Sea scooters are a fun and easy way to explore lakes, oceans, or even a pool. Great for casual divers or more serious explorers a sea scooter is the easiest way to propel yourself quickly underwater with minimal effort.
If you’re looking to buy a sea scooter for the first time you may not know what to expect or what to look out for, and with so many options it can be hard to find the right one for you.
That’s why we’ve made this handy buyers guide that will show you all the important things you should know about sea scooters and the features you should look out for when making your purchase.
We’ll explain all the jargon and what each feature means for your experience. At the end we’ve even included a list of some of the best sea scooters on the market right now to help you get out in the water faster.
What Is A Sea Scooter?
Also known as aqua scooters or underwater diver propulsion vehicles (DPV), sea scooters can propel you through the water without any effort on your part.
Suitable for swimmers of all ages including children, using a sea scooter means you spend less time wasting energy on paddling and more time enjoying what the water has to offer.
They can even help with air consumption, as they allow you to travel further and faster in just one breath so you can explore more of the water.
They usually travel at speeds of up to 9mph, and you hold onto the handles at the back while the scooter pulls you gently and easily through the water.
OUR TOP PICK
If you’re a beginner in the sea scooter world then these are some of the best options for you. A line of 3 models, each scooter is suited to a different skill level and diving needs.
All three models weigh just 13 pounds, making them easy to store and transport to and from the water. These scooters are designed for saltwater use only.
The RDS200 is the best option for those who have never used a sea scooter before. These have a max speed of 2mph and can be used in depths up to 65 feet.
The RDS300 is slightly more powerful, with a max speed of 3mph, and can dive 100 feet down. This makes a good choice if you want to improve on skills built up from using the previous model.
The RDS250 does better in the depth category, with it able to dive to around 150-200 feet down, but it’s also slightly slower than the other models as its max speed is only 2.5mph.
Though less powerful than the other models it does have the best battery life of around 2 hours, so for divers who want to go for long distances, this may be the best model to choose.
An added feature on all of these models is the built-in camera mount that will fit a Go-pro or other recording devices, allowing you to capture all the exciting moments of your dive.
For a simple beginner sea scooter, you can’t go wrong with the RDS scooters, no matter which model you choose.
Pros
- Easy to operate - the ease of steering makes it a good choice for beginners
- Three different models to choose from - lets you get more specific with what you want the scooter to do
Cons
- Designed for saltwater use only - this provides you with fewer options for places to dive.
EDITORS CHOICE
This streamlined and compact little scooter weighs just 8 pounds but comes with many features to enhance your sea scooter experience.
The LCD screen is very helpful as it displays your speed, battery life, and even water temperature. It’s also able to dive to an impressive depth of 145 feet, making it a good choice for deep-sea explorers.
Though it’s only able to reach speeds of 2.5mph, the SeaFlyer makes up for its slow speed with its long battery life of an hour, giving you plenty of time in the water.
As its name suggests, this scooter is primarily suited for use in saltwater.
Beginners to sea scooters or smaller-sized swimmers may find the SeaFlyer one of the best scooters to use due to its compact size and easy maneuverability.
If you want a small scooter that has many of the features of bigger, bulkier sea scooters, then the SeaFlyer is a good choice for you.
Pros
- Auto-float feature - this ensures that the scooter floats in both salt and fresh water, meaning you can use it in both (though it does function better in the sea)
- Built-in LCD screen - displaying all the info you need while underwater, a highlight of this is the battery display to ensure you’re not going to be stranded in the water with a dead scooter
Cons
- Small size - though being compact makes it easy to transport, it can feel and look cheap and like a toy
BEST VALUE
Ideal for recreational snorkeling, this compact scooter can reach speeds of 4mph and dive down to an impressive 160 feet, which is pretty good for a scooter weighing less than 15 pounds.
The Trident is one of the best scooters you can take on holiday, as it’s small enough to fit in your luggage. Its easy usability makes it a popular choice for children as well as novice snorkelers.
Added features include a battery life indicator, a built-in action camera/LCD light mount, and positive buoyancy so it’s easier to use in the water.
Pros
- Suitable for children - the small design means kids can have an easy and fun time in the water
- High max speed - with a max speed of 4mph this makes it one of the faster user-friendly sea scooters
Cons
- Low battery life - The Trident only has around 45 minutes of battery life so you won’t be able to spend a lot of time in the water
RUNNER UP
Another wonderful choice for a recreational sea scooter, the WhiteShark is very compact and user-friendly, making it a perfect option to take on holiday with you.
It will provide fun for all the family as a person of any skill level can use the WhiteShark.
Able to dive to 120 feet and with a top speed of around 3.35mph, the upper stabilizing fin allows for complete control over the speed and direction of your dive.
It also has a built-in action camera mount to capture all of the best underwater moments of your day.
Good for diving enthusiasts as well as family-friendly fun, this scooter is will make your underwater experience one to remember.
Pros
- Compact - highly portable and so a good option for holidays or for kids to use
- Max depth of 120 - this is very impressive for a smaller sea scooter
Cons
- Very low run time - With just 30 minutes of battery life you won’t be able to spend a lot of time in the water
RUNNER UP
For serious divers with a lot of skill and experience behind them, it’s hard to do better than the Jerry Rat scooter.
Built with power in mind, this scooter can reach speeds of up to 9pmh, allowing you to get through rough currents easily and get you to where you need to be.
Though it can only dive to a max depth of 66 feet, the high speed combined with the two-hour battery life means you have plenty of time to explore shallower waters or go for long-distance snorkeling.
Other selling points of the Jerry rat are the LED battery life display so you always know how long you have left on the water, and the manta-ray style aesthetic of the scooter.
This does have the downside of making this scooter very wide though, with it being 42 inches across.
This means that it may not be as suitable for smaller-sized swimmers as it could be harder to control.
Despite a few drawbacks like the limited depth, this is still one of the best sea scooters you can get for speedy long-distance snorkeling.
Pros
- Long runtime - with a battery life of up to 2 hours you can spend a long time exploring the water
- LED battery life indicator - ensures you’ll never be surprised by your battery dying while you’re out in the water
Cons
- Heavy - weighing 30 pounds this scooter can be quite annoying to transport
Sea Scooter Buying Guide
Choosing the right scooter can be tricky as there are many on the market, and most come with their own unique features that will impact your experience in the water.
The type of scooter you buy will depend on your age, swimming skill level, and the type of water you’ll be using it in.
Despite this, there are some basic factors that all scooters come with that you need to know about before you buy.
Speed
The maximum speed often varies from scooter to scooter, and deciding how fast you want to go will depend on who’s using the scooter and what you want to use it for.
Serious divers for example may want a faster and more powerful scooter so that they can travel long distances quickly. This will also mean that they get the most out of the scooters running time as well.
Scooters that can travel at speeds of 9mph may be best for these kinds of divers.
If you’re buying a scooter for a child, then one with a lower speed will work well.
You can buy scooters with a max speed of 2-2.5mph, meaning your child can still have an adventure out on the water without you worrying about them going too far too fast.
These models are also perfect for first-timers and allow you to get used to the sea scooter experience at a speed that’s comfortable for you.
Other models go slightly faster at 4mph if you want to build up your skills even more.
Running Time/Battery Life
Sea scooters are battery-powered, so if you want to be out in the water for a long time you’ll need to buy one with a more powerful battery.
It’s very important to know how long your scooter will run for to ensure that you don’t end up stranded in the water with a long swim back to shore.
Most sea scooters have a battery life of around an hour.
More serious divers though may prefer to get one with a longer run time, with some having a battery life of up to 120 minutes. These are very useful for long-range or deep-sea dives.
Some models come with extra battery packs so you can stay in the water for longer, so keep an eye out for these when you’re buying your scooter.
Depth
Though these are designed for underwater use, that doesn’t mean that every scooter will be able to handle deep-sea dives.
This feature isn’t too important for the casual swimmer, or those who are using it as a surfing or pool accessory. Buying one that can’t dive as deep will work fine for you if this is the case.
If you’re a serious diver then you’ll want one that will let you dive as far as you can, making this feature much more important.
On the lower end of the scale, a sea scooter can handle depths of 15-20 feet, but if this isn’t good enough for you then some on the market will let you dive down around 120 feet.
A lot of the time a sea scooter will begin to break if they’re taken past their maximum depth, so pay attention to where you are in the water to avoid this possibility.
Buoyancy
Some sea scooters may be advertised with the type of buoyancy they feature, so understanding how this works will help you in the buying process.
If a scooter has positive buoyancy, it means that the device will float up to the surface if you let go in saltwater. However, if used in freshwater like lakes it will have the opposite effect and sink.
In this case, it’s important to keep an eye on the battery life of the scooter, as if it dies in freshwater then you’ll be carrying dead weight while you swim up to the surface.
A scooter with zero/neutral buoyancy means that it will neither sink or float.
How well this works though will depend on the type of water you’re in, as in saltwater or a pool it’s easier to float, while in freshwater it’s easier to sink.
If you want your scooter to be more versatile in different water types, then you could get one that floats in fresh water and then add ballasts (weights) if you want to use it in saltwater to weigh it down.
Being an expert in buoyancy isn’t really needed when buying a sea scooter, as the scooter will clearly state what type of water it can be used in.
But for more expert divers this is a feature that could make an impact on the type of scooter they want to buy.
Weight
The weight of the scooter will impact how easy it is to carry to the water and how well you’ll be able to hold it once in the water.
Most sea scooters weigh around 20 pounds (10kg). These can still be quite heavy for children if the scooter doesn’t float, so keep this in mind when buying a scooter for your child.
While the weight won’t make that much of an impact on your underwater scooter experience, if you run out of battery then you’ll have to swim up to the surface carrying the whole weight of the scooter.
This may not be an issue if you buy a buoyant scooter though as it will naturally float to the surface if it runs out of battery.
How To Properly Care For The Scooter
After you use the sea scooter it’s vital that you follow the manufactures recommendations on how to clean it, especially if you’ve used it in saltwater.
Saltwater can seriously harm the scooter if not cleaned properly, so following the guidelines will improve its lifespan by ensuring that the scooter works properly for future water adventures.
Accessories
On top of all the built-in features of sea scooters, many people choose to buy accessories to improve their overall experience.
Before you go buying accessories though you need to make sure that they will be compatible with the scooter that you buy, as some brands sell their own accessories that only work with their scooters.
Saying that, here are the most useful accessories you can buy for your sea scooter.
Underwater Camera/Go-Pro
Mounting an underwater camera to your sea scooter is a great way to keep the memories of some of your best dives.
This is one of the most useful accessories for underwater explorers who are swimming around a coral reef or are exploring a sunken ship.
This is also a fun way to share your experience with your friends and family after a long day out in the water.
Waterproof Torch And Holder
Whether exploring underwater caves or just out for a nighttime swim, it always helps to see where you’re going. This accessory will let you keep both hands on the scooter so you’re able to steer and be properly balanced.
Helmet
Again useful for underwater cave diving, this is also a great accessory to get for kids as it provides an added layer of protection for them while in the water.
Getting lost in the water can be a big fear for divers of any experience level, so this accessory will provide you with added peace of mind.
Usually consisting of a compass and digital timer, if you swim off course you should be able to quickly find your way back to shore.
Ballast Weights
Ballast weights allow you to fine-tune your buoyancy to suit a variety of water types, making your sea scooter more versatile and providing you with more water options to swim in and explore.
Extra Battery Pack
These allow you to spend more time exploring the depths.
Some sea scooters will come with one of these when you buy, but if you’re buying one separately make sure it’s the right size and power for your scooter.
Carry Bag
Buying one of these for your sea scooter will make it easy to transport to and from the water, as well as store it away in your home.
