Scuba Equipment Rental

Scuba diving gear hire in Melbourne from The Scuba Doctor.

NEW MARES RENTAL GEAR: We've just refreshed and extended our fleet of rental gear with new Mares BCDs, Regulator sets, and Wetsuits.
29 December 2021.

Want to go scuba diving in Melbourne, especially on the Mornington Peninsula at dive sites near locations like Rye, Rosebud, Blairgowrie, Flinders, Sorrento and Portsea, but need to hire some dive gear? The Scuba Doctor has a large range of scuba diving rental equipment available, from complete setups, to BCDs, regulators with dive computers, cylinders/tanks, wetsuits and weights. All of our scuba hire equipment is high quality dive gear and it's available for rental for the same day, overnight and two days.

We understand that not everyone can afford to buy or justify the expense of owning a full set of diving equipment. That doesn't mean you can't dive, though. With our select range of high quality rental equipment available for hire to certified divers, you can take the plunge without denting your wallet.

If you don't own your own dive gear,
we'll put you in something you'd want to own.

Feel free to email us at diveshop@scubadoctor.com.au, or give us a call on 03 5985 1700, to book your scuba rental gear in advance. This way you ensure we have what you need, when you need it.

The person using the hire gear MUST pick it up from the dive shop, show us their certification card, verify the gear is okay, and sign for the equipment.

Scuba Hire/Rental Reservations

Due to the high volume of divers hiring scuba gear during weekends, public holidays and the summer dive season, it is highly recommended that you reserve the dive equipment you need a few days beforehand. Please Contact Us for availability.

When reserving rental dive gear you will be asked to provide your credit card details. If you fail to show up, or cancel within 24 hours, your credit card will be charged a $25 administration fee.

Melbourne Scuba Diving Rental Gear Rates

Prices are correct as of 29 December 2021. All prices are subject to change without notice.

Please Note:
One day means picked up the day of rental it is booked for, and returned before 4:50 p.m. on the same day hired.
Two days means picked up the day of rental it is booked for, and returned before 4:50 p.m. the day after hiring. That is, you have it overnight.
Overnight p.m. means picked up after 2:00 p.m. the day of rental it is booked for, and returned before 4:50 p.m. the day after hiring.
Overnight a.m. means picked up before 2:00 p.m. the day of rental it is booked for, and returned before 10:00 a.m. the day after hiring.

If you need the equipment overnight, for example to do a night dive, it's a two day or overnight rental.

Late returns are subject to additional charges. These are $25 per half hour or part thereof, if staff have to stay back to wait for you. If not returned until the next day, or multiple days later, you will be charged at the daily rate for each additional day.

Student Discounts: Special discounted scuba gear rental rates are available to students enrolled in diving courses at The Scuba Doctor.

Scuba Gear Hire/Rental Conditions

• The renter MUST be able to produce an appropriate certification card.
• This scuba equipment is rented for the renters personal use only.
• The scuba gear will not be loaned or sublet to any other party by the renter.
• The renter acknowledges that he/she is a certified diver and is in good health.
• Use of BCDs, regulators, cylinders/tanks, computers, or weight belts by non-certified divers is strictly prohibited.
• You MUST thoroughly inspect all property being hired BEFORE leaving the facility to insure the items are clean, complete, and in good working order. All deficiencies must be noted on the checkout receipt.
• No refund will be given once the equipment leaves the dive shop!
• The diver is required to pick up and return their rental equipment to the dive shop. Divemasters and/or dive guides will not take it to the site, or return it to the dive centre after your dive.
• If you fail to show up, or cancel within 24 hours, your credit card will be charged a $25 administration fee.
• Misuse, inability to use correctly, or subsequent damage resulting from misuse, is the responsibility of the renter.
• The renter is responsible for any loss or damage to the rented scuba equipment while in his/her possession and agrees to return it in the same condition as received.
• The renter must treat the equipment in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations and The Scuba Doctor best practice.
• Return Times and Penalties
  All dive equipment must be returned:
  • No later than 4:50 p.m. on the day of hire for one day rates;
  • No later than 4:50 p.m. on the day after hiring for two day rates;
  • No later than 4:50 p.m. on the day after hiring for Overnight p.m. hire rates; and
  • No later than 10:00 a.m. on the day after hiring for Overnight a.m. hire rates; and
  Late returns are subject to additional charges. These are $25 per half hour or part thereof, if staff have to stay back to wait for you. If not returned until the next day, or multiple days later, you will be charged at the full daily rate for each additional day.
• All rental dive gear must be rinsed with fresh water and be free from foreign matter before it is returned. You can use our cleaning facilities for free. Failure to clean the gear will result in a $25 cleaning fee.
• The Hirer should notify The Scuba Doctor of any faults or damage on return, or as soon as possible.
• Details for a current Credit Card will be held as security against all rental scuba equipment.
• The replacement value of any dive gear lost or not returned will be charged immediately to your credit card.
• The renter agrees to indemnify The Scuba Doctor from all errors and faults during the use of the equipment and that the use of the equipment, its application and including the failure to use the equipment correctly, is the sole responsibility of the renter.

Divers please note:

• Daily rates apply for the number of days you actually have the scuba equipment, not the number of days you are using it.
• Losses are charged at replacement value.
• Damaged items are charged at The Scuba Doctor rates.

Damaged Equipment: We accept that from time to time small accidents occur and we will judge damage on merit at our discretion. However, the rental equipment is of good quality, and the rental price is kept to a very reasonable level due to our successful policy of only charging the individual who DAMAGES the item rather than a blanket charge to everyone else. Very fair!

Certified Divers Only

Scuba equipment is available for rental only to certified divers. Proof of certification is required, so bring your certification card(s). If you can't show us your certification card(s) when collecting the hire gear, you won't be leaving the dive shop with the gear.

We can't always look up your certification card details online. Most of the training agencies now have options for you to buy an electronic version of your certification card(s) on your smart phone. Or you could save money and take photos of both sides of your certification card(s) and have them available on your smartphone.

Important Warning

Before using the renter shall determine the Suitability and Fitness of the products for their intended use. The renter assumes all risks and liability whatsoever in connection with their own test and use. Neither The Scuba Doctor nor Manufacturer shall be liable for any injury, loss or damage, direct or consequential, arising out of the use, misuse or inability to use the rented items.

COVID-19 Precautions

We clean regulator sets and face wearables three times before each use. First wash with gear wash, second with SteriGENE®, then rince, gear wash again and dry.

SteriGENE® is a mixture of halogenated tertiary amine and organic salts <15%, polymeric biguanide hydrochloride surface active agents corrosion inhibitor, chelating agents, stabilising agents and demineralised water. SteriGENE® is free of aldehydes, chlorine and phenols. SteriGENE works up to 70% quicker than conventional high level disinfectants with the inclusion of micro-emulsion particles (nano particles) that enable the active ingredient molecules in the product to be carried rapidly through cell walls of micro-organisms. Nano particles can enter areas like microscopic fissures and crevices in hard surfaces which up to now have not been penetrable by conventional carrier systems. Disinfectant actives are able to spread across a complete surface area, to perform a far more thorough anti pathogenic cleansing task than was previously possible.

Quality Scuba Gear For Hire

The Scuba Doctor rents the same top of the line gear that we have available for sale in our dive shop. Currently our hire gear lineup includes:

• Mares Rover Pro Jacket-style BCDs with integrated weight pockets
  — Sizes XXXS to XXL
  Made from tough Cordura 1000, it has custom shaped pockets to keep the octopus and pressure gauge close at hand, and adjustable shoulder buckles to fit a variety of body shapes.
  • UV Protected 1000 Denier Cordura
  • Standard Buckle Weight System
  • Height Adjustable Shoulder Buckles
  • Specially Designed Octopus and Pressure Gauge Pockets
  • Backpack with Handle to Carry Easily
  • Adjustable Cummerbund
  • High Buoyancy Lift
• Mares Regulator Sets with Dive Computer
  Mares Rover 2S Regulator Set with Octopus Rover
  plus Mares Mission Puck 2 console
  • The Mares 2S first stage regulator is a lightweight, robust and compact piston
  • The Mares Rover second stage regulator guarantees high performance. The new large vent button features a 'dynamic hinge' design, which makes the venting function easy to activate, even with a single finger. It also prevents free flow in the event of strong currents. The patented Mares Vortex Assisted Design (VAD) system combined with the Fluid Dynamic Deflector (FDD) enables natural respiration at all depths.
  • The Mares Octopus Rover features the VAD and FDD system which makes breathing fluid and natural at all depths.
  • The Mares Mission Puck 2 console includes the Puck computer and a compact, easy-to-read pressure gauge with an ergonomically shaped chrome-plated brass body.
• Mares Wetsuits
  7 mm for scuba divers — Sizes 0 to 8 / XXS to XXXL
  5 mm for snorkellers — Sizes 2 to 8 / S to XXXL
  Easy donning and doffing for this quality wetsuit offering perfect fit and freedom of movement!
  • Perfect Fit and Freedom of Movement
  • Extra Long Front Zipper for Easier Donning and Doffing
  • Superstretch Neoprene for the Arms
  • Polyurethane Protection on the Areas Subject to the Greatest Wear
  • Zips at the Ankles
  • Wide Face Opening For Greater Comfort
  • Manufactured Entirely In Ultrastretch Material
• Mares Rover HD Masks
• OMS harness and wing BCDs
• Cressi, Dive Perfect and Aqua Lung regulators
• Cressi and Suunto dive computers
• Cressi and Suunto consoles
• Faber steel cylinders (10.5, 12.2 & 15 litre)
• Catalina and Luxfer aluminium cylinders (S80, 11.1 litre)
• Apollo weight belts
• Cressi semi-dry wetsuits
• Dive Perfect Stubby LED-1000 Dive Torch

For comfort and a wide range of fit we have a selection of Mares and Cressi 5mm and 7mm wetsuits in our rental inventory.

Hire Scuba Cylinders

We have Faber steel 232 bar cylinders (10.5, 12.2 & 15 litre) plus Catalina and Luxfer aluminium 207 bar cylinders (S80, 11.1 litre) available for rental.

Cylinders are full when you first rent them with filtered air. You will need to pay for any additional refills during the rental period. You do not have to pay to refill a cylinder when you bring it back at the end of the rental period.

Hire Dive Weight Belts

At The Scuba Doctor we use what we recommend. That's why the hire weight belts we use are the Apollo Comfo Pocket Weight Belts. They come in four sizes already loaded with weights as follows:

• Red – Small – 4 pockets – Weight approx. 9 kg
• Yellow – Medium – 5 pockets – Weight approx. 11 kg
• Blue – Large – 6 pockets – Weight approx. 13 kg
• White – eXtra Large – 7 pockets – Weight approx. 15 kg

Warning: With the weight belts we hire out, we fill all but one of the weight pockets with lead ingots weighing about 2 kg, and put two 1 kg ingots in one weight pocket so that you can fine tune your weighting. Were you to use all of the supplied weight, you'd probably be very over-weighted, given a typical Melbourne diving configuration. It's up to you to adjust the weights in the weight belt pockets to suit your individual requirements. For our guide on how to do this, please read Perfect Scuba Diving Weighting.

Diving is an equipment orientated sport. Although we have available rental dive gear, there are some items of equipment that we advise you should consider purchasing. We consider the following personal items and they are not available for hire.

• Masks: Masks are often kept from fogging up by spitting inside the lens and rubbing it all over the glass. This provides a film that will not allow condensation to adhere to the glass. Would you like to place on your face, or the face of your loved ones, an item that someone else has recently spat in?
• Snorkels: We do not supply snorkels due to bacterial transfers from saliva from one individual to another. At the end of the day, we care about your health.
• Dive Boots: We do not supply dive boots due to bacterial transfers from feet to feet, i.e. Tinea.
• Fins: Fins propel you through the water. They must fit your feet comfortably and you must be able to use them effectively without causing cramps. You own your own shoes, why wouldn't you own your own fins?
• Gloves: Gloves are designed to keep you warm and to protect you from cuts and abrasions.
• Hoods: Hoods are used to keep your head warm while diving in temperate and cold waters.

Wetsuits: Although we can hire you a wetsuit, again we advise that you consider purchasing your own. The reality is that although we take a lot of care in the maintenance of our hire wet suits, we can not guarantee that the previous user did not leave any undesirables in there, or that it will fit you properly. A bad fitting wetsuit will allow cold water to enter and chill you on your dive.

Confused? Need some advice? Don't worry. We are here to assist you in choosing the right dive equipment, for your needs and budget.