1. Aqua Lung's U.S. Divers Travel-Ready Snorkeling Set
Never again use beat-up rental gear. This mask, dry snorkel, and the compact fins come in their own handy carrying case. Added bonus: a whole DVD's worth of snorkeling tips. $35; usdivers.com

2. GoLite Chrome Dome Umbrella
Consider it the man parasol, with 21st-century upgrades like a metallicized canopy that fully deflects the sun. $30; golite.com

3. JBL Mini Speargun
At only 18 inches, it's ideal for close-up shots. $75; jblspearguns.com

4. L.L.Bean Adventure Duffel
No bells, no whistles. This classic and virtually indestructible nylon duffel comes in four sizes and plenty of colors. $30–$60; llbean.com

5. Ahnu Men's Tilden Sandal
It may be sensitive (ecologically speaking), but it's tough. The all-terrain, well-ventilated Tildens have enough support for mellow hikes. $90; ahnufootwear.com

6. QuiksilverEdition Surf Patrol BoardShorts
These 100 percent polyester heavyweights can handle both beach and bar duty. $55; quiksilveredition.com

7. Olympus SP 550-UZ camera and PT-037 underwater housing
Get the antidote to crappy underwater pictures: an 18x wide-angle super-telephoto zoom lens housed in a specially designed case that's waterproof down to 133 feet. Camera, $500; case, $380; olympusamerica.com

8. SeaLife ECOshot Digital Camera
This fully armored and rubberized six-mega-pixel camera could bounce off just about anything and be no worse for wear. Better still, it's fully waterproof down to 75 feet. (Pelican carrying case is sold separately for $160.) $280; sealife-cameras.com