My first set of gear scuba pro Yeh or Neh LOOK

[fireboy6413]

I went to a local dive shop today to sign up for my cert. I really like the environment and the instructor I spoke with. I didn't even have to ask questions they were right on the ball. But they wanna sell me some very expensive equipment. Here is a list of the equipment they want to sell me, I need you guys to help me since I was set on buying used.

SubaPro MK25/S600 Regulator

ScubaPro Air2 Alternative air source and inflator

ScubaPro NIGHTHAWK BCD

ScubaPro Aladin Prime wrist mount Computer


Now they will make a package for $1000.00. BUT the package will only include Regulator, BCD W/O Alternative Air source, this will be a $125.00 upgrade, If I decide to go with the Aladine Prime 3 Gauge console that will be and additional $125.00 upgrade Other wise they will include the wrist mount computer in the package. No fins, Mask, Snorkel, Wet Suite, Weights, Nor tank. If I do all upgrades through them it will cost me a total of Approx $1300.00 Just for my bcd setup. What do you think I should do. Also the bcd they are trying to sell me they said would work in warm water or cold water, They said not many bcd's do. I want all my gear to be able to work warm and cold. I will be a recrreational diver and doing some wrecks. Also they said if I buy all scuba pro their will be a lifetime warranty on everything. What do you think. And remeber If I go with them I will be taking my OW cert and Advance Cert. What do you think, me personally they can work on the price, since I can get the same stuff on line with tank, fins, mask, snorkel, wet suite, for a little under 1500.00

 

[fireboy6413]

Bump.......

 

[FrankPro1]

The Mk25 is a great first stage but look into the Mk17. It seems that you will be diving in cold water "New York" and the Mk25 doesn't have the best reputation in colder waters. Also look into the G250v second stage, again for its cold water performance.

The Air 2 will cut down on drag and help to streamline your gear, but can be difficult to operate for beginners. Doing a safe ascent while breathing off it is tricky and buddy breathing can be a pain.

The KnightHawk BCD is a good system but look into the Zeagle Ranger BCD. Its a similar back inflate for a similar price but has many more features and way better pockets.

The Aladin Prime is a decent wrist mount and was looking into one for myself, but ended up getting a Suunto D4.

P.S. Please wait more before bumping your own thread. I'm no admin or moderator but people are usually helpful on this board, if you give them the time that is

 

[fireboy6413]

I appoligize for bumping so quick Im new hear. What do you think about the prices as well, I feel it is a rip off since everything is going throught the dive shop, and besides I doing this with one other person, so what I get he gets, this dive shop is making out on a good sale. Thanks for your help

 

[fireboy6413]

Do you recommend a certain mk17 I have the catalog, Also dont forget I will be diving in cold and warm climates.

 

[hawksbill]

In no way can I tell you what to do. Here's some of my experience. Over 20 years ago I got certified using borrowed equip and eventually bought new scubapro MK 10 reg and air 2 and a scubapro stabilizer jacket BC. SP jet fins and console. The MK 10 is still in use the BC is in use but is over patched but sleek and simple. The jet fins are scratched to hell but as good as new. Ive been thru 3 air-2's and now have an atomic alternate air/inflator that I prefer over the air-2. Also bought a DUI TLS 350 trilam suit and I put 13 years on it until the zipper went. Anyway I bought quality equip at the LDS reccomendation and got very lucky that it was all a good choice. I would pay a little extra for the service that the LDS offers. If you can borrow equip until you develop preferences that would be best but if you get good advice on equip now that can be good too. Used equip can be a good deal too if you know what you are doing. You are in NY so a drysuit may be the best choice for thermal protection if you really plan to dive a lot or multiple dives. Now I have about 4 different gear configurations I dive. I use Atomic regs which are just like the SP MK 10 I started with many years ago. Go slow and take your time and get advice from experienced active local divers. Your LDS may be a really good resource if they are service oriented. Good Luck, Enjoy

 

[fireboy6413]

Thank you

 

[drdaddy]

Slow Down!!!!!!

You are not even certified and this LDS (Local Dive Shop) is pushing expensive equipment on you?!!!? Don't be a sucker!!!!! Do you know how many people are suckered into buying all this equipment, just to use it for a while, sit in the closet/garage for a couple of years and then put it on craigslist or in a garage sale at a great financial loss? Dive equipment is not an investment - Except for the place you bought it from.

Rent or borrow equipment. Any reputable teaching LDS should have rental equipment that they will loan to you during the class. If they don't - find another LDS. I know this sounds harsh, but I simply wouldn't trust someone who wanted to sell me a bunch of expensive equipment when I really knew little about diving, let alone all the gadgets.

Also, beware of "pseudo tec". They will try to get you into expensive backplates, drysuits, and lots of fancy unnecessary gear. That doesn't mean that you won't later go into some specialty diving, like tec, cave/overhead, etc. And you may decide on a backplate or drysuit. But start conservatively. And by the way, both my PADI Instructor son and myself dive wetsuits for our multiple dives in our 48 degree Fahrenheit murky Pacific NW Oregon Ocean. And we both love our jacket style SeaQuest (AquaLung) Pro-QD BCDs. But you may choose different. But, I repeat, start conservatively.

After diving a while, you will get to know what you like and want. And, if you stick with diving, you will want to buy your own equipment, because over the long haul it's cheaper to buy than rent and you will dive more if you own your own equipment. I recommend buying from your LDS (rather than over the internet) almost everything that you buy new. You really want to support the place that trains/gives advice, repairs/services your equipment, and provides the air fills for your tanks. This is why you want to choose your LDS carefully.

However, I don't mind shopping Craigslist and garage sales. I also ask lots of questions about the diver and the gear because I do not buy stolen equipment! And I share the story with my LDS when they service the equipment or fill the cylinders that I got. Sometimes they even know the old retired couple I bought them from. Sometimes the LDS itself will sell used gear. I bought my present used wetsuit from my LDS about 5 years ago as they were cycling new stuff in. I did not want new because I tear them up on my jetty dives - and then my LDS puts a big butt patch on that I can drag across the barnacles. The fish and crabs don't care if I don't look pretty when I'm spearing or grabbing them. But granted, if you are a young unmarried man, you may want to spiff up a bit in a new wetsuit when your saving that damsel in your Rescue class.

Anyway, remember - be wise!!! "A fool and his money are soon parted." Especially in New York.

Welcome to diving!!!

drdaddy

 

[Dan Weidert]

fireboy,

95% of my diving is local lake diving. That means silt and (at my latitude) cold. I went with the environmentally sealed MK17 1st stage. I went with the G250 for both primary and back up second stage. My LDS owner was a bit surprised as it is a more expensive solution. However, if I ever need it, don't I want the same quality in my life support backup? And what if I NEVER needed it? I would gladly pay the extra couple of hundred dollars to assure that! I strongly suggest you try some "out of air" drills, both as the donor and as the recipient, using an AirShare before you purchase that system.

I am curious about the advice you got regarding BCs. Since a BC displaces water to make you more buoyant, how can it work more or less well in warm or cold water?

I have the Aladin Prime in a wrist configuration (yep I paid more because I did not buy the AirShare) and I love the software for logging my dives. It provide a template to put as much typical types of information, it give you space to enter free text about your dive, it gives your dive profile and water temp in a graphical format, and it will allow you to sort your dives by depth, time, etc.

I made the mistake before of looking at the price tag instead of where I wanted to be as a diver down the road. I should have bought the items as I could afford them and rented the rest. I would have enjoyed my diving a lot more.

Welcome to an amazing sport!

Dan

 

[bamamedic]

I think I paid about $1,100 for my initial set of gear from my LDS at the time. I bought an MK11/S555 regulator, a Scubapro Ladyhawk BC with AIR2, and a three gauge console.

I wound up purchasing a lot of my gear online (fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit, booties, and wrist computer). Since I had so little experience with scuba at the time, I really wanted to purchase my regulator and BC from an actual shop.

The MK25/S600 is just about the top of Scubapro's line (and the most expensive!).
You'd probaby be just fine with an MK17 (it's environmentally sealed and thus less likely to freeflow in colder waters - it will also work just fine for warmer waters, too) and S555 (the S555 isn't quite as user-adjustable as the S600, but it's still a fine second stage).

I had an AIR2 as my alternate, but didn't like it. Others have used AIR2's and love them. With an AIR2, if your buddy goes out of air, you give them the regulator you are breathing (the one in your mouth) and you're the one that uses your AIR2. I had a hard time managing my buoyancy with the AIR2, and I found that the bite tabs on the AIR2 were too small and the hose was so short that it threatened to pull out of my mouth if I wasn't careful. If you want an AIR2, you might want to see if you can borrow one and see if you like it first.

Generally, a Scubapro dealer can only take 10% off of the MSRP (I think they were running a special if you get a BC and AIR2, you get a free computer, but I don't know if they still have that special or if I'm recalling it correctly), so they might not be able to come down much in the price. However, you could find a way to ask if they can offer a greater discount on any non-Scubapro items you're buying (for example, if you're also buying a wetsuit, mask, fins, etc, through them).

Even though you can find things like a mask and fins online, I recommend that you go to your LDS and get them. The price might be higher, but a mask and fins (especially a mask) depends a lot upon personal fit. You've really got to try them on in person to see if they fit, and not all masks fit all people.

Just so you know, Scubapro doesn't sell their gear on the internet (at least not in the US), so if you buy Scubapro from an internet dealer, you don't get the Scubapro lifetime warranty or the "free parts for life" program.

Hope this helps!