Some folks after going through a scuba course go crazy over the sport! You can spend a fortune on equipment, but if you plan on traveling to great dive spots outside the southwest rent your tank/regulator/weight belt/back pack/wet suit with the outfit you dive with. Yes, a nice part mesh dive bag to hold your mask, fins, snorkel, booties, log book and accessories is needed. Make it a bright color, so in the future when your on the dive boat or on the dock at some great destination like the Florida Keyes with several others you will easily recognize it. Being in Oklahoma I will assume instruction is in the pool and your check out dive is in a lake or quarry. Or are they taking you down to the Gulf or Keyes? Lake and qaurry diving can mean thermoclines and VERY COLD temperatures. With that, see if the school provides wet suits. If you plan on diving in colder water you must have thermal protection.
Do not forget the dive watch (with a rotating bezel of course). They come in all prices, but the Seiko line is the toughest and best for my money. Anyways, they are great everyday watches.
Good luck, dive safe and welcome to the great underwater world.
Bob
