Compact equipment suggestions?

[netpilot]

Hello Scuba Board,

New diving family here, myself, wife, and 12 yo son. Recently completed our PADI OW and just received our cards. We started purchasing our gear and would appreciate suggestions from the board community on compact components to complete our kits.

We will primarily be diving when traveling in warm water locations - Hawaii, Philippines, Thailand. We may have some So California dives from time to time, but mostly in the other areas mentioned.

So far we have purchased:

Ocean Reef Neptune Space G FFM with integrated 2nd stages.
(added the Surface Air Valve, Quick Release hoses, and communications to the masks)

Ocean Reef SL 35 First Stages

Aqualung ABS Octos

What we are looking for:

BCDs - considering the Aqualung Zuma, thoughts?

SPG + Compass - considering the XS Scuba Pressure Gauge and Compass
(XS Scuba Pressure Gauge and Compass)
Can't really find much reviews on this unit, but it interest us because it seems compact.

Dive Computers - considering the Aqualung i300 wrist mount, thoughts?

Exposure Suits - planning to go with Carapace, thoughts?

Fins - planning to replace our training fins with Aqualung Hotshots, thoughts?

We already have backup compact masks from our training and rollup snorkels.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the items we are looking for, better suggestions, more compact gear? What are we missing?

We want to minimize weight and bulk while traveling, even though we understand our FFM units themselves added bulk to our kit.

Thanks in advanced for any input.

 

[tursiops]

I'm confused; did you do your OW training using a FFM?

 

[tbone1004]

you live in socal, support local business and buy Deep Sea Supply for your backplates. They're the most compact bc's out there...

buy a generic SPG and wrist compass or buy a computer with compass integrated.

Fins only need to be simple, the new Deep6 fins are quite good and as compact as you can really hope for

 

[netpilot]

@tursiops No, we did our open water in a standard mask per the instructors suggestion then purchased our FFM.

@tbone1004 We actually live in Nevada, we're in So Cal all the time though so we figure we'll be diving down there. I'll check out the BCs and Fins you suggested, thanks.

 

[tursiops]

Hmmm, why the FFM? Are you going to get some training on it? I guess I ask in part because it hardly fits within your "compact" constraints!

 

[Fossil_Diver]

It seems most of the nicer quality chromed brass and glass pressure gauges are made in Italy, probably by the same company, and just have different company names on them. Just about any generic Italian made brass and glass gauge will be better than the plastic ones regardles of what company name is on it.

 

[netpilot]

Hmmm, why the FFM? Are you going to get some training on it? I guess I ask in part because it hardly fits within your "compact" constraints!

We feel the FFM will be a better experience for us. Yes we intend to work with someone on proper use. The bulk of our FFM gear is one of the reasons we want everything else as compact as possible.

 

[netpilot]

It seems most of the nicer quality chromed brass and glass pressure gauges are made in Italy, probably by the same company, and just have different company names on them. Just about any generic Italian made brass and glass gauge will be better than the plastic ones regardles of what company name is on it.

Good to know, thank you.

 

[tursiops]

Well, good luck with the FFM, especially while on Asian travel. Sanitizing and handling are difficult.
Look at the Cressi TravelLight or Ultralight BCD and Hollis F2 fins. Pretty much the lightest, smallest stuff on the market.

 

[BoltSnap]

FFM??? I don't know of any recreational divers who use FFB in their regular sport diving especially traveling divers. I don't know why at your level.