New Diver, help appreciated.

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MorgBedford

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Hi all, my names Morgan from South Wales. I am newly qualified PADI OWD and am looking to purchase equipment. I am not looking to make huge purchases just yet and I am looking to buy a set or a few sets of second hand equiptment and then over time replace it bit by bit. Could anyone point me in the direction of second hand SCUBA equipment?
Help appreciated
Thanks
Morgan
 
Hi, Morgan,
Welcome to the forum. I know you said you wanted used equipment but, as far as regulators go, I use HOG regs which are great and priced really well. You could look for a package deal with a HOG classic first stage and double classic second stages for what you might spend on used items from other manufacturers. It might be a DIN set up but you can always get the yoke adapter and then you know you have new, tested and certified equipment. And HOG offers a class you can take that will allow you to get certified to service the regs yourself. Also, good quality used equipment shows up for sale on here quite regularly.
Best,
Josh
 
Hi Morgan,

A lot of times a new diver can buy new equipment for the same money as buying used equipment that will not suit his/her style of diving. This is wisdom gained from my mistakes when I first started diving and buying used gear.

If you are going to be diving locally, which I highly suggest, living in Wales probably means a dry suit is in your future. Rather than buying a full rig, start with the undergarments suitable for your waters. Rent the expensive part of the package for a while.

Next, buy a dive computer, learn what it is telling you and how to ask the questions you need answers to. This should be very high on your list of purchases. You can get good, basic, air/nitrox (I wouldn't buy an air only) computer for less than $300us new. If you decide to go with a used computer, stick with the newer models. There are a lot of used Suunto Cobras for sale and they still make them today. Problem is that a lot of the older units are starting to fail (one of mine had the pressure sensor crap out a year ago).

At this point, renting a regulator makes more sense that buying even a used one. First, I know you are hot to begin diving. We all were after finishing our OWC. Second, there are a lot of "lightly" used regulators on the market for sale by people who found they didn't dive that much for whatever reason. Even if you buy a great regulator used, at this time, you don't know enough about them to determine if they need to be serviced or not. Solution, get it serviced. By the time you get your reg back from the shop, I will bet that you could have rented a regulator for the dive season and spent far less money.

Get what you need to dive regularly and locally. When you have done that for a season or two, you will have a much better idea of the gear you need, what are good prices for used gear (I start at 1/3 online prices for used and may go up to 50%) and what to lookout for in buying used gear.

Join a local dive club, talk with as many people as possible and ask questions.
 
Join a local dive club, talk with as many people as possible and ask questions.

This is very much recommended. Extremely so.

And yes, clothing and computer first.
 
Thanks guys! Would you guys recommend wetsuits or drysuits considering my local diving will take place in Wales in temperatures at about 15°.
 
If there is a local BSAC club in your neighborhood I would join it. They can help with local and destination dives, equipment suited for local diving and answer a host of many different questions that you might not have even thought of yet.
 
Thanks guys! Would you guys recommend wetsuits or drysuits considering my local diving will take place in Wales in temperatures at about 15°.
Dry...no question there.
 
You will want a drysuit and dry gloves and a winter coverall for one hour in +4c water.

Drysuits are typically made of cordura (tough; ok in water), trilaminate (light and comfortable; not tough) or even breathing Kevlar reinforced fabric (very comfy; expensive). And then there are the stiff rubber suits favored by chemical and sewer divers. Some suits are made of compressed/crushed neoprene too. There are many brands and many models to choose from. I have punished an Ursuit Heavylight Cordura diving dress A LOT and it seems to be very robust. I am unfamiliar with Bare drysuits.

The best inner gloves, in my opinion, are the Hestra Quallofil short liners. The dry gloves must be spacious enough to fit the liners.
 
Hi all, my names Morgan from South Wales. I am newly qualified PADI OWD and am looking to purchase equipment. I am not looking to make huge purchases just yet and I am looking to buy a set or a few sets of second hand equiptment and then over time replace it bit by bit. Could anyone point me in the direction of second hand SCUBA equipment?
Help appreciated
Thanks
Morgan
Hi Morgan,

First question, are you looking to dive in UK waters or in warmer waters on holiday?

If UK, you're better off with a drysuit (the brand doesn't matter). Just remember when buying second hand you get what you pay for.

There are a number of BSAC clubs in SWales, visit the BSAC website for more info.

Diving West Wales is great, just too far now. Besides I've got the Scottish Lochs now.

Kind regards
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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