Beginner equipment recommendations?

[Gramps]

You know, it's super easy for us to toss advise about in-water form/equipment. What about out of water? I felt like a mess pre/post dive for the first few months until I scored a few essentials. Here are a few:

Dive Bucket - Gotta haul around all that nifty gear don't ya? Pop into Target or WallyWorld and get yerself a nice container (preferably with wheels and strong handle). Make sure you drill a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage. Bingo! You've got a dive bucket!

Dressing Mat - Diving wet or dry, no one likes mucky feet after a dive. There are some great polyester mats out there that you can spread out on the ground to gear up/down on. Tarp works ok but I found it a little awkward to work with.

Trunk mat - When I first started diving I found the back of my car would stink for days from wet carpet smell. Remedy that by swinging into Home Depot to snag some rubber backed doorway carpeting. That'll fix that problem plus save your vehicle's interior.

Truck/Van - Ok, this is a huge expense but if the dive bug hits ya hard, you'll find your little compact car just doesn't cut it for carrying gear and running trips after a while. Gas milage be damned! Vans and pick-ups rock! I think my wife knew I'd lost it about diving when I used "can carry my dive gear better" as a rational reason to buying my van.

Tool Box - Must have! Stock that puppy with wrenches, screw drivers, tie wraps, o rings, extra hoses, spare this and that..oh, yeah the most important item: duct tape! I don't know how many times my "Barbie" Box saved the day.

Cell Phone - "Honey, I'm gonna be a little late" or "Dude, I'm totally lost...where was that turn again?" are common uses.
To be avoided use: 1-919-684-DAN

DAN Dive Insurance - Think you're covered for chamber rides and helicopter lifts? Think again. Get DAN Diver Insurance, get covered. Hope you never have to use it.

Triple AAA - Sure, there are a variety of tow insurance options out there but let's face it; Triple AAA is like Visa...it's accepted everywhere. Got locked out of a truck at 12:30 at night post dive in Wazee. Damn if one cell phone call to Triple AAA didn't have a guy out there in less than 20 minutes to pop the lock.

I'm sure there are a slew of other little things I could rattle off. These are the basics that I've found helpful in getting me better squared away on shore which has allowed me to enjoy the over-all experience of diving more.