Another "My first regulator" question

[1_T_Submariner]

So how about my Holy Inquisition? Just wondering how you could make it that far without your own equipment. Like a race car driver taking the bus to work...

 

[almitywife]

.......... However, you could have welcomed me to the forum and/or congratulated to the DM before embarking on a crusade of holy inquisition.......

ahhhh - that just says you are amoung friends and lurvveeddd here on :sblogo:

where in the tropics are you heading as you may be able to trydive and buy when you get there

and welcome

 

[shekes]

Thanks for the warm welcome

No, I still have my arms and legs. And it didn't take much time either. Competition on Koh Tao is fierce, prices are low, the season was low and the dollar went to hell. That's the only reason I got the DM card at all. I wasn't planning on it and I still don't feel like I am a professional diver. :no I'll need more training.

I had to change equipment once in a while but I found it quite interesting and useful for my training. You know, Koh Tao; freeflowing regs, peeling hoses, WWII BCDs, leaking tanks filled to just about 150 bar, torn stinking wetsuits and hung-over instructors. Twice I got out with an instructor sucking from my octo. I was lucky to have my own mask. OTOH I found some mask or weight-belt on every second dive.

I survived. Probably because I don't need much air

And yes I will like having my own equipment. I feel like I really deserve to have some good stuff now.

Are you guys/wives going to help me pick it though?
I made 3 threads about it and I have very specific questions but mainly I get general advice and some holy inquisition.

I want the most mobile, comfortable equipment for tropical, mainly shallow dives. I want to minimize drag, weight and the number of hoses. So I figured:

-Maximus with some light console and an octo on my inflator
-Mach V (not sure Razor or Signature, 18/30lb)
And then I don't know:
Which octo?
Which harness?
Which backplate?
STA or no STA

Come on, help me out here!

 

[WallDiver77]

:

I want the most mobile, comfortable equipment for tropical, mainly shallow dives. I want to minimize drag, weight and the number of hoses. So I figured:

-Maximus with some light console and an octo on my inflator
-Mach V (not sure Razor or Signature, 18/30lb)
And then I don't know:
Which octo?
Which harness?
Which backplate?
STA or no STA

Come on, help me out here!

If it's of any help, I can tell you what I'm diving as another Minimalist:

-- HammerHead AL plate (if I wasn't traveling, I'd change this to SS; something in the 5 to 9 lb category. This depends on whether or not your diving cold water.)
-- HammerHead's generic harness (might change this)
-- OxyCheq's Mach V wing (the 30lb.... love it! Don't think I'd want anything with less bouy. because I sometimes dive 120cf steel singles.)
-- OxyCheq's 1lb STA (I have the HammerHead 5lb SS STA for cold water diving)
-- Tusa Octo/inflator IR-3 (I think that's the number; I can also verify that this Octo/inflator works well to 200FSW)
-- Aeris 500 AI (I will sell this wonderful computer soon in favor of a hoseless air integrated wrist computer...... Then I'll only have two hoses coming off my Atomic B1 primary.)

That's my two cents concerning your desire to clean things up a bit!

Happy diving!

 

[amitsi]

buy the aqualung legend LX

 

[halocline]

:

I want the most mobile, comfortable equipment for tropical, mainly shallow dives. I want to minimize drag, weight and the number of hoses. So I figured:

-Maximus with some light console and an octo on my inflator
-Mach V (not sure Razor or Signature, 18/30lb)
And then I don't know:
Which octo?
Which harness?
Which backplate?
STA or no STA

Come on, help me out here!

As far as using the set up as a DM, I would not recommend the octo/inflator. You'll want the easiest and most flexible air-sharing arrangement. If you're DMing in tropical water with vacation divers, I would suggest a fairly long hose for both your primary and octo. This would allow you to comfortably donate either; remember, you'll be diving with inexperienced (vacation) divers that are likely to be unpredictable in OOA situations. Some may mug you for the primary, others may lunge for the octo. Having a 36-48" hose on each gives the option of easily donating either.

I'm not nuts about the console idea; better to get a small SPG on a 24" hose and a wrist computer.

The BP/W set up you choose will depend on your weighting needs. Figure out what you need for weight; if it's at least 6 lbs or so with the tank you're likely to use, a steel plate would work fine. Any plate will do. Personally, I think it's hard to beat the deep sea supply single tank rig for a combination of price and quality. If you want the oxycheq wing, fine, get any plate (like dive rite) and a hog harness. Don't forget you need to get cam bands.

 

[red_barbarian]

Are you going to work or dive for fun? Will you be back in SE Asia? If your working in SE Asia you might want to wait and get your rig back there so the dive op is happy with your gear choice, plus they'll have the tools and knowledge of how to work on it. This is especially true if you wind up somewhere a little out of the way not in one of the main dive areas.

 

[squidster]

Until now my only own piece of equipment was my mask. I just received my PADI DM card yesterday and, since the dollar went to hell, it seems like a good time to shop. So in the next few weeks I will buy a complete set for diving in tropics.

I am currently in Ireland. The choice here is poor and the prices unreal. Hence, my only options are to purchase it from a US online retailer or else in SE Asia once I get there.

I really loved the scubatoys site. It is beautiful, has loads of info and apparently is excellent value. On this page there are few reg packages. I was thinking the MR 12 package or else the Abyss reg with the package of MR12. The Abyss package is a bit pricey, but just having the "number 2" (or so they say) with a cheaper octo/console is tempting. So any thoughts on that are welcome as well.

I dont Think i would buy my life support system on line,buy your reg locally,you local dive shop is your friend.
So what if you spend a little more ,you have to go there to get air and service.
Buy your computer and BC at suba toys and get your tank ,regulator,and wet suit at local shop.
i purchased a wetsuit on line and i wish i would have went to LDS.
this way you help keep your LDS open,thats important if you want air.
I recommend Scuba proMK 11/r395 reg or aqualung Titan these regs are good regs and are easy to get serviced.
They are alot cheaper then mares abyss and will do the same thing.

 

[dkatchalov]

I dont Think i would buy my life support system on line,buy your reg locally,you local dive shop is your friend.
...
this way you help keep your LDS open,thats important if you want air.

I disagree with these comments.

My LDS treats me like a criminal for shopping online, which is ridiculous. Why the hell would I buy from my LDS when I can buy online @ 30% - 50% cheaper?! LDSs are like any other competitive business - they have to offer enough value to their clients so their clients will not need to make purchases elsewhere. For those LDSs that don't offer enough value (whether it is low prices, good service, or other value adding activities) you are free to take your business elsewhere.

I give my LDS as much of my business as I think is appropriate. I get my courses, air fills and some minor gear from them. I am regretting purchasing my mask, fins, boots, hood and gloves from them given I could have purchase them from LP for 50% of the LDS price I paid. I also bought a $2,500 drysuit from them because I could not get a better deal for a similar DS online. Everything else I bought online and so far my savings (LDS vs. online) are running at about $1,500.

I'm tired of seeing this "support your local LDS" business on here. If you can get your gear cheaper outside of the LDS, even if it $50 cheaper, why wouldn't you? Your LDS should be grateful to you, as a customer, for your business and should not hold you as a hostage if you don't buy everything from them.

As far as "buying life support online" goes, what facts do you have to prove that buying "life support" online is more dangerous than @ your LDS? My LDS owner told me that she never buys any dive gear online because "you don't know what you are getting". I struggled not to laugh when I heard that.

 

[halocline]

Please, please let's not let this thread devolve into the millionth "LDS vs online" debate. I have a theory that eventually, given enough time, all SB threads will end up as arguments over LDS vs online, BP/W vs jacket BC, or air2 vs standard octos.