1. HENDERSON TITANIUM HYPERSTRETCH // Ditch the straitjacket: Four-way stretch neoprene makes this 3mm wetsuit as comfy as a sweatsuit. Even more revolutionary, the Insta Dry wetsuit (not pictured, $473) does as it says: It dries in about five minutes, using a nonabsorbent neoprene exterior. $275; www.hendersonusa.com

2. SEALIFE DC500 ELITE // By packaging the camera, housing, and flash as a set, the Elite delivers quality underwater photos at a killer price. The five-megapixel digital camera is small enough for landlubber use, too. $999; www.sealife-cameras.com

3. TUSA VISUALATOR M-14 // Masks are like shoes: Fit comes first. Start your search with the single-lens Visualator, which offers amplified vision. $75; www.tusa.com

4. REEF FISH // Was that a reef shark or sand shark? This 500-page fish-identification tome (available in a waterproof five-by-six-inch version) will put an end to topside debate. $40; www.fishid.com

5. AERIS SPORT BACKPACK // Carry logbooks, defogger, and loose items in this well-organized pack. Bonus: Fins lash neatly behind the front shock cord. $60; www.diveaeris.com

6. MARES NEMO // Forget gawky, monster dive computers—this one is so slick you can wear it to post-dive dinners. $600; www.mares.com

7. AERIS VELOCITY FULL FOOT FINS // No need for a dedicated duffel for your fins with these shorter-than-average, lightweight (2.5 lbs per pair) flippers, which deliver plenty of kick for both diving and snorkeling. $50; www.diveaeris.com

8. SCUBAPRO LAGUNA SNORKEL // The drytop ensures you always suck air, and the flexible mouthpiece is easy on the gums. $49; www.scubapro.com