources above. Found an error or a newer figure? Tell us.
Photo: Ghost Fishing UK · public domain via Openverse