USED Gear - Help me build a used gear shopping list/budget! And I'll get to scouring...

[filmguy123]

Ok, so it's a bit different and less straight forward when it comes to navigating best buys on the USED market vs advice for just what to snag NEW.

I will be diving lots of cold water in the PNW, but also lots of tropic water on my dive trips so I want to purchase with both equally in mind.

For my first kit (I am new to diving) I'd like to get setup with something great, versatile, and long lasting that will set me up for a while to come and allow me to upgrade components as needed and as I progress.

What would be your ideal used gear shopping list (top picks used in each category and what you'd expect/target for price on each?)

To get best bang for buck, I've been advised to buy used gear (but if certain components are best off going used, do let me know and I can mix and match between new and used).

MY BUDGET: N/A... sort of. I'll have a budget when I have a bill. I'm far from rich (I am shopping used after all!) but I'm flexible in budget... "best bang for buck" will give me my baseline to plan for, and I can adjust any individual components as needed.

I currently have an offer to spend $200 to buy a BC, regulator, safe second, octo, and SPG gauge setup. Good quality stuff, trusted source. However, it's Beuchat - which is hard to service, and it needs a service right now to be safe, AND while it has a compass + air gauge that are great and included, the depth gauge doesn't work so it needs a new depth gauge installed into the rubber casing. So I'm debating if that's the best bang for buck for me. I think by the time I got some spare parts, serving, and a depth gauge it would end up closer to a $400 investment. The gear had a full rebuild in 2012 (great!), but it was originally manufactured around 1999-2001 and was used for years as rental gear before my friend bought it at a great used price. It was very nice Beuchat gear though!

With that said, I would love some help on what specifically to look for and what I might expect to pay as a fair/going rate on the said used item.

Feel free to sell me on either, but I am currently leaning towards building a BP/W kit as my first setup VS a BC jacket. I know that can be a heated topic so perhaps just give your recommendation and reasoning if you would recommend a BC jacket instead. I am open to either.

Not asking for specific links or listings, just used buying advice for what to look for to maximize bang for buck and snag a great kit (and also anything to avoid!)


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Here's a sort of crude sample list:

• Primary Regulator - Brand/Models to look for used + expected price? (what's the sweet spot in the used gear world, or if there are 2 key options at 2 price points here, perhaps give me both IE a good used reg for $150 and a *great* used reg for $275)
• First stage recommendations? how much used?
• Safe Second (or ideally a dual copy of my primary?)
• SPG + Compass - Air Pressure gauge, depth gauge, compass - what's a good pick here used, and what should I anticipate used cost at?
• BP/W (or BC Jacket) - and what to expect for costs?
  • Used wing recommendation?
  • Used BP - should I pickup 2 - an AL and a Steel? I plan to dive both cold and tropic water. Anything to watch out for?
  • Weights? I see colored weights, soft weights, hard weights... aye! Plus stuff for integrated setup and weight belt, etc. Not sure what to look for here, what to avoid, and why? Also, is $2/pound used about right?
  • How much is reasonable to pay for all this used? Any general used advice here?
• Wetsuit Additions -- I currently have a nice 5/4mm wetsuit and a 2mm long sleeve wetsuit top to layer. This should do well for me in Hawaii or something, yes? But I hear a 3mm shortie + some additional vests/hoods, etc. could be good to add into the mix for my tropic vacations? I am happy to rent but since I already own a couple key things already, if there's anything here I could add to flesh out my wetsuit kit for not to much more coin, then I could avoid renting when on vacation. I also know they have the 7mm wetsuits for use here in PNW but about that...
  
• Great Drysuit - I don't think I will want to dive in a wetsuit here in PNW even though I know its possible, so I think wetsuit stuff would just be for warmer water vacation diving. For home, a good used drysuit would be ideal. Suggestions and expected pricing? Where's the sweet spot here?
  • Sealed zip gloves for drysuit used? Do they need to match brand?
  • Some hoodie and bootie options, both for wetsuit and drysuit?
• Dive computer - Suunto Zoop for maybe... $115 used? Or a *new* Zoop Novo @ $330 also looked very nice, but that starts to get expensive for an entry level. My priority for now is ease of use and quality, not advanced features. I can always simply upgrade to a higher end trimix computer later if I decide to get into that - I'm at least 2 years off from technical diving where I would need trimix, etc.
• Dive light and knife - new or used?
• Accessories - save a dive kit, SMB, etc.? Rubbermaid containers, deccinent dehumidier, rinsekit, tubs for warm water and rinsing gear on sight for coldwater shore dives
• Force Fins Pro (used for around $125) - this is my current pick
• New Snorkel @ around $50
• Mask - I am thinking new, and really do want a nice mask. Leaning towards the Hollis M1 or the Atomic Aquatics series

Anything else?

Again: What would be your ideal used gear shopping list (top picks used in each category and what you'd expect/target for price on each?)

Thanks! Appreciate the advice on navigating the used market.

 

[lowviz]

Yeah, you did your homework. Rather well, too.

Put this in the first line, though: I will be diving lots of cold water in the PNW, but also lots of tropic water on my dive trips so I want to purchase with both equally in mind.

Suggestion: No way. Pick one or the other and maximize that choice first. The process will teach you what you need to know about the other extreme.

Have fun.

 

[filmguy123]

Lowviz - thanks for feedback! Well, hmm - I don't mind buying a couple duplicates if one this is much better suited for one or the other.

IE I understand a steel BP is preferable in cold water, AL in warm - so if I am going used, I'm cool with getting both.

Not sure what else I would need duplicates on but it seems most stuff would cross over (Fins, mask, snorkel, regulators, etc.) I know they make extreme cold water regulators but a regulator that works great in PNW should likewise work great in Caribbean and South Pacific, yeah?

I know the drysuit is an additional cold water specific purchase. I hear ForceFins are great anywhere but if I needed a 2nd bare of used fins specific for cold water I could do that.

Look forward to hearing the advice and input and building an official used gear shopping list! I have some local discount stores and an expo a few hours away in seattle soon, as well as online used classifieds, etc. so it will be super helpful for me to know specifically what I want to look for and start purchasing over the next month while I train in my OW class!

 

[lowviz]

Try to find someone in your LDS/club that dives the way that you *now* think that you want to. Take a shot at being mentored by someone without a financial stake in your spending. Don't be afraid to approach divers, most are willing to share.

Correct, good cold water regs work anywhere. You nailed that one already. Keep it up.

 

[diversteve]

$50 seems extreme for a new snorkel when any of these around $20-21 will work fine for as little as you'll likely use it.
http://www.leisurepro.com/c-959/snorkels?page=2&sort=Price&descsort=0

Lean towards a mask that fits your face without leaking.
Nothing worse than a leaky mask in cold water.

Leisurepro also has a pretty good sale price on the Mares Puck Pro at $170
http://www.leisurepro.com/p-mrspp/mares-puck-pro-wrist-computer

I like Suunto's but they're a little more conservative than they need to be by design.

 

[runsongas]

what snorkel/mask/fins did you use for open water? you should be able to get a simple snorkel for less than 20 dollars.

steel plate works fine in warm water, the issue is it takes up weight in your luggage. can always pick up an aluminum plate later on. a used bpw is doable for roughly 200ish if you get a good deal on the wing.

dry sealed regs from apeks/hog/zeagle would be good. depends on what your local LDS can service or whether you are willing to self service. used to be able to get the hogs for less money where it didn't make that much sense to buy used (because if you had to pay for a rebuild on used regs, the cost was not always less). just get a brass spg that is easy to read and a wrist compass. having the compass on the spg hose or in a boot on the reverse is another option. i wouldn't go more than 200 on a used set including the spg, a new set is probably going to be 400 to 500 at minimum.

simple nitrox computer with gauge mode for a first computer. get a petrel/perdix later on as needed.

used drysuits can save you a lot of money if you find one that fits you. i prefer the short hood on a drysuit, but some people use the long hoods for both wet and dry. knockoff chuck taylors are your budget option for drysuit boots.

you can save a good bit by being patient looking for gear on craigslist or at LDS going out of business sales

 

[lowviz]

Seriously?

OK, start calling every dive shop in the directory across the continental US and buy a used ScubaPro "Classic" vest out of worn-out rental stock for peanuts. You won't die.

You will float like a cork on the surface and will have rather nice dives below the waves to.

Now you have something to compare "back inflate" to. Dive it, become one with it. Seriously, and I actually meant it.

Then:

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears, and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call ... Backplate and wing.

 

[filmguy123]

Is this realistic:

• $500 USED Great Regulator Kit (1st, 2nd, Octo, Hoses, SPG + Compass) - Apex, Aqualung, ScubaPro mid level. IE an Apex XTX 100 with all the other parts of the kit, used
• $250 USED Great BP/W Setup - Steel plate, good harness, 35lbs lift wing or so

• $150 *NEW* (or perhaps some lightly used): Misc wetsuit additions (I have a 5:4 wetsuit + a 2:1 long sleeve shirt. Want to Add: 3mm shortie, booties, hood, glove, perhaps a vest?)
• $120 USED Suunto Zoop used including USB data cable (any reason not to go used for a dive computer?)
• $30 USED Good dive knife
• $30 USED Good dive light
• $150 USED Force Fins Pro

 

[RainPilot]

There are some Force Fins on Ebay now at about 50$, ending soon so have a quick look.
Dive knife: I use one of these DGX DIR Knife w/ Waistbelt Sheath | Dive Gear Express® they won't cut your suit (an issue with drysuits especially and are cheap. I also have a couple of these mounted in convenient spots Dive Rite Line Cutter w/Sheath | Dive Gear Express®

 

[filmguy123]

Good stuff RainPilot! Thanks.

Those ForceFins on ebay look nice but as a 12.5 shoe size I believe I will need/want the XL yeah?