A Scuba Magazine For You?

Can't get enough of diving? A scuba magazine may be the answer to keep you going until that next dive.

You can read about new dive destinations, look at great scuba diving pictures, read gear reviews, bone up on your diving skills, etc., etc., etc.

In short, scuba diving magazines can give you that fix until you are underwater again. Here are some you can choose from depending on your interests:

Scuba Magazine: Scuba Diving

This is probably one of the most popular scuba diving magazines out there. Of course that is not to say it is without it's faults.

First, some positives of this magazine. It has great photos, reviews of many dive destinations, scuba diving equipment information,, reviews of dive sites, etc. It also has a "Lesson for Life Section" which I enjoy reading.

Now the cons of Scuba Diving magazine. The reviews of destinations, resorts, etc. seem to repeat themselves after awhile. You also get the feeling that the places talked about and gear reviewed are advertisers and the reviews may not be all that objective. I have nothing to back that up but that is the impression I get. If you read this magazine, you can decide for yourself.

There is also ALOT of advertising in this scuba mag (noting that this is not unusual in the publishing world). However, I don't mind that all that much, especially when I am planning a dive vacation. It's good to see what specials are currently running.

That being said, we subscribed to this scuba magazine, let our subscription lapse for awhile and we are now subscribing to Scuba Diving again. If you can get past some of the cons here, you can find some good information and enjoy this magazine.

You can get a subscription to  Scuba Diving (1-year) here

Scuba Magazine: Alert Diver

This is the free magazine that comes with your membership in Divers Alert Network (DAN), a non-profit scuba diving insurance provider.

As you can imagine, this is a much more serious magazine. It focuses more on dive research, medicine, dive safety and the like. It can be a bit dry but it is an informative magazine. And the price is certainly right. We are members of DAN and have been getting this scuba magazine for years.

Scuba Magazine: Sport Diver

This is the official magazine of PADI, a scuba diving certification agency. We don't subscribe to this one, but occasionally pick one up. I find it similar to Scuba Diving magazine.

I have read similar reviews of Sport Diver and Scuba Diving magazines on the internet. Namely, you can find some good information, pictures, etc. but the consensus seems to be the magazine may be biased - promoting PADI related facilities and courses. I haven't read one for awhile so I won't offer my opinion.

Scuba Magazine: Diver Training

This magazine seems to get generally positive reviews. A plus is that you can often get it for free at your local dive shop (LDS). (Unfortunately, here in upstate NY, I don't have a LDS!)

It is said to be good for newbies and more advanced divers alike. You can find articles on dive skills, travel, safety, dive equipment, dive physiology, marine life and much more. Most reviews I've read of this scuba magazine said they are pretty much unbiased.

Diver Training also offers current recreational scuba diving students a complimentary six-month subscription to the magazine through the students dive center or instructor. Their website is dtmag.com

Scuba Magazine: Undercurrent

This is now an online only monthly newsletter rather a scuba diver magazine. It doesn't accept any advertisers so it is regarded as being unbiased. I currently subscribe to this newsletter and I will agree with that assessment. I have let my subscription lapse in the past since it was fairly expensive at $39.95/year. But I keep on coming back since I enjoy it. Of course, their price is a function of not accepting advertising so the two go hand in hand.

The scuba mag subscription also includes their Traveling Divers’ Chapbook which has reviews of resorts, liveaboards and such from other divers for you to help plan your next dive trip. I know I read my old one extensively and used it to plan our dive trips.

You can sign up for an online subscription here.

Scuba Magazine: Advanced Diver

Another magazine that seems to get generally positive reviews. It is geared more toward advanced divers (duh Dianne) and not the newbie. For example, it has information on dives past 150 feet and articles on rebreathers. Definitely not a beginners profile.

I have not subscribed to this magazine so I can't give my personal opinion.

So these are some scuba diving magazines to get you started. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are alot of publications and niche magazines out there. These are just some scuba mags to consider and get you on your way. If you aren't diving, you might as well be reading about it.

If you can't decide which one (or 2 or 3) you want, just pick up a few of them and give them a try. Then you can make up your mind which want you want to subscribe to. Barnes & Noble also carries some dive magazine(s) so you can try them out for free first.

You can read our reviews on scuba diving books here.

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