Is it just me??

[Wineaux]

I don't think it is a male/female, mars/venus thing. I am female and the one that is more into diving, researched the items we both own, bought my dive computer and all gear except tanks. I bought my boyfriend a dive computer for Christmas. He likes diving but the gear, planning trips, etc is just further down on his personal radar than it is on mine.

 

[Kitty_Kat]

From someone who owns at least [-]two[/-] four full sets of gear...

I will go diving in pretty much anything. I started out diving in rental gear, still occasionally use rental gear when teaching, and will sometimes use rental gear while traveling if it makes sense logistically. When traveling, I do always take my own computer (and sometimes mask and regulators), but the rest doesn't really matter to me for recreational single tank diving.

Don't get me wrong, I do love my own gear (there was usually a good deal of thought put into each purchase!), but I think it all boils down to the fact that I've never really been uncomfortable diving, and therefore have never felt any reason to be picky. The opportunity to go diving has always been my primary goal, so as long as the gear I use is appropriate and in acceptable condition, I can make it work for recreational single tank diving. It also helps that I know my size for pretty much any type of dive gear on the market. As long as you are diving with a (somewhat) descent quality shop, their rental gear probably isn't awful.

Perhaps this is how your wife feels? She isn't uncomfortable enough with rental gear to justify spending the money on her own set. If it bothers you that much though and you can spend the money, just buy her a set of her own .

Even if she doesn't react as excitedly as you might, I'm sure she will express gratitude down the road once she realizes that she doesn't have to spend the first minutes of every dive adjusting to new gear.

 

[TSandM]

My guess is she hasn't dived yet in gear that made diving comfortable and easy. I coped with the gear I bought at first (and I bought it because rental charges were silly). The first dive I did with NwGratefulDiver's backplate and wing, I looked at him and said, "What do you want for this, because you aren't getting it back?"

Whether it's a backplate or something else, if she has a chance to dive gear that really fits, really makes the tank stable, really makes diving smooth and easy and comfortable, she'll want it.

 

[tajkd]

You are cold!!

Kerry, it's a Mars/Venus thing. One of the reasons you like diving is the gear and the "technical" aspects of diving. She likes pretty fish. She could give 2 poops about what kind of regulator, or it's specs or type of BC, or split or blade fins or any of the other gibberish we fight about on ScubaBoard. You are in it because diving is the coolest thing you can do with cloths on. She sees it as what it takes to keep you happy, and look at pretty fish.

Take it for what it is, at least she's diving with you. RJP's wife will at least go to an island with him, but he usually dives solo.

I guess you consider diving with me the same as solo.

 

[Skittl1321]

If it bothers you that much though and you can spend the money, just buy her a set of her own .

OMG- I would be furious if my husband did this. I don't want gear- and it seems the OP's wife doesn't either. They've been on a trip and have another planned and she wants to rent; it seems to be an informed decision that she's happy using rental gear. Why should he override her decision, at significant expense?

 

[Wookie]

I guess you consider diving with me the same as solo.

Maybe I should have stated "When RJP goes on vacation with his wife, he dives solo. When he goes with tajkd, he wears a drysuit".

 

[RJP]

I guess you consider diving with me the same as solo.

Everyone knows you and I dive alone together.

:d

 

[victorzamora]

OMG- I would be furious if my husband did this. I don't want gear- and it seems the OP's wife doesn't either. They've been on a trip and have another planned and she wants to rent; it seems to be an informed decision that she's happy using rental gear. Why should he override her decision, at significant expense?

I think every diver that really wants to get good and comfortable should purchase gear. I think owning your own gear has MANY more benefits than drawbacks or cost.

However, I had a rational discussion with my wife about buying her her own gear. She agreed, but only because we found a good deal on used gear. Even with cheap, used gear she started seeing the benefits of it. I've slowly upgraded her out of it, and she now owns a drysuit, two wetsuits, computer, 3 BCD's, a nice reg set, 4 sets of fins, 2 booties, 2 knives, 2 lights, etc.....and she's VERY happy with having her own gear. She even dragged it to and from our Mexico honeymoon with me. She even encourage me to get an O2 and CO analyzer, and an O2 bottle/reg.

I think the crucial element to purchasing gear, and being happy with it, is the timing of the purchase. Skittles, I don't blame you at all for not wanting your own gear. Let's talk about it again in 30 dives. Well, in Iowa that might not change. Well, what if you move to NC so close to wrecks? Or FL? Have you considered a PARTIAL gear purchase (like, just a computer)? I'm not saying you need to, but you need to buy it when the time is right. TS&M purchased gear before she knew what she wanted, and was unhappy with it. I waited 9 years after cert to purchase my own gear, and it was because I had just started diving locally and was on track to get my tech cert (I also had employee discount at the LDS). I was happy with my purchase. The one thing not enough people on this board discuss is WHEN to buy gear. The answer is: When you're ready. That's independant of whether or not you THINK you're ready.

 

[Skittl1321]

I think the crucial element to purchasing gear, and being happy with it, is the timing of the purchase. Skittles, I don't blame you at all for not wanting your own gear. Let's talk about it again in 30 dives. Well, in Iowa that might not change. Well, what if you move to NC so close to wrecks? Or FL? Have you considered a PARTIAL gear purchase (like, just a computer)?

If I lived near decent diving, I'm sure I'd want gear. If we moved to Florida, absolutely I'd purchase a BC and regs. Probably not NC- I have no interest in wrecks But I cannot do enough diving in a year to justify the price of purchase or maintenance and the extra baggage cost of lugging a BC doesn't make sense to me. The rental gear we used in Cozumel was FABULOUS, probably better than what we rent locally. Our next trip will probably be back to Coz or to AKR in Roatan (2015?) and I am guessing their gear is going to be well maintained too. It makes no sense to buy my own. Plus, using rentals I've gotten to try multiple different things, so I can learn more about what brands I like. (I do have my own computer, and wetsuit.)

Since I will dive 10 to 20 times a year, if we make a trip- and we won't every year (I anticipate 0 dives next year, maybe 2 or 4 if my husband talks me into getting back into the mudhole...), renting makes way more sense to me.


The OP says he has 0-24 dives, so I assume his wife does too. Perhaps she doesn't feel they dive enough to make it worth it. He doesn't say where they live. If it is Florida, maybe she would dive more if she has her own gear. If it's Nebraska, maybe they only dive on vacation and she sees the same issues in gear as I do.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

TS&M purchased gear before she knew what she wanted, and was unhappy with it.

I don't think that's quite accurate. TSandM purchased gear for reasons that made perfect sense to her at the time of purchase ... specifically, that she and her husband would have the same (and therefore both familiar and interchangeable) gear. I think she was reasonably happy with it until I loaned her one of my BP/W rigs to try out ... when she realized how much better it was she immediately wanted one.

I think Wookie got it right ... women are generally (though not always) less into the gear aspects of diving than men are. Over the years I've purchased pretty much all of Cheng's equipment for her, without her input. For the most part she doesn't even want to talk about it ... she just expects me to find something she'll like. The only thing she insists on having input on is the camera ... which is pretty much the most important piece of equipment (to her concern) she takes underwater with her.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)