SDI Equipment Specialist Course

At some point, every diver runs into a gear problem. An O-ring fails on a remote dive trip. A BCD inflator sticks before a morning dive. A fin strap snaps on the boat. What happens next depends entirely on whether you know enough about your equipment to fix it yourself or whether the dive is over.

The SDI Equipment Specialist course is built for exactly that. Over two classroom sessions, you will learn how every major category of scuba equipment works, what it is made of, how to maintain it between dives and at the end of a season, and which repairs you can handle yourself in the field versus which ones need a qualified technician.

You do not need to be a certified diver to take this course. It is open to anyone ages 10 and up, including prospective divers who want to understand the gear before they get in the water, family members of divers who handle gear without knowing what they are handling, and certified divers who want a deeper working knowledge of the equipment they already own.

Course Format

The SDI Equipment Specialist course runs across two full classroom sessions, each approximately eight hours. There are no pool or open water dives. Everything is covered in the classroom, hands-on with actual equipment. Check the current schedule for available session dates and register for both sessions when you enroll.

What the Course Covers

Exposure Suits: Wetsuits and Dry Suits

Exposure suits take more abuse than almost any other piece of dive gear and are often the least well maintained. The course covers how wetsuits and dry suits work, the materials they are made from and why those materials matter for fit and durability, the features that distinguish different suit types, how to clean and store them properly to extend their life, and the basic repairs you can make yourself, including zipper lubrication, neoprene patching, and seal maintenance for dry suits.

BCDs, Regulators, and Alternate Air Sources

Your regulator is the most critical piece of gear you own. The course covers how first and second stages work, what the components inside them do, how to identify when a regulator needs servicing by a technician versus when a surface issue is something you can address yourself, and how to care for it between dives and during storage. BCDs and alternate air sources are covered with the same approach: how they function, what to check, what you can fix, and what requires a shop visit.

Cylinders and Weight Systems

Most divers use cylinders without thinking much about them. The course covers the materials tanks are made from, the differences between steel and aluminum cylinders, visual inspection basics, valve care, transportation requirements, and how to identify when a cylinder needs a professional inspection or hydro test. Weight systems, including belt weights and integrated BCD weights, are covered for proper setup, care, and field adjustment.

Computers, Accessories, and Other Devices

Dive computers, lights, cameras, slates, surface marker buoys, and accessories all have maintenance requirements most divers ignore until something fails. The course covers how dive computers work, battery replacement and O-ring care for waterproof housings, basic troubleshooting for common failures, and how to transport and store accessories so they last.

What You Can Fix Yourself - and What You Cannot

One of the most useful things this course teaches is the line between a field repair you can handle and one you should not attempt. Replacing an O-ring, patching neoprene, lubricating a zipper, cleaning a regulator mouthpiece, checking a BCD bladder for leaks, swapping a fin strap - these are within the scope of what the course covers and what you are qualified to do afterward.

Regulator internals, valve seats, cylinder repairs, and anything that affects the air delivery path or structural integrity of equipment should go to a qualified technician. The course is clear about where that line is and why crossing it creates risk rather than solving a problem.

Who Can Enroll

No scuba certification is required for this course. It is open to anyone ages 10 and up with parental consent, 18 without. Certified divers, prospective divers, and non-divers who handle or travel with scuba gear are all welcome.

Counts Toward the SDI Advanced Diver Rating

For certified divers, the SDI Equipment Specialist certification counts as one specialty credit toward the SDI Advanced Diver Development Program. Note that because this is a knowledge-only course with no in-water dives, it falls under the same exception as Computer Nitrox: only one knowledge-only specialty can count toward the four required Advanced Diver specialties. If you have already used that exception for another course, Equipment Specialist will not count toward the Advanced Diver requirement. Call us at (480) 881-4013 if you have questions about how this fits your specific path.

What to Bring

This is a classroom course with no in-water component, so there is no rental gear involved. Bring a notebook and something to write with. If you own your own scuba gear, bring it. Working with your actual equipment during the classroom sessions is one of the most useful parts of the course.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the SDI Equipment Specialist course cover?

The course covers four major equipment categories: exposure suits (wetsuits and dry suits), BCDs, regulators and alternate air sources, cylinders and weight systems, and computers, accessories, and other devices. For each category, you learn how the equipment works, what it is made of, how to maintain it, what basic repairs you can do yourself, and how to choose the right equipment for your diving.

Do I need to be a certified diver to take the Equipment Specialist course?

No. The SDI Equipment Specialist course is open to anyone ages 10 and up regardless of certification status. No prior dive training or experience is required.

What repairs can I do on my own scuba gear?

The course covers field repairs including O-ring replacement, neoprene patching on exposure suits, zipper lubrication and care, BCD bladder leak checks, fin strap replacement, and basic cleaning and maintenance for regulators, computers, and accessories. Anything affecting regulator internals, valve seats, cylinder integrity, or air delivery components should go to a qualified technician, and the course is explicit about where that line is.

How long is the SDI Equipment Specialist course?

The course runs across two full classroom sessions, each approximately eight hours. Sessions are scheduled on separate days, so plan for two full days of classroom time. There are no pool or open water dives.

Does the Equipment Specialist course count toward the SDI Advanced Diver rating?

Yes, with an important note. Because it is a knowledge-only course with no in-water dives, it counts under the knowledge-only course exception in the SDI Advanced Diver program, which allows only one such course toward the four required specialties. If you have already used that exception for another course such as Computer Nitrox, Equipment Specialist will not count as one of your four. Call us at (480) 881-4013 to work through your specific situation.

Should I bring my own gear to the course?

Yes, if you own gear, bring it. Working with your actual equipment during the classroom sessions makes the maintenance and repair content much more practical and memorable. If you do not own gear yet, all equipment used for demonstrations is provided.

Ready to Know Your Gear?

Register for the SDI Equipment Specialist course at divearizona.com or call us at (480) 881-4013. We are open Monday through Saturday 11am to 6pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm, at 18618 S 186th Way, Queen Creek, inside The Shooting Range.

For more information and to see course standards, click here!