A scuba magazine can give you that fix you need until your next dive vacation. Just pick one up and you can be transported to a diving state of mind. You'll find reviews of new gear, great pictures, possible destinations for you next dive trip, lessons on dive skills and much more in pretty much any scubamag.

There are lots of dive magazines out there to choose from. Which one is best for you really depends on the type of diving you do and your particular interests. Below we talk about some of the most popular dive magazines so you can decide if they are worth your hard earned money:

Alert Diver

This magazine comes with your membership in Divers Alert Network (DAN), a non-profit scuba diving insurance provider. So it is essentially free and that is hard to beat.

As you can imagine given its' source, this is a serious magazine. It focuses 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. I always read at least a few articles in each issue and I have to say they are well written and researched and I always learn something.

It's not the dive magazine to pick up if you want a lighthearted read but it certainly has its place.

Diver Training

This magazine seems to get generally positive reviews. And to top it off, you can often get it for free at your local dive shop (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

Undercurrent

Unlike your typical scuba diving magazine, Undercurrent is more akin to a newsletter. It doesn't accept any advertisers so it is regarded as being unbiased. I used to subscribe to this newsletter and I will agree with that assessment. I let my subscription lapse since it was fairly expensive at $39.95/year. Of course, their price is a function of not accepting advertising so the two go hand in hand. Like most things in life, you can't have everything.

However, they often run a special with introductory pricing of $29.95/year. I recently renewed my subscription at this price since I did enjoy reading their newsletter. If you subscribe, you also receive their annual 480-page (or so) Traveling Divers’ Chapbook which has reviews of resorts, liveaboards and such 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.

They also offer an online subscription (print subscribers get it for free) at undercurrent.org.

Advanced Diver

Another magazine that seems to get generally positive reviews. It is geared more toward advanced divers and not the newbie. For example, it has information on dives past 150 feet and articles on rebreathers. Definitely not a beginners profile. Or at least it shouldn't be!

Sport Diver

Sport Diver is 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.



This list could go on for quite awhile since there are alot of publications and niche scuba magazines out there. With all the choices out there, you are bound to find one that you like. After all, if we aren't out there diving, we might as well be reading about it.


Dianne Rein runs a scuba diving website at http://www.scuba-diving-smiles.com. You can read her review of Scuba Diving Magazine, probably the most popular dive magazine out there, on her website. You will also find her reviews of the best places to scuba and lots more dive info. Dive in and have fun!