Tis’ the season to be jelly, falalalala lalalala.
It’s that special time of year when everyone’s a little more jolly and things are covered with tinsel and tassel. It’s also around this time of year that people start thinking about gifts to buy and wrap in anticipation of December 25th.
Scuba divers are always tricky people to shop for. And as a diver, I realize that much of what goes hand in hand with scuba comes with a hefty price tag. When you’re not a scuba diver yourself, it’s challenging to know what gifts will be appreciated.
Here at Dive Buddies 4 Life, we are all about making your life easier. We have scoured the Internet, and put together a small list of stocking stuffers that range between $3-$25. If you are looking for a small or slightly more generous present for that special scuba diver, here are some great ideas for simple yet affordable Christmas stocking stuffers.
There’s nothing worse than having to sit out on a dive all because a small seemingly insignificant part broke down and you don’t have any spares.
O-rings are tiny rubber rings that prevent leaks at the seams of scuba gear. They are a crucial part of a variety of scuba equipment and can be found in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Given the wide range of applications, o-rings have it’s no wonder these tiny rubber rings are a must-have for any diver’s save-a-dive kit.
Mini Scuba Tank O-Ring Kit: Expand your save-a-dive kit with this mini blue scuba tank o-ring kit. The scuba diving tank unscrews at the base to reveal a brass pick tool and 10 common o-rings.
For the more mature scuba divers out there, if you thought drinking wine couldn’t get any better – allow us to introduce you to the shark wine glass. Each wine glass is made of lead-free crystal and features a small 3D shark anchored in the center of the glass. The shark is elevated using a thin, and likely fragile, line of glass so that he’s just the right height to show his dorsal fin when the glass is filled with wine. In conjunction with the shark wine glass, you can also get this handcrafted and welded scuba diver bottle holder created from recycled metal. The holder has space for 1 bottle of wine with a maximum diameter of 3.5 inches (9 centimeters).
If you know someone who is a fan of adult beverages, these win-lover gifts are the perfect stocking stuffer for them!
Shark Wine Glass: An elegant 22-ounce custom-crafted wine glass with a swimming glass shark figurine anchored in the center. Get your gift for wine and shark lovers everywhere.
Known under different names – muck stick, scuba pointer, lobster stick – the humble reef stick is the equivalent of a Swiss army knife to the diving world.
A reef stick is a short diving instrument usually made from anti-corrosive metal such as stainless steel. One end tapers down to a long thin point that can be firmly planted into the sediment, whereas the other end possesses either a rattling noisemaker or hole, both of which provide an attachment point for a rope or lanyard. Reef sticks are a very useful gift for divers as they have many different applications in scuba diving. They can be used for; pointing out objects, staying off the reef, stabilizing a photo or videographer, tank banging and some even have measurements etched onto the pointed end and can be used in scientific diving and underwater surveys.
Reef Stick with Noisemaker: This metal reef stick with noisemaker is a great addition to your dive kit. The reef stick is made of quality material that is sturdy and durable, difficult to deform. It is portable and durable allowing the diver to support themselves away from the seafloor.
Dive knives are a tool that scuba divers use, not as weapons (which movies would lead us to believe) but as a piece of safety equipment to cut rope or fishing net in case of entanglement. A standard dive knife feature includes a sharp edge for cutting and a sheath with a mount to safely secure it to your equipment while not in use.
Of the wide range of dive knives on the market, there are many different styles from which a dive can choose. Each has its own pros and cons. Some important optional features worth considering on your dive knife are a titanium blade making it light and very resistant to corrosion; a metal handle on the butt allowing you to use it as a noisemaker against your scuba tank.
Cutting Z-Knife: The dive cutting z-knife is a handy piece of safety and technical scuba equipment that can be used to cut ropes, lines and anything else that could ensnare a scuba diver.
Sometimes all you need is a dash of colour and a splash of water!
Colouring books are a fun and artistic way to enjoy spare time over the holidays. They are available for many different ages ranging from youth to adult-style colouring books. We have even created our own Dive Buddies 4 Life educational colouring book. Grab yourself a copy of our first ocean-themed colouring book entitled Sharks, Turtles & Underwater Things. This high-quality educational colouring book is a fun stocking stuffer for anyone aged 6 and up. The colouring book was designed to educate and inspire the young and young at heart to fall in love with the underwater world and all it’s encompassing critters.
Lost Ocean: From the creator of the Secret Garden, Lost Ocean is a beautiful adult coloring book taking you to an enchanted world hidden in the depths of the sea. Through intricate illustrations, readers will visit coral reefs, fishy shoals and barnacle-studded shipwrecks.
Protecting your belongings on the water and in the water is of paramount importance when scuba diving. Waterproof containers are one most practical yet overlooked pieces of equipment, keeping valuable items secured in a durable watertight box that can withstand the elements.
As shore divers, we understand the importance of having an impervious container that is fully submersible. We have tried a plethora of different waterproof dive containers and find that they are useful not only for gizmos and gadgets such as cell phones and cameras but also for small and simple things, such as your car keys.
Waterproof Scuba Diving Egg: The waterproof scuba diving egg helps keep valuables dry while in the water. The egg is suitable for snorkeling and scuba diving. The egg can contain sunglasses, car keys, money, etc.
Scuba diver by day, bookworm by night. Consider stuffing that special diver’s stocking with some interesting reading material over the holidays.
There are tonnes of interesting scuba diving books out there ranging from dive guides, helping explore new scuba locations, to educational reads, like our favorite photography masterclass book by Alex Mustard. And if none of the above suit your diver, novels centered around diving like Tim W. Jackson’s – The Secret of Rosalita Flats, is a great fallback plan.
100 Dives of a Lifetime: Explore 100 breathtaking scuba diving sites around the world – from the cenotes of Mexico to the best wreck in Micronesia – through stunning National Geographic photography, expert tips, and cutting-edge travel advice.
A warm beverage after a cold dive is always a nice way to put some feeling back into those numb fingers and toes. If you know a diver who drinks loose leaf tea then consider getting them a fun eco-friendly ocean tea infuser – there are many to choose from.
These tea infusers are made from metal and food-safe silicone. They come apart and can be stuffed with different flavors of loose leaf tea before being submerged back into your glass.
Scuba Diver Tea Infuser: A reusable metal scuba diver tea infuser with a small silicone raft drip tray. The tea infuser is for use on loose teas and can be submerged and pulled up from your mug – no safety stop required.
As a scuba diver, I am always looking for places and objects to help streamline and tuck away dangling equipment. There is an unending list of clips, hose holders, lanyards and other small gizmo’s that are useful trinkets for divers.
Stainless steel clips are handy to use on pony bottles, flashlights, GoPro’s and other photography equipment. Dual and tri plastic hose holders are great for clipping and tucking away your spare octopus and dive console. Magnetic holders are functional for quick and easy access to equipment that is already attached to a diver such as a backup regulator.
Ask around and you’re bound to find a variation of these small clips for the diver in your life. And even if they already have some – it is always important to have backups.
Stainless Steel Snap Hook: This clip is a practical accessory for underwater photography and technical diving. The clip is made of marine-grade 304 stainless steel, which keeps the clip wear-resistant and good quality to withstand watery weather. This package includes 4 stainless steel snap hook.
As the world moves away from disposable options, companies are coming up with fun new ways to encourage people into making sustainably savvy decisions when it comes to everyday household products. Being a person who rarely uses straws in their beverage, I never knew I could fall in love with a straw let alone a glass one. As a pair of divers always trying to cut out single-use plastics, GlassSipper’s glass straws are a wonderful alternative to plastic ones. The ingenuity and detail placed into each artistic creation, truly make the sipper feel as if each straw was personally crafted for them!
Ocean Critter Glass Straws: Glass Sipper creates hand made toxin-free and BPA-free glass straws using an ancient technique called lamp-working. Each animal is designed by melting, then fusing, coloured glass onto clear-glass straws.
Whether you’re a beginner diver or a seasoned dive professional, every now and then you will find you need to write something down underwater, be it a map of the dive site, species of fish encountered, or a quick message to your dive buddy. There are various writing devices that come into play for use in scuba diving to ease data collection, communication and education.
Dive slates are one of the most common underwater writing tools particularly useful for navigation, photography and quick communication. They are a sizable white tag of plastic with either a hook or velcro fastening points and a pencil attached via latex or plastic tether.
Arm Dive Slate: A multilayer 3-piece curved glow in the dark dive slate. The slate is wrist-mounted and offers five glow in the dark writing surfaces and an attached pencil. The wrist mount has velcro straps for secure attachment to the arm.
Cave and penetration divers use a distinct set of directional and non-directional markers to move around in hazardous and confined environments. Cookies and arrows are important pieces of dive equipment used by technical divers in overhead environments for navigation and safety. Cookies and line arrows are small plastic markers coming in a variety of fun colours. They are relatively inexpensive and a great stocking stuffer for a more technical diver.
10-Piece Arrow Line Markers: Mark your line with arrows for safe entry and exit of cave or wreck with this 10-piece glow in the darks cave diving arrows. Each arrow measures 3-1/4 inches x 2 inches with a thickness of 1/8 inches.
The World Dive Map is an illustrated map featuring the best dive sites and underwater destinations around the world. It features over 500 dive spots and has snippets of information about the type of dive and underwater attributes. The map is available on canvas, foldable Tyvek paper, silk coated poster paper, in towel format, or on a customizable canvas.
Where in the world will your next dive be?
World Dive Map: Inspire your future dive trips with this awesome paper or foldable dive map. With over 500 illustrated dive spots, this map provides information about the beautiful world of diving and underwater features.
A surface marker buoy (or SMB) is a simple air-filled device that floats on top of the water. It is used to attract attention and mark your place while scuba diving. A surface marker can take many different shapes and forms, each one dependant on where they are being used and what they are required for.
For scuba diving, there are two different types of surface marker buoys; a permanent surface marker buoy and a delayed surface marker buoy. Both are wonderful inexpensive stocking stuffing gifts for scuba divers.
Neon Yellow Safety Sausage: Make yourself seen at the surface with this 1 meter (4-foot) neon yellow surface marker signal tube with “Diver Below” print. The delayed SMB is fabricated from nylon material with TPU.
Finger spools are small low-profile spools that have many different functions. They can be used in warm or cold water and very practical to use with a surface marker (stocking stuffer #14 mentioned above). Finger spools can also be used as gap reels or for short distance exploration.
This stocking stuffer is available with different size lines and fits nicely into a pocket or clipped off onto a D-ring.
Finger Spool with Line and Clip: A compact scuba diving finger spool with 150ft of white line and a double-ended clip. The diameter of the spools is 3-1/3 inches and the corresponding clip is a 4-inch brass double-ended clip.
Family game nights are the best kind of nights. They’re fun, competitive and create memories of the time spent together that lives on forever.
My family loves board games and will play everything from a regular old card game to Charades and Cranium. Depending on the age of the people involved there are a ton of board games to choose from – and many toy stores will have at least some type of game worth checking out. Some of our recommended board games are: You’ve got crabs (this is an absolutely EPIC game that will have you busy for the entire evening – it even has an expansion) or Blue Planet trivia (learn and enjoy our watery world).
You’ve Got Crabs: You’ve Got Crabs is a family-friendly board game filled with crustaceans and secrets. The game is for adults, teens and kids (ages 7+). It includes 78 cards, instructions, a foam turn indicator, 28 crab points, and a box with 3 drawer compartments.
Protect your skin and protect the planet’s watery ecosystems at the same time. A perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuff for any water, travel or outdoor-loving person is a tube of reef-safe sunscreen. It is estimated that 14 000 tons of sunscreen wash off beachgoers, divers, and snorkelers every year. When sunscreen washes off our skin, the chemicals mix with water and disperses affecting everything it comes into contact with.
Many synthetic sunscreens contain oxybenzone (BP-3 & BP-2) and octinoxate, which are used to filter UV light. The problem is, these particular synthetic chemicals are toxic to our lakes, rivers, and oceans. Reef safe sunscreens are typically free from oxybenzone and octinoxate compounds, meaning that they have a less damaging effect on our planet. Take a look at some of our favourite brands of sunscreen under the eco-friendly section of our shop.
Stream2Sea Sunscreen: Be an advocate for our planet’s lakes, rivers, and oceans with this ecological sunscreen. Stream2Sea is a reef-safe sunscreen that is water-resistant and contains a potent antioxidant blend of green tea, tulsi, wakame, and olive leaf.
For the digital diver in your life, animal flash drives are a great way to provide your friend with a unique and interesting Christmas gift. USB flash drives are small devices that can be plugged into the interface of your computer and used for storage or data backup and transfer of computer files.
You can use your drive to store digital uploads from your dive computer, an online record of your dive log, underwater photography and much more.
Sea Turtle 8GB USB Flash Drive: A cute sea turtle USB flash drive with 8GB of storage. Simply plug the flash drive into your computer’s USB port and the computer will automatically detect the device and allow you to move, save and transfer files.
Another great stocking stuffer gift for that JAWsome person on your list is this fun Shark Fin Tray. The tray is perfect for making ice cubes for shark themed-parties, BBQ’s and basically any type of seaside drink. This mold has dual functionality and can either be used as an ice tray or to create chocolate shaped shark fins. It’s the perfect way to show friends and family how cool sharks really are.
Shark Fin Tray: This shark fin tray is the perfect kitchen toy to create fun shark ice fins to float in your drink. The tray is made from food-grade silicone and can function in temperatures ranging from -40 to +230 degrees centigrade.
A good hearty end of year clean is an important part of maintaining scuba diving equipment. Wetsuits as well as drysuits have special products that clean and deodorize material without the harsh chemicals found in most cleaning products, chemicals that could compromise functionality. While cleaning is never at the top of any divers list, these specialized suit cleaning products are always a small useful gift for a scuba diver to have on hand.
GEAR AID Revivex wetsuit/drysuit shampoo, cleaner and conditioner: Cleans expensive wetsuits, drysuits and other neoprene gear; removes algae, bacteria, chlorine and salt. Extends suit life keeping neoprene supple and fresh while keeping colors bright.
Are you a scuba diver or ocean-lover? What kind of stuff do you like to find in your stocking on Christmas morning? Let us know below so we can feature them next holiday season.
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