Equipment... I'm so lost

[Longstocking]

My boyfriend and I are getting certified in a 6 week course at the moment. We are looking into getting some of the equipment with tax return money We don't want to go crazy with buying stuff but would like to pick up at least a regulator...maybe more. Currently we have the basic...snorkle, fins, boots, gloves, air plane luggage, mask, do-rag...etc...

Our budget is around 2k...could be a little more could be a little less but that's the ball park figure.

We would like to buy our equipment from our LDS .... (the important stuff at least since we didn't buy the basics there) ... as the owner has been very helpfull and we would like to show our support... so keep in mind that I'm not getting online prices.

My boyfriend would like to get into cave and wreck diving.... cave diving interstest me as well.... but I'm more interested in fish... night diving, photography etc.

We will be diving in cold and warm water.

Also, comfort is probably our main concern.

I've read quite a few posts on this matter... and I'm still lost. One newbie qustion i have is this:

If you buy your second stage regualator.... what good will it do you without a console and first stage? I'm guessing... I rent the first stage and the console and attach this myself when I go on trips? I don't like the idea of the possibility of stripping the threads! What do you guys do?

The companies our LDS sells are : Atomic, oceanic, scupapro and one other but I'm not remembnring it at the moment.

I was looking at the atomic b-2 .... is this rediculous for a newbie? cost would be 600 each.

BC's .... I'm just lost when it comes to this.... I've been diving in the pool with a vest of some sort....

Sorry for so many questions.... I'v been reading on this forum for a few weeks now.... trying to get some sort of an idea of which way to go.... and I'm still lost. Tried to search a million different ways.... and I think I'm more lost than I was before lol.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Gear selection is a pretty daunting process. The good news is there is tons of great equipment on the market. Here's a nice reference for selecting your first gear:

SCUBA DIVING MAG- FIRST SET OF GEAR

 

[loosebits]

Ok, you never rent just a 1st stage. If you are going to buy a reg, you need to buy the 1st stage, two 2nd stages (primary plus octo) and a pressure guage. You'll also want something to tell you your depth. That can be on a console with your pressure guage or it can be on your wrist as a bottom timer or computer.

If you are interested in cave diving, do not get a console, just a simple pressure guage (like the ones offered by dive-rite) and get either a computer or a bottom timer (which generally include depth guages) for your wrist.

Personally I'd get the BC before the reg. Lots of options out there but again, if cave diving may be in your future, it really narrows it down: backplate and wing is the only option. Look in the BC section of scubaboard and you'll see a whole lot of discussions on BP/wings.

Atomic makes a hell of a reg. Scubapro as well. Can't go wrong with Apeks either. Might want to avoid anything with titanium, it isn't recomended for future diving you may end up doing.

 

[BrianV]

Since you're buying from your LDS, see if they'll let you try the BCs and regs in a pool before hand. Find whatever's most comfortable, especially the BCD since there's different types (jacket -vs- back inflate).

 

[Longstocking]

The owner is going to let me try a girly jacket of some sort this weekend in our 4th pool dive.... as I'm not comfortable in what they've been having me dive in. I've tried 2 scubapro regulators.... honestly I'm not thrilled with them.... but I know they were older models... not high perfomance. I think we are actually diving.... back inflate.... at least the back of the bc was inflating lol.

 

[Storm]

My wife and i got certified late last year and as such we just finished the "kitting out" part. Painful, at first, but the pain diminishes a little with each and every dive.

Here’s the order we took, for an example, you might want to go a different route; it’s all about your comfort level.

Of course, the first things we bought were the mask, snorkel, fins, and booties required for the course…we added a set of 3mm shorties for pool work.

Next purchase, we did during the course, was a set of BCDs (Minor mistake). The only reason we did this was because another LSD in our area was closing down as were selling off their rental line. We got two BCDs for the price of one, and neither had seen more than a dozen pool dives. I would suggest that you NOT buy your BCDs right away. Take the time to try both styles (jacket and BP/Wing) before you make the choice. My wife found that she now would have preferred a BP/Wing. (She’ll probably get one this season)

We then went after exposure suits. I found a great online dealer for these and although I would have preferred to have purchased these at our LDs, my budget said otherwise.

The next things were the regs. We got these from our LDS, and we didn’t skimp here. I fully expect the regs we bought (Apeks) to last a good five to ten years.

As to what you should buy, I would probably suggest that as your local diving will be in colder water, you first purchase should be you exposure suits. Rentals get stretched out and a good fitting exposure suit will make your diving much more pleasurable. Then I’d go after the regs. Get the best you can afford and make sure they will not only meet your current needs, but also your future aspirations. Then I’d go after the BCD. Hopefully, by this time, you will have had an opportunity to try out one of each style.

Perhaps you might have notice my trend here. If it goes next to your skin then when renting, it went next to someone else’s (who know what they did in that suit), and if you stick it in your mouth….well…enough said there I think.

Just my two cents

 

[TSandM]

As far as an entry-level regulator goes, I think the Aqualung Titan has been a very good choice for us. It was recommended by our LDS, was well below the cost of their top end regs, and has performed well in cold and warm water for 150 dives for me.

I suppose what you buy first could have to do with how satisfactory what you can rent is for you. If you are a very small woman and can't find anything in a rental BC that is comfortable and stable, you might want to buy a BC first. But regs are much easier to carry with you when you travel, and are such critical pieces of life support that I think I'd buy them first, so that you know what you have and how it's been cared for and serviced. You can, of course, find many discussions and differing opinions on this in the SB archives

 

[mart1]

If you want to go cave diving, listen to loosebits: lots of sense in his post. However, cave diving is a long way away for you, if ever. Dont throw too much money at a regulator, better spend some more on a jacket that fits well. And why not go for backplate/wing, perfect system for open water as well.

 

[stu_in_fl]

2k will get some reasonable stuff for both of you - not top of the line, but people rarely need such stuff. BCD (whether back inflate, jacket or a backplate style), Reg (1st stage, primary 2nd and backup 2nd) - but then you probably want to add a computer and obviously need a pressure guage....adding the computer (rather than an analog depth guage) will probably mean you blow your budget a little (if it is 1k each) - but it is worth it. Don't get the cheapest computer possible - do some research.

photography and cave diving will in the long run cost you alot of $ - which you don't necessarily need to spend now - you can build up to it spreading the cost over whatever period of time is good for you - but make sure the LDS knows your long term plans so the stuff they sell you is useful in the future (rather than needing to re-buy later) photography being "eaiser" in this respect because you can dive whatever gear you want - and just add new camera gear when you see fit, but caves is very specialized....ask if your LDS is familiar with cave diving gear (if not try to get info from other places and talk to the LDS owner about it)

 

[ZAquaman]

I'd suggest that you invest in your exposure protection (drysuit/wetsuit) first. If you're just getting started I think that staying warm and comfortable in the water is your primary concern. Beyond that, rental wetsuits are nasty and typically poor fits.

You won't be doing any "technical" dives ie. deep, caves, wreck diving, etc. for some time. You'll learn more about what equipment is required for this type of diving as you learn.

Since you like and trust you local dealer he/she should be able to set you up with some dependable rental equipmet (reg/bc) and perhaps apply your rental expenses towards purchase of new equipment. A very common practice in the industry. A great way to try different types of equipment.

Given dependable well serviced rental equipmet is available I would list scuba purchases in this order:

1. Mask, fins, snorkel
2. Exposure suit
3. BC
4. Regulator/Octo/Gauges
5. Tanks
6. Wrist worn Computer (I like to have an analog set of gauges, the computer is nice for extending botom times)