My gear, suggestions, changes etc

[MrRoo]

Just now getting my c-card. Water isn't too cold around here, coldest it gets is around 55*. Will be pursuing DiveMaster status and eventually being an instructor. My view on it is buy your gear once and get the best so you don't upgrade 6 months later.

BC - SeaQuest Lattitude XLT
Regualtor - Mares Proton
Computer - Oceanic Pro Plus 2

I bought it all at SportsChalet and they will let me return it for any reason as long as I am still enrolled in their OW class. Well this weekend is my last weekend to make any changes so what do you guys think? Only thing I was thinking about changing was the regulator for the Mares Abyss.

 

[SoCalMike]

Get rid of the purple tanks!

 

[laurelgsc]

You might want to check out a back inflate BCD. I like mine a lot more than the jacket styles I used during my open water training. I have a Seaquest Libra, but they also have a men's version called the Balance. I would suggest trying one out before you settle on the jacket.

 

[The Kraken]

Good advice, Laurelgsc.

Also, Mr. Roo, if you plan to be associated with the shop from which you purchased your gear when you reach the DM/Instr levels, they will probably be much more grateful if you were diving in the higher end gear. Your students will want to emulate you and, therefore, buy the type of gear which you elect to use.

Higher sales = higher margin = happy owner = more $$$ for DM/Instr.

the K

 

[Igodeep]

I agree with every post so far. Most divers that try back inflate like it much better. I've never been a fan of Mares regulators. Every one I have ever tried sucked big time. I think there is much better equipment for the money. I will say that Oceanic makes some good gear, but I am not familiar with that particular computer.

One last thing. Don't be one of these people that goes from OW straight to instructor without ever making a dive outside of class. No offense, but you have just started in this sport and you already talking about becoming an instructor. I see it happen all the time. Some Course Director convinces you that you can make good money teaching scuba, yada, yada, yada, same BS they all say. Truth be told, after you pay insurance and dues your hourly rate will be less than the guy working at McDonalds. Why do you think the average career span for a scuba instructor is only 2 years.

I personally think only 20 dives to start Divemaster class is ridiculous. I had over 200 when I started my Divemaster class. If you do go straight from zero to hero, you will most likely end up being a terrible instructor.

My advice to you. Take all that crap that your dive shop sold you back, buy better gear and go diving. Enjoy yourself, have a good time, see what the sport has to offer, and learn how to dive. Classes can't teach you everything, you need to get some experience. I'm not trying to discourage you at all. I just think that someone should try and give you a different perspective than the "you can be an instructor too, please write us a check" perspective. So go diving, get a few hundred dives under your belt, and if you still want to be an instructor, by all means, go for it.

 

[TSandM]

go diving. Enjoy yourself, have a good time, see what the sport has to offer, and learn how to dive. Classes can't teach you everything, you need to get some experience. I'm not trying to discourage you at all. I just think that someone should try and give you a different perspective than the "you can be an instructor too, please write us a check" perspective. So go diving, get a few hundred dives under your belt, and if you still want to be an instructor, by all means, go for it.

Wonderful advice. The shop where I got certified has a lot of students that go fairly quickly and steadily through the progression to DM and instructor, and, having fallen in love with the sport, I was headed down the same road. And then I got exposed to some truly fine divers, and realized just exactly how much I had to learn before I had any business thinking about teaching other people to dive. There is a lot to be said for depth and breadth of experience in teachers.

 

[Colliam7]

Will be pursuing DiveMaster status and eventually being an instructor. My view on it is buy your gear once and get the best so you don't upgrade 6 months later. BC - SeaQuest Lattitude XLT ... Regualtor - Mares Proton ... Computer - Oceanic Pro Plus 2

So, you ask about gear, and we end up giving you lots of advice about your career planning. Such is the nature of SB. That said, the advice is very sound - get as much real diving experience as you can before pursuing DM / OWSI, in no small part because you will get far more from that training with experience under your (weight) belt.
As for gear: 1. I strongly support the advice regarding a back-inflate BC vs a jacket. Don't go with a jacket if you don't want to buy different gear in 6 months; 2. I use a Mares (MR12) reg as my pool and quarry checkout reg, and find it works fine. But, I dive Apeks and Zeagle for ocean / deep / cold diving. Whatever you buy, get an easy breathing reg. You might discuss the specific reg selection again with your LDS to be reassured. One personal bias, which SB folks don't all agree with - buy two identical second stages, rather than a higher end primary and a cheap octo / alternate - lots of reasons, that go beyond the scope of this thread, but I always make that recommendation to gear buyers planning to advance in their diving, as you indicate; 3. I won't comment on Oceanic computers in general, but I suggest you rethink the approach you are taking. Many people (not all, but quite a few) on SB find that a wrist computer is far more functional than a console computer, and that air-integrated may be nice but is by no means essential. The Pro Plus 2 has some nice features - big / oversized digits on the display which I definitely recommend, it has a PC interface, and has user-replaceable batteries. It is nitrox-capable, but only to 50% rather than 99% which may be a future limitation, and I am not aware that it has multi-gas / gas-switching capabilities. I have to wonder if, with this model, you may be buying more bells and whistles than you need, and not getting some things that you may ultimately want. Just a thought.

 

[MrRoo]

Thanks for all the replies, and no Mike I love my purple tanks

I am not new to the sport even though I just got certified. I have been diving for 3 years and have dove 12-15 times. Sure they may have just been resort style dives but diving is diving right? I plan on doing a bunch of dives and will have atleast 15 more before I start my AOW class. Not looking to make it a career just progress up and learn as much as I can. I have tried a back inflate BC and didn't like it at all, I am a fan of the jacket style.

 

[DiveMaven]

Sounds like your gear works for you....just go dive and enjoy it. Who cares what the rest of us think?