Gear order of purchase???

[50sdiver]

Dstang65
Thought I'd put in my .02 for a reg have you thought about a Conshelf 14? I've used the 12 for many yrs (about 24/5) and it still breathes just fine. I've been told that their not new or fancy or anything like that, but the price should be low and might do just fine for you.

50's diver.

PS Any body disagrees let me know, I've been told I'm a little strange in my hobbies.

 

[tgreaves]

My 2 cents of it is.. If you rent a computer every time.. Then the first thing to get is a computer.. Where I am at they cost $50.00 dollars for the weekend... I think I saw where you were going to get a mk20-g250 Scubapro reg.. Thats the same reg I have and i've tested out many other and I came to say that it is the best I have ever seen.. If money is an issue.. Look into the Scubapro mk2-r190.. Great reg at a very good price..

 

[Bob]

I've been on several dive boats in the last few months with OW students and most of them are more concerned with how to operate their computers than the dive they are going to make! Computers are a good thing, but they are only a tool. I just hate to see a student, or any diver for that matter, placing total faith in his or her dive computer. A diver cannot possibly know what a dive computer is telling him unless he is proficent in the use of his dive tables. Most dive computers are designed to just keep the diver on the edge of the safety curve. Not much room room for error for a student or new diver is it? Wonder how many students or newly certified divers know that? How many experienced divers are aware of that fact? I have a computer, but it's used as a backup to my tables. Guess I'm just too old, and cautious.
Scuba Bob.

 

[Fishkiller]

I was very fortunate that when I was considering the order of purchase to read the information on this site then when I was talking with my mother she helped me purchase the essentials a V16 Epos with a Aeris 500ai the life support the most critical, you need to KNOW THE TABLES but you can enjoy the scenery more with a DC and a reg that you KNOW THE HISTORY of. Her logic in her helping me purchase the equiptment was safety first.

 

[Bob]

Yes, I have all my gear also Fishkiller, in fact you and I share the same first stage set up. I also have a DC, a Mares Surveyor- Nitrox. The point I'm trying to make is that you just don't "need to know" the tables, you MUST KNOW the tables. I hope you're not diving completely dependent upon you computer, because this is what I'm seeing in many divers.I see an apathy towards the tables in many divers that I wish I didn't see. Computers are good, don't get me wrong, but computers are only a tool and should be treated that way! My daughter was recently certified and my advise to her was to purchase a first and second stage with Octo, a BC,and a SPG with compass. After she gets fourty or fifty dives under her belt and she learns how to dive, then she can start looking for a DC. And by the way, Fishkiller, I don't dive with my computer unless I'm on Nitrox, which means I'm from 60 to 100 feet. I never noticed the scenery looking any diffrent. Hey, maybe I am to old. Anyway, I wish you many safe dives.
Scuba Bob

 

[Fishkiller]

Yes the DC is a tool, I consider a valued one. I plan my dives and record my dives with the wheel and information from the DC. I made my equiptment purchases for the long haul. I get somewhat miffed at stories of solo diving and max'n out the DC. In class a mate was looking staring at a DC instead of this rather large catfish that passed between students.

to all many healthy happy dives

 

[large_diver]

Hi there Dstang,

I am pretty much exactly where you are in terms of gear purchase and dive experience (25 dives) -- I have everything except a reg/octo and a computer. I am currently weighing brands and what to buy -- here are my 2 cents.

First of all, I would vote for a reg/octo first with a standard analog console. I agree with your comments about learning to use dive tables before "graduating" to a computer. A more informed diver is a better diver.

All that being said -- my opinions are based on MY experience and expected diving profiles, not yours. My diving is limited to New England at the moment -- where I am mainly doing relatively shallow shore dives. I am not planning on any live aboard trips to exotic locations where 4+ dives per day and 25 dives per week are the norm. In a high volume dive situation like this, a computer is a MUST. If I was about to go on a weeklong liveabord trip like this, I would actually buy the computer first and not the reg. .

Regarding brands --
Regulators -- I am leaning towards Atomic or Scubapro -- both high performance regs (and thus, more $$$). Both have models in the same price range ($500-650 for first/second stage rig).

Computers -- Suunto Vyper or Cobra. Cobra ($750-800) is air-integrated; Vyper ($400-450) is not. Otherwise they are same computer. Both these models receive ALOT of positive feedback, both here and on other popular scubadiving web-sites. I'm leaning towards the Vyper at the moment, mainly because I want a wrist-mounted computer that I can view more easily during ascents/descents (while using my BC inflator/deflator with my left hand at the same time).

Hope this is helpful - good luck and safe diving!

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by large_diver
Hi there Dstang,

Regarding brands --
Regulators -- I am leaning towards Atomic or Scubapro -- both high performance regs (and thus, more $$$). Both have models in the same price range ($500-650 for first/second stage rig).

Large diver,

Certainly, here in the UK, there are two things that reg manufacturers quote, one is the US navy tests, and the other is the European Standard (EN250) for cold water regs.

The US navy test is a test on the work of breathing - this tells you a bit about what the reg will be like to breath from (ie does it throw air at you, or do you have to suck really hard to get the air).

The European EN250 is a specification, and test, for regs being used in cold water, it uses similar tests to the US navy does, but under far colder conditions.

Any reg, regardless of cost that has these two certificates is a good reg. Most manufacturers have an EN250 and US navy approved reg, I can think of Apeks, Mares, Scubapro, Atomic, Poseidon, Seac Sub, Cressi Sub, Zeagle (I think), Beauchat, US divers, Atomic, Sherwood, Dacor............ All of these have a reg that has passed, what you pay for is the badge on the front.

Just .02

Don't get hung up on the badge.

Jon T

 

[nyc aquanaut]

I would go with the reg 1st as well, the comp I use is a Suunto Cobra. I like it, just do your homework.

 

[ages]

My vote is to purchase your reg first. When I bought my gear, I decided on the reg/octo first because I had both the primary and octo freeflow at depth on a dive using rented gear. Since I really REALLY like breathing air, I decided to bite the wallet and purchase the best I could buy.....and I wanted to take into account room for growth. I chose a US Divers Arctic. I can take it from diving in our frigid waters to 85 degree waters. I have not been able to over breathe this reg, and a couple of times have put it up against the wall in use. I would say, save your money and purchase the best reg you can afford. It is, after all, your ultimate life source under water. Second, get the best octo you can afford....it is your redunant life source. ages