Newbie equipment concerns

[TSandM]

My first BC was a Libra. If it fits you, it's perfectly useful for both cold and warm water diving.

Owning your own computer means it's more likely you will learn to understand all the possible displays, and if it's a downloadable computer, you can use it as your dive log, too.

If you buy your own gear, it makes it so much easier to go diving. And like skiing, this is a sport that is much more fun if you are good at it, and you only get good at it by doing it.

 

[industrious95]

1) Which peace of equipment would you advice buying first: regulator, diving computer, BCD?
2) Would you advice buying Seaquest libra BCD for 150 dollars for use in tropical waters and in freshwater cold lakes?
3) What is 5 mm full body wetsuit suitable for?

I'd go for the computer first. You can always rent a regulator or BCD, I haven't seen too many places renting computers. Also, many computers keep a log of your dives, which you'll find to be a great record. You should never rely on someone else's bottom timer or gauges. What if you get separated?

Not familiar with Sequest Libra. I have dive friends that use Seaquest, so I wouldn't have any concerns about the quality of the equipment. Of course, make sure it fits good, with your wet suit underneath. From a website, I can see that the Libra lets you put half of your weight in the back where it's non-dumpable, which I think is a great idea. It's also is rear-inflating, which I personally prefer to having the bladder wrap around my side. Finally, it has D-Rings, which are good for attaching your gear to. It certainly looks like a good design for a BCD, assuming it fits you properly.

If it's been sitting around unused for 4 years, I'd make sure the inflator and dump values all work properly. They're replaceable if necessary, but you might as well know before you buy what maintenance might be needed.

I don't like to travel with a wetsuit because it never seems to dry out in time to take it home, so I pretty much rent a wetsuit when I travel.

I'd buy a wetsuit to use where I intend to dive the most. For 21 degree water, I'd personally go for a 7mm. I'd be cold in a 5mm after half an hour at that temperature. But, I'm 56 years old and not as tolerant of cold as I used to be. Of course, the wetsuit has to fit good in the first place, or it won't do you any good.

I hope to go diving in the Red Sea next year. Have a great trip.

 

[Arwen]

Great advice.
I've found a cheap used Mares puck wrist computer and am still contemplating that libra bcd.
How should I check the valves, if I can't go diving now? :blush: Can I just blow some air into the thing orally and see if they work?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Arwen, yes, blow it up orally, let it sit while you listen for any leaks. After you are comfortable you aren't hearing anything odd, pull each of the dumps to make sure they freely allow air to vent. Unfortunately, unless your seller can hook it up to reg and tank for you, won't be able to truly check the inflater but you can still check for ease of movement by depressing the buttons for inflate. The button for deflate should work if you've blown the bcd up orally. Don't forget to check all buckles, bands, zips if any, rings etc.

 

[rx7diver]

Great advice.
I've found a cheap used Mares puck wrist computer

Arwen,

Have you actually purchased the computer? If not, I suggest that purchasing a computer should NOT be a priority. I would NOT advise a newish diver include a dive computer among his/her early equipment purchases, with all due respect to people who posted earlier in this thread. In fact, you might *never* purchase a computer, yet dive, quite content, for decades, as many divers continue to do.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[tursiops]

Arwen,

Have you actually purchased the computer? If not, I suggest that purchasing a computer should NOT be a priority. I would NOT advise a newish diver include a dive computer among his/her early equipment purchases, with all due respect to people who posted earlier in this thread. In fact, you might *never* purchase a computer, yet dive, quite content, for decades, as many divers continue to do.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

This is silly advice, in my opinion. Hey, It's the internet.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[rx7diver]

This is silly advice, in my opinion.

tursiops,

Please elaborate.

rx7diver

 

[Arwen]

I want to buy a computer. I know the RDP table, bottom timer and depth gauge could also be enough to make recreational diving safe. But... I somehow feel safer with a computer (I could make calculation errors). I also seems interesting to me to know my ascending rates and so on. My fiance feels that a dive computer is not something you need first hand. But I actually just want to have one. First of all because usually it is not so easy to just rent one (well, at least it seems to me).
Tonight I am visiting the guy to see that mares puck, but I feel I am going to buy it. He also offers me a titan lx regulator. I am not sure about that. I'll see the price.
The seller says that both items belong to his friend, who tried diving and didn't like it and they are almost new. It's funny how every seller I contact tells the same story.

 

[TSandM]

The Titan LX is a good, solid regulator. Be sure to factor in the price of getting the reg serviced when you are evaluating how good the price you are offered is.

 

[diversteve]

Titan LX is s good regulator. That's one thing you may want to see if they'll either pay to have it serviced or allow you to take it and have it inspected before purchase. That's probably the only thing - even if you can breathe on it - that you can't properly evaluate dry. It may work perfectly well on the surface but not at depth where you really want it to.

On the flipside, Titan's have been around for a long time and are pretty bulletproof. And easily serviced anywhere in the world, Aqualung or ScubaPro are most likely the leaders in rental gear so parts are generally easy to find.

If you buy it though as the second buyer any Aqualung warranty left is now void. And you can't register it for warranty/recall notifications. However with Aqualung that almost never happens either. And your Aqualung dealer would know also since you'd likely be paying them for annual service.

If you go look at the Libra, the first thing I'd do on arrival is blow it up as full as you can and leave it sit while checking for leaks. If the bladder gets noticeably softer during that time - likely something is. It could just be a pull-dump so it's not a reason to not buy it but very occasionally there can be damage to the bladder itself - sometimes they crack/delaminate on the seams - so that's an expensive fix. Typically you find that with gear that has been used for some years. Or stored improperly. Sometimes if improperly rinsed salt water can get inside, harden, crystallize and cut it slightly also.