The dive operation on board provides tanks, a compressor and weights. Each diver needs to bring his own equipment. Before you come on board you must have tested your equipment to make sure you are comfortable with it and it is not damaged.

· Dry suit with hood
· Thick and warm underwater garment (2 sets), dry gloves or adequate thick wet gloves (make sure they will keep your hands warm in sub-zero waters)
· 2 separate freeze protected regulators. We dive with special bottles with two separate outlets The tanks are fitted with a “Y” or “H” valve configuration, with DIN or Yoke (INT) adaptable connections.
· Pressure gage
· Stabilizing jacket or some kind of BC with quick release – divers without BDC trusting only their dry suit for buoyancy control will not be allowed to dive.
· Depth gage, watch or computer
· Compass
· Knife and a torch
· Mask, fins and snorkel (Please note that the snorkel is a vital part of the safety equipment and will often be used when snorkeling with for example seals)
· Weight belt (weights available on board)

Contact your airline about their luggage restrictions and request a special allowance for your dive equipment prior to departure. All excess baggage is at your own expense.

You need two sets of regulators;
1st set includes: Freeze protected First stage
Second stage (incl. hose)
Hose for BC
Pressure gage / computer

2nd set includes: Freeze protected First stage
Second stage (incl. hose)
Hose for Dry suit

Diving is an equipment intensive activity. Ice diving requires an extensive amount of additional equipment because of the cold weather and water, and the remote location involved. Diving is no fun if you are cold. Divers in cold water may have a higher air consumption rate, expend more energy, and can become more fatigued. Cold water also decreases a diver’s ability to perform complex tasks that require manual dexterity. Staying warm is an important element in your polar diving adventure.

Normal regulators will not function in sub-freezing water as both the first and second stage will freeze. You are required to bring two sets of regulators (1st & 2nd stage), suitable for cold-water/ice diving. Some regulators can be fitted with an environmental seal kit, others come environmentally sealed from the manufacturer.

To avoid regulator malfunction, regulators must be cared for properly before, during and after diving. Regulators should be kept dry and warm before the dive; store them in your cabin. Avoid breathing from the regulator before submersion, except to briefly ensure it is functioning, but when doing so, exhale after removing the regulator from your mouth so as to avoid freezing the second stage with moisture from the exhaled breath.

If during the dive your primary regulator freezes up and causes a free flow, you should switch to you back-up regulator, and turn off the valve to the primary regulator to stop the free flow. The dive must be aborted in any case.

Tips on keeping water out of your regulator:
· Always open the cylinder valve briefly before mounting the regulator, to blow out any moisture from the orifice.
· When purging the regulator for removal, hold the second stage lower than the first stage so that water cannot drip back to the first stage after pressure has dropped.
· Remove the regulator carefully, so as not to allow ice or water to fall into the filter of the regulator.
· Dry the dust cap thoroughly before attaching it to the regulator.
· The dust cap must fit snugly before rinsing the regulator.
· Do not press the purge button while rinsing the regulator.
· Shake excess water from the second stage before hanging the regulator to dry.

You must have one tank pressure indicator for each regulator set-up. Some electronic instruments will not function well in sub-freezing temperatures. Liquid crystal displays may be slow to display and batteries will also run low sooner.

The only adequate protection from thermal exposure in the Arctic and Antarctica where the water will be as cold as – 1ºC/30ºF, is a dry suit. The type of dry suit you use is not important so long as it fits you, is waterproof and you are comfortable using it. Neoprene dry suits have the benefit of having good stretch and extra insulation. Shell suits provide no extra insulation but are lighter and dry more quickly. Shell suits serve only to keep the diver dry and require extra layers of garments to be worn under the suit. If appropriate, bring a small dry suit repair kit.

Waterproof dry suits have been tested and tried out in the extreme polar regions and are designed with polar diving in mind. During the many years of continuous testing in harsh conditions Waterproof International in Sweden has become the expert in designing high quality dry suits. We have found that nothing can match the 3,5mm Special Hi-Dense neoprene with SD Toughtex lining we use for our most outstanding product, the DRACO Drysuit. Loaded with features this suit brings it all. Kevlar reinforced and angled boot, zip armoured dry zipper, SAS Zip cuff system, embossed and PU-reinforced shoulders and double pockets to mention a few. And all the know-how that we bring from our 20 years experience of diving in the Antarctic & Arctic.

Until now even good neoprene dry suit protection was like armor, bulky and restrictive. Waterproof's Sedna combines premium rubber with silky Spantex Lycra to produce a suit that wears like silk pajamas, not body armor. If ever Comfort needed a face, SEDNA is the prompt answer.

If a hood is not attached to your dry suit you will need to bring one. A 7 mm neoprene hood with face and neck seal is recommended. Regular 7 mm neoprene semidry gloves or mitts may be used with any dry suit and are relatively easy to use. Three finger mitts are warmer than five finger gloves. Special dry gloves that deal against rings on the arm of the dry suit are available. To prevent glove squeeze, and to promote warmth, short pieces of surgical tubing, or straws can be inserted under the wrist seals to provide a conduit for air to exchange from the suit to the gloves. This type of glove requires additional practice to use, as they can come off your hand if not used correctly. For more accessories click here.

The function of the undergarments is to trap air against your body to be warmed. The colder the water, the more (or thicker) layers of undergarments are required. It is recommended that you wear two or three layers, depending on your suit. As the first layer you should wear a set of polypropylene liners. This type of material helps wick any moisture away from the body. As the second layer you should wear thick insulating material, such as fleece, synthetic pile, thinsulate or similar. As the final and outer layer you may wish to wear a windproof shell. The one piece jump suit style is the most common and comfortable configuration of dive wear and is available in a variety of thickness depending on your dry suit and the water temperature.
A comfortable light polar undergarment is the comfortable Bodyzor of 230 gr. body stretch fleece. Ideally to use under the Octans or under your expedition clothing.

The type of mask you are using is not critical, we recommend using a standard mask and regulator. You may use a full face mask if you prefer, but keep an extra face mask handy in case your regulator free flows. It is best to avoid spitting into the mask for defogging, as this can freeze onto the inside of the mask. Commercial defogging agents work well for ice diving. Straps can also become brittle in cold weather, and it is highly recommended that you bring a spare strap and a spare mask.

It is important to bring a warm hat and some warm wind and waterproof gloves to wear before, and especially after the dive. You may also wish to bring wind and waterproof spray jacket and pants to keep the cold wind off your wet dry suit.