good scuba brands? newbie

[LakeMountD]

if i plan on goin nitrox way down the road should i buy new guages now? by this i mean if i buy a nitrox guage will it read right if im using regular air? also how much better is nitrox? and how deep can you go if you DONT have nitrox...? i think also that i am getting the thicker wetsuit.. the 5mm i believe it is...

 

[cudacoupe]

I am also a newbie to this forum and to diving altogether. This Christmas I bought a lot of scuba gear . I went down the path that O-ring has mention, getting the basics first. This is what I purchased:

Scubapro Twin Jet Fin
Scubapro Delta boots
Scubapro 3mm Thermocline gloves
Scubapro Frameless mask
Ocean Master Dry Snorkel
Princeton Tek mini halogen light
Akona roller duffle bag

Right now I am trying to locate a used regulator setup and a used BC. I do know that I will have my AOW in about a month and I also know that I will extend my knowledge past that because having the certification only gives you the right to learn to dive.
Good luck with your diving and I hope you find out what you are searching for.

Billy

 

[O-ring]

LakeMountD once bubbled...
if i plan on goin nitrox way down the road should i buy new guages now? by this i mean if i buy a nitrox guage will it read right if im using regular air? also how much better is nitrox? and how deep can you go if you DONT have nitrox...? i think also that i am getting the thicker wetsuit.. the 5mm i believe it is...

Your gauges will work fine with nitrox...nitrox is just air with a little extra o2 in it (basically), so 2500 psi of nitrox isn't significantly different (from a pressure gauge standpoint) than 2500 psi of air. Nitrox is a useful tool to use as either a safety margin or a means to increase bottom time. You can actually go deeper on air than nitrox mixtures, but you run into the problem of nitrogen narcosis. With enriched oxygen blends (nitrox) the limiting factor is the partial pressure of oxygen in the mix. The use of elevated oxygen mixtures requires close attention to depths since oxygen toxicity becomes your largest fear when you start using nitrox.

What you say about the wetsuit makes sense to me. I did the same thing, thinking that a 5mm would be the most versatile of the suits for my local diving conditions. I didn't have to buy another suit until I got a drysuit. You can always add or subtract accessories to adjust for changing temperatures (i.e. add a hood, hooded vest, gloves, etc.).

 

[LakeMountD]

great.. thanx for the help.. you answered all my questions..