How Much to Budget for Training and Equipment?

[TSandM]

Well, my answer is based upon your statement that you would rather save up for something really good than get something right away of lesser quality.

If that is really true, save your money and do your open water class with James Mott in Detroit, or better yet, do the GUE open water program somewhere. Training is FAR more important than equipment -- equipment rental is usually included in the cost of an open water class, and afterwards, you can buy stuff over time or second hand. Middle-of-the-road gear is often still very good gear, and costs much less, but you have to know a little bit about what you're trying to accomplish.

But there is no substitute for good training.

If you can't or don't want to travel, consider talking to our own ppO2diver. I suspect he teaches an excellent OW class, as well.

But my basic point is to spend what you have to for a high quality open water class, because a longer, more thorough class will make diving far more fun for you right out of the gate, and will make it far more likely that you will stay with the sport.

 

[mkutyna]

I wouldn't worry too much about a high quality education right out of the gate. Get your feet wet and see if you even like it before you spend the money to outfit yourself to the gills with new equipment. One of the biggest complaints people have is buying the equipment twice because they were talked into something that didn't work for them by the "EVIL" LDS (Local Dive Store).

Unfortunately if you skimp on high quality education early on, then you may end up with a diving experience that turns you off from diving.

 

[halocline]

I agree with TSandM, quality training is much more important. There are also ways of saving a great deal of money on gear by buying with experience, so that A)you don't buy the same piece of gear over and over, and B)you can seek out the best deals on what you really need and avoid stuff that you don't.

Good training comes down to finding the right teacher and having the right attitude towards your study. It's not always easy figuring out who the good teachers are, but you'll get lots of good suggestions from this forum.

 

[mkutyna]

The OP did say he would rather buy right and buy once. Sure you can always get things cheaper. You do get what you pay for.

Yup, you pay for stuff like extensive advertising and shiny name plates of major manufacturers on your gear.

 

[vondo]

While I'm not sure I'd recommend traveling*, finding a good class and instructor is key. Duane (ppo2_diver) was only planning on teaching one OW class this year and I don't know if he's even doing that. Unfortunately, while I know a few other instructors in the area, I don't know them from a student perspective. Maybe someone here will come in with a suggestion.

Otherwise, if I can plug my dive club... Take a look over at The Chicago Scuba Meetup Group (Chicago, IL) - Meetup.com and open a thread there asking for instructor recommendations. BTW, I realize you never said if you were interested in local diving or not. If you are or are not, that changes gear considerations quite a bit and may even impact instructor recommendations. If you are unsure, assume you are interested in diving locally and you can't go wrong.

*Edit: I'm not saying "don't travel," just that that is a very large expense. It may pay off in the long run if you are planning on being a serious diver as TSandM is, but for 99% of people finding the best person you can find locally will suit you just fine.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The OP did say he would rather buy right and buy once. Sure you can always get things cheaper. You do get what you pay for.

Jim you say your class is $289 + $56 for the book. That is what, $345? Do you include quarry fees in that as well? My point being the range I provided is because I've seen shops advertise a range of costs and the difference is what is included in the course. Locally the cheaper classes don't include all your quarry fees. So two days of checkouts at Bainbridge SCUBA Center are $60.

Ask what is included in your course fee when you start calling local shops.

What quarry fees? Of the two I would use one is free and the other is 5 bucks to get in and yes I pay that. And that is books. Dennis Gravers Scuba Diving, the SEI workbooks, dive tables, and carry bag. If we do checkouts at the lake again no fee. Students provide MSF and rental gear for checkouts. I don;t care where they get that but the shop I work with charges 50 for the weekend including 2 tanks of air and I always bring extra should anyone need it. That is for a 6-8 week course with 16 hours of classroom and 16 hours in the pool. Plus the on site instruction making roughly a 40 hour course. I need a min of two students for this and max of 6. If I have that many (max) they go in in two groups on checkouts. I do not charge extra for private advanced and specialties. A private (1 diver) OW course starts at 400 depending on schedule and travel required. And it is still a 40 hour course. And if they are police, fire, EMS, or military( active or vet) there is a significant price break as long as I again have two students or more.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Unfortunately if you skimp on high quality education early on, then you may end up with a diving experience that turns you off from diving.

Let me clarify a bit on this......Any run of the mill scuba shop in the Chicagoland area is going to teach the same textbook BS.....It will take a mentor to open his eyes and see that the majority of LDS's will pull the wool over the OP's eyes (possibly not even knowing themselves). But without an OW card the OP will never be able to get out and dive with different people with different skill sets from non-local agencies.

Plus most every OW student thinks their instructor was a God till they learn otherwise....they will then have a baseline for where to personally set the bar for their future education.

I.E. what happens if the OP takes GUE's Rec 1 program and rents/buys a BP/W, jets, long hose, and a couple of backup lights and finds out that it's either too demanding (not fun) or just plain doesn't like it? That's $1500.00 for a class, travel, lodging, equipment, expenses, and a broken ego.

The offer stands if the OP wants to see a variety of gear, learn the pros/cons of various agencies and local instructors, and what reactions to expect from the diving community base on those decisions.

 

[jmasin]

I was going to say similar to ScubaInChicago...

Define "high quality education" for a beginning scuba diver? If we're talking OW class, I think it boils down to an instructor you like and can connect with during a brief meeting before class starts... otherwise no newbie will know any different.

As far as "getting what you pay for", someone new needs to be careful there. It is true to a point, but it will also be a phrase used to sell the highest priced gear to someone who is unsuspecting and doesn't know any better.

An offer to TRY gear is an opportunity I would NEVER pass up (assuming you trust the person/gear).

There's just too much money to be wasted until you know what you want.

 

[D_B]

I think H2O's price list is at the upper end of the scale, you do not have to spend that much to get good quality gear

I think TSandM's post is spot on

Walter's post at the top of this forum has good ideas on what to look for in an instructor ... http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ng/287780-how-find-excellent-scuba-class.html

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Let me clarify a bit on this......Any run of the mill scuba shop in the Chicagoland area is going to teach the same textbook BS.....It will take a mentor to open his eyes and see that the majority of LDS's will pull the wool over the OP's eyes (possibly not even knowing themselves). But without an OW card the OP will never be able to get out and dive with different people with different skill sets from non-local agencies.

Plus most every OW student thinks their instructor was a God till they learn otherwise....they will then have a baseline for where to personally set the bar for their future education.

I.E. what happens if the OP takes GUE's Rec 1 program and rents/buys a BP/W, jets, long hose, and a couple of backup lights and finds out that it's either too demanding (not fun) or just plain doesn't like it? That's $1500.00 for a class, travel, lodging, equipment, expenses, and a broken ego.

The offer stands if the OP wants to see a variety of gear, learn the pros/cons of various agencies and local instructors, and what reactions to expect from the diving community base on those decisions.

That doesn't say much for Chicago shops! Better to go with an independent instructor then like Duane (pp02 diver) if he has a class. There are differences in OW classes no matter what anyone says. The trick is to find someone who is willing to discuss them. "Run of the mill shops" don;t. A good independent instructor will welcome you to come in and compare his/her product with anyone else's.