‘Tis the season to treat yourself — or the diver in your life — to something special. These 15 holiday gifts for divers come in from $2.75 to just under $50, so something on our custom-curated list is sure to please even the unhappiest scuba-loving Grinch.
A shark bath bomb ($2.75 or $6)
We adore these scary-cute bath bombs that come in a variety of scents, from black raspberry vanilla to winter princess. (We have no idea what a winter princess smells like, but she must smell delicious to a shark.) Though these bath bombs are marketed for kids, any diver would relish the chance to share a tub with such a “scary” shark. Note: Since each bath bomb is handcrafted, some may float and some may not. Either way, you can still hold up the shark from underneath for some bloody bath art. Bath bombs are reasonably priced, but you can reduce the cost by purchasing one of their imperfect “Oops Shark Bath Bombs.” They may have a broken nose, crack, or discoloration, but work the same.
$2.75 & up for Oops Shark Bath Bomb | $6 for a perfect shark, both from Soft Skins Bubbly Sins
Mermaid bottle opener
This antique-reproduction mermaid bottle opener, cast in iron with a patina of rust, makes for a beautiful conversation piece. You’ll need to flip the mermaid face down in order to open a bottle, but you don’t need to tell your buddies that since it’s fun watching them struggle. (You can also see who figured this trick out and who didn’t by looking at the product comments online.)
$8.75 from Moby Dick on Amazon
Reef-friendly mask defog
Finally, an eco-friendly alternative to spit. This defog is professional strength, yet biodegradable and reef-friendly unlike other products we’ve tested — even most baby shampoos aren’t reef safe. Plus, the company is owned by a scuba diver.
Miniature pewter key chains
We are in absolute geek-love with these marine-animal key chains, which are accurately reproduced from nature, and then painstakingly hand-carved and cast in pewter. Our favorites are the hammerhead shark, humpback whale, and octopus, with its hundreds of suckers lovingly detailed on the reverse side.
$11.75 for the octopus and the whale| $12.75 for the shark all from Tcustom
Undercurrent subscription
Despite its old-school design, this nonprofit publication created by divers for divers offers an online site and a newsletter packed with information. Undercurrent has been around since 1975 and includes unbiased reviews and dive-trip reports from around the world, destination guides, a seasonal dive planner, and loads of helpful articles. They’ll also offer a full refund if you don’t like the subscription.
$17.95 for a 6-month subscription
Personalized BCD name tag
We’re enamored by these embroidered BCD name tags from a diver-owned small business. In addition to personalizing the tag with your name, you can choose from 15 different thread colors and one of seven styles. (We particularly like the shark, octopus, and whale-tale designs.) Then you can wrap the tags around any part of your BCD with the Velcro closure.
$19.99 from Northshore Laie Point
LEGO diving yacht/DIY Christmas ornaments
“This awesome luxury diving yacht features a sundeck, removable roof, turning searchlight and storage/sleeping space inside, plus a seafloor scene with seaweed and an opening treasure chest with a gem. This fun toy boat set also includes a dive flag buoy, two LEGO diver minifigures, and swordfish and crab figures.” Not only is this a fun set to display (we stumbled on a similar set in someone’s office), but it makes for fantastic DIY Christmas ornaments. Ours hang from thin ribbons, but you can also tie them on with fishing line so they float in the tree.
Ocean lovers mug
“And into the ocean I go, to lose my mind & find my soul” has to be the best diver’s mantra we’ve ever heard. This ceramic mug is dishwasher- and microwave-safe and comes in a variety of colors. Though we originally bought it as a gift, we loved it so much we decided to keep it for ourselves.
Shark bite slippers
These cozy slippers are not only warm and comfortable, but adorable, because who wouldn’t want a cute shark munching on their ankles?! Though they only come in one size, it’s is fairly generous so the slippers will fit most women’s feet and some men’s.
Mermaid and merman ornaments
Sold in a variety of naughty and nice versions, we’re particularly captivated by these three ornaments—“Navy Soul,” “Fresh Catch,” and “Santa Baby II Mermaid Christmas.” All the mermaid and mermen are hand-painted and include fun accents such as glitter and rhinestones.
Wrap skirt
This water-shedding, quick-wrap skirt turned into our favorite piece of clothing this year. Sold in three lengths and 16 cute prints, the skirt is easily adjustable with its Velcro tabs, so you can wear it higher or lower on your waist. It doesn’t cling and remains cool and light. It’s also wrinkle-free and takes up little space in a suitcase. But we love most that it’s flattering and dries quickly, making it the perfect post-dive wrap.
$38 short | $42 medium | $49 long all from Rip Skirt Hawaii
Octopus plushie
This octopus plushie is huge, utterly gorgeous, and perfect for snuggling up next to since this octopus can’t swim away. Vivid colors make it particularly striking and we love how its tentacles can wrap around objects and us.
Eco-friendly phone case
Sleek, durable, and plastic-free, these cases help protect your phone and the planet since they’re compostable. We love their limited-edition turtle and whale designs, and, as a bonus, a percentage of the sales go to charities working to protect our oceans.
When you no longer need the phone case, you can place it in your backyard compost or compost bin (assuming your town accepts compostable bioplastics). Otherwise, you can return the case and they’ll recycle it into another generation of products, giving you a 20% discount off your next order.
$42.95 turtle phone case and whale phone case both from Pela
Custom cylinder cover
We’ve tried a variety of cylinder covers and never found one we liked. Neoprene sleeves add buoyancy, and paint, mesh nets, and stickers don’t seem to last, so we were thrilled to discover an alternative that worked. These covers include a waterproof design layer and a separate plastic sleeve coating, which you use to shrink wrap your design onto your cylinder with a hairdryer. They’re easy to apply and don’t impede inspection stickers and hydro-testing stamps. When your cylinder needs to be serviced or inspected, you can cut off the plastic sleeve. Your purchase also comes with a second plastic sleeve so you can refit the design after your cylinder has passed inspection.
The company offers a huge variety of fantastic designs. Two of our favorites (Guinness and Minions) are shown above. The company is based in the U.K. but will ship to the US for £10.98 ($14.45*).
Note: It’s critical that you follow their instructions exactly when applying the design to ensure a long-lasting application.
£34.99 ($46.04*) from Scuba Cool *The conversion rate to US dollars was accurate at the time of writing.
Outdoor mermaid sculpture
This distinctive outdoor sculpture is perfect for any diver’s pool or garden. Neither too large nor too small, this sculpture flaunts a muted verdigris finish, which has the look of aged copper with golden highlights.
