Gear question for new diver

[Garrobo]

The one thing that I would buy is a new set of regulators. I don't like the idea of breathing someone elses halitosis. They will last for years with the amount of diving you are doing. Go to leisuirepro.com and look at the bargain regs they have. You can usually get a set plenty good enough for recreational diving for around $150. For another $75 or $80 you can get an octo. Considering what you will be paying for a liveaboard this is peanuts. You might want to go to a LDS and buy a mask that FITS. If you are sort of average-sized most masks will fit. Some dive operators require a snorkel also. No bigggee there, most will do. A good set of used fins can be gotten on Ebay if you have an idea what you want. Same with wetsuits. They can be bought new or used at rediculously low prices on Ebay. If they don't fit exactly, get out the scissors. It's not that important. If you are diving in warm waters you might not even need one. BCD? In general a pretty useless piece of equipment as far as I am concerned though required by most dive operators. But for a new diver who doesn't know exactly where to place his lead weights for correct buoyancy they make things a little easier. Same thing, shop around. They are extremely over-priced as new. Used mostly to stay off the bottom and, with some air in the bladders, to stay on the surface. Don't even think about buying tanks or weights. Booties, hoods, gloves, etc? Cold water stuff. I personally don't use them except for gloves when going down a down-rope. You should buy a safety kit with a whistle, mirror and surface marker buoy. Cheap and required. You might want a nice knife in case you are attacked by a shark or killer octopus. They are usually pretty cheap too.

 

[Aigtbootbp]

I would say 80% of my gear is used but it all works well.
Think about your regulator. After your first dive it is used. After a year or two it is well used yet I see many folk diving the same one for 5, 10, 15 years or even more. As long as it is competently checked out it should be fine.
Come to think of it every piece of rental gear is used too yet just as many divers come up as go down (with a minuscule number of exceptions).

 

[fjpatrum]

Relatively new diver, 10 dives, and thinking about doing a liveaboard this spring.
Given the fact that I have been certified for several years and only have 10 dives, not willing to invest in new gear. My question is, would it be prudent to buy used gear, to include dive calculator, that I may only use once a year. Have seen lots of gear for sale on craigslist, much of which if 5 years old and rarely/never been used. Does technology change enough to make gear obsolete, etc. Any other thoughts on buying used gear would be appreciated.

By the way, I see myself as a strictly recreational diver. At this point, no desire to go below 3 atmospheres or do any cave diving, etc.

Thanks.

Buy quality used gear. Narrow your choices down to a few key brands you know have a good reputation for making long lasting/good breathing/whatever else is important to you gear and then start looking for used online. Craigslist, ebay, LDS if they sell it, etc etc. Despite what a lot of people say on here regs really haven't changed that much in the last 20 years or so. Buy used of a quality brand, get it serviced properly, and you'll be fine. I bought a 10-15 year old (ish) Scubapro MK10/G250 reg with an Oceanic Omega octopus and paid $120 for the whole thing. $250 if you include getting them serviced. The Scubapro is an excellent breather, the Oceanic, not so much.

If you find some gear at a price you think is reasonable, do research on the specific gear model and find out what people think about it. In my case the reviews of the Scubapro said it was "one of the best regs available" as far as breathing quality. What it didn't say is that Scubapro regs are expensive to service. I'd still buy it again, though.

When I bought my gear I had the opportunity to test it all breathing off a tank before I purchased. If that is an option for you, I highly recommend it.

Don't mind the naysayers who tell you that it's life support you should only buy new and get a warranty and all that crap. Used gear is a fraction of the cost for the same equipment and the warranty isn't anywhere near as important as getting it service properly. Besides warranties are used so rarely that with the extra cost of new equipment over used you could just go buy another used set of gear and have extras if you ever needed your warranty.

 

[fjpatrum]

Don't spend a bunch of money buying a bunch of cheap, used gear. Scuba gear is life-support equipment when you're underwater.

Buy one or two high-quality, new items, and rent the rest. Next year buy another high-quality, new item. Repeat annually as needed.

I think it's ok to get a less-than-ideal wetsuit or dive knife or even fins if money is an issue, but I always recommend going for the good stuff when purchasing regulators, BCDs and dive computers. It's a question of whether or not my life may depend on the item operating correctly at all times.

But what if I get tangled and my knife breaks trying to cut the lines? Isn't that life support?


/sarcasm

 

[Sea Lioness]

Don't spend a bunch of money buying a bunch of cheap, used gear. Scuba gear is life-support equipment when you're underwater.

Buy one or two high-quality, new items, and rent the rest. Next year buy another high-quality, new item. Repeat annually as needed.

I think it's ok to get a less-than-ideal wetsuit or dive knife or even fins if money is an issue, but I always recommend going for the good stuff when purchasing regulators, BCDs and dive computers. It's a question of whether or not my life may depend on the item operating correctly at all times.

Just to clarify:

I don't sell scuba gear. I also don't exclusively recommend buying new gear, although I often favor it. I always recommend high-quality gear, which can sometimes be found used, and I certainly have purchased used gear myself. However, I don't recommend buying used gear if you don't know much about the type of gear you are getting, and I also don't recommend getting critical gear from places where you have no way of knowing what the gear went through nor how it was maintained before you bought it.

My advice was based on the original poster's comments about diving only once a year. I assume that most divers who dive once a year don't want the hassle of DIY maintenance, and probably aren't as able to evaluate the condition of used gear that they buy than divers who are addicted to the sport. The original poster's emphasis was on saving money, and I really do believe that it is better to get one or two high-quality items (whether they're new or used) than a full set of low-quality and/or poor-condition gear.

 

[--tom--]

I think you have some good advice here. The hard part is trying to pick out the best suggestion for you. As always there are some bias, I have mine so I will state them up front. If you are even an occasional diver, you should own your basic gear that fits you well and are comfortable--mask, fins, boots (if applicable) & snorkel (if you occasionally snorkel on vacation or the boat requires it). These last a long time and fit = comfort & comfort = more dives with less pain/irritation.

Wetsuit: Most boats & dive operations have them to rent--I hate the rentals and a "shorty" is often less than $150; if you need a full wet suit, then rent, I would not buy a used wetsuit for a whole lot of reasons, not the least is fit.

Gear: If it were me, I would look at some of the reputable online retailers (e.g. Scubatoys, but there are other great ones) and call them, and ask if they have a package that includes regs, computer, gauges, alternate (just as a thought, your LDS may have some rental gear for even less). I would not be surprised to find deals less than $800. When you get back from vacation, immediately put the gear on whatever online auction site you like with a picture of your receipt with a blurb like: "Bought gear two weeks ago and decided not to keep it, bought for $800, sacrifice for $600." You will have new gear for your trip, & it will only cost you a couple of hundred to use it.

Just my 2psi.

 

[Zanzibar]

Thanks for all the advice and appreciate the feedback. Will do some homework and follow-up on the gear forum.