What is the first piece of dive gear I should buy?

Some instructors advise their dive students to wait until they are sure that scuba diving is a sport that they plan to do for a long time before investing in the gear while others feel the first piece of dive gear should actually be a combination of mask, fins, and snorkel.  We recommend that any new diver invest in a decent mask, fins, and snorkel especially since the cost of buying the three combination design is so low and considering you would end up with new, sanitary gear that fits you perfectly.