Please help - need advice on buying gear!

[SeaLawyer]

Greetings all!

New to diving. Got my PADI Open Water 3 years ago, but job change, baby, etc., kept me from getting into the sport more. Been diving once since, while on business in USVI this past March. I've now been given the green-light by my wife to go hog-wild on buying gear, so I need some advice.

I'm in Jacksonville, FL, so I'll be diving around here, both offshore and springs diving. Going tomorrow to Devil's Den & Blue Grotto. Also planning on a trip (probably Caymens) during the week of the Superbowl. Plan to get my Advanced Open water, and then Cave & Wreck quals. Not really interested in Rescue or Master at this point. Can see myself diving 20-30 times per year.

Assuming money is no object (which is mostly true), what do you recommend for total outfitting of gear? Please be specific (brand/model #/etc.). Extremely disatisfied with the rental gear on the 3 dives I've logged, except one BC I had did have integrated weights which I found to be much more comfortable than the belt. Dive shop on base carries Mares and Henderson gear for great prices, but not married to any one particular brand. I just want the best. Okay maybe not the Maclaren F1, but I'll "settle" for the Porsche GT2...

Your input and feedback is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Vaughn

 

[Henryville]

Greetings all!

New to diving. Got my PADI Open Water 3 years ago, but job change, baby, etc., kept me from getting into the sport more. Been diving once since, while on business in USVI this past March. I've now been given the green-light by my wife to go hog-wild on buying gear, so I need some advice.

I'm in Jacksonville, FL, so I'll be diving around here, both offshore and springs diving. Going tomorrow to Devil's Den & Blue Grotto. Also planning on a trip (probably Caymens) during the week of the Superbowl. Plan to get my Advanced Open water, and then Cave & Wreck quals. Not really interested in Rescue or Master at this point. Can see myself diving 20-30 times per year.

Assuming money is no object (which is mostly true), what do you recommend for total outfitting of gear? Please be specific (brand/model #/etc.). Extremely disatisfied with the rental gear on the 3 dives I've logged, except one BC I had did have integrated weights which I found to be much more comfortable than the belt. Dive shop on base carries Mares and Henderson gear for great prices, but not married to any one particular brand. I just want the best. Okay maybe not the Maclaren F1, but I'll "settle" for the Porsche GT2...

Your input and feedback is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Vaughn

My .02:

Buoyancy - Halcyon Eclipse wing and backplate with harness. Simple, high quality, adjustable and streamlined in the water
Regs - Apeks DS4/TX 50 or Scubapro Mk25/S600 Tried and true, great breathers, widely serviceable
Computer - Suunto Vyper wrist mount Nitrox capable, downloadable, widely used if a bit conservative
Pressure gauge - Sherwood plated brass spg or equivalent. low tech, reliable

For the rest of the gear it doesn't really matter unless you are getting a dry suit. Make sure you try the mask though since different ones seem to fit different faces. I also happen to like spring straps on my fins for easy on/off.

Kiss your wife and slap down that plastic!

 

[mustfajohnson]

I picked a SeaCure mouth piece for my regulator. That was the best purchase I've made in a while. Well except for my new truck!

 

[SeaLawyer]

Thanks for the reply!

Buoyancy - Halcyon Eclipse wing and backplate with harness. Simple, high quality, adjustable and streamlined in the water

Forgive what I'm sure is a stupid question, but how do I know whether I need the 30 or 40lb version?

Regs - Apeks DS4/TX 50 or Scubapro Mk25/S600 Tried and true, great breathers, widely serviceable

So the Titanium version of the Mk25/S600 isn't worth the extra dough? Couldn't find much info on that particluar Apeks setup. What about the TX100?

Computer - Suunto Vyper wrist mount Nitrox capable, downloadable, widely used if a bit conservative
Pressure gauge - Sherwood plated brass spg or equivalent. low tech, reliable

What do you mean by a bit conservative? Is the general consensus on pressure guages to avoid the computer-remote-type units? Any thoughts on the Vytec or Stinger?

For the rest of the gear it doesn't really matter unless you are getting a dry suit. Make sure you try the mask though since different ones seem to fit different faces. I also happen to like spring straps on my fins for easy on/off.

I was remiss in my first post - I actually already have fins/snorkel/mask. Got them at the dive shop in Puerto Rico when I started the OW course. Scubapro Frameless mask which I LOVE! Scubapro Twin Jet Fins which I ALSO LOVE (adjustable - I too like the straps)!

I'm not tied to a particular brand, but I am impressed with my Scubapro stuff. Also, I've looked at the Henderson Hyperstretch Aqua Suede 3mm suit, tried it on, and it's quite comfortable. Don't know if the Gold Core is better. Any thoughts on wetsuits? I don't know if I'll need thicker than 3mm in Florida, but perhaps...

Kiss your wife and slap down that plastic!

Kissed... Looking forward to slapping! (the plastic, not the wife...)

 

[SeaLawyer]

I picked a SeaCure mouth piece for my regulator. That was the best purchase I've made in a while. Well except for my new truck!

Good gouge! For $35, how can you go wrong?

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Titanium regs are, IMHO, not worth the premium and raise issue with nitrox compatibility particularly for some of the high O2 mixes you are likely to encounter in deco diving associated with wreck and/or cave diving.

 

[Henryville]

More than likely, you would want the 30 lb wing. It will be plenty of lift as long as you get yourself squared away with proper weighting. The difference would be, how much lift "might" you need in the event of some disaster. You don't want to drop weights at depth in most cases because then you will have an uncontrolled ascent. If you were diving with a drysuit, you might be carrying extra weight that could need to be lifted if the suit flooded. I have a 40# wing, I'm 6'1" and 175, it's more lift than I need. If you talked to Extreme Exposure in High Springs they will set you straight on sizing, I think with the bigger wing you sacrifice some streamlining.

I think Drew is spot on above about titanium being a gimmick. It will also burn in high oxygen concentrations so you couldn't use it for a deco reg. if you later went to deco diving. Most important, it's extra money for no tangible benefit (and in fact maybe drawbacks.) The TX100 is a great reg too, I dive with double tanks and it doesn't allow as nice a hose routing as the Scubapro (the end port is nice for this but not much use for single tanks) or the DS4.

All of the Suunto computers you mention are fine, although the Stinger might be a little harder to read given display size (otoh, it makes a stylin' watch.) They all use the same algorithm, which I have found gives me longer decompression times than a computer program that I and many people use called V-Planner. My main point would be to stay away from the air integrated computers, it's a personal preference based on trying to reduce complexity and generally rely on lower tech, more failure-proof solutions. A simple (but high quality) brass pressure gauge is next to bullet proof. They are all made by the same company in Italy, think before paying extra for a ritzier logo cause it's the same gauge. Lots of people spend lots of money on computers with a hell of a lot of features that don't get used, I'd rather get something good but not highly expensive, take the difference and spend it on more diving.

If this really is a one-time do anything you want offer, you might consider an 18W HID canister light, but at $1,000+ that might be pushing it Maybe a nice digital camera with an underwater housing?

I don't have enough experience with the wetsuits to give you brand advice. I often dive a 5mm suit which has been great for the Pacific or summer in the North Atlantic, but could be overkill for Florida. Probably not if you dive any of the springs but someone local could steer you right.

Last point, on the fin straps I think we are talking about something different. Spring straps replace the rubber with a metal spring. There is no adjustment other than the spring itself stretching. I should have mentioned that I use Seasoft Stealth booties which are comfortable to walk around in but kind of bulky so you would have to watch which fins you used. The Twin Jets would probably fit.

If you wanted to read more, here is a link that goes into much of this:

http://www.gue.com/equipment/equip-anatomy.shtml

Have fun, and go wear the stuff out!

 

[SeaJay]

Congratulations on "getting the bug."

Gear: Don't. Yes, I'm serious.

Put the credit card down and back away from it.

Imagine for a moment that you're a new driver - you just got your license. Should you go out and buy a brand new car? Sure, you can pick which one looks prettiest to you, and you can even go online and ask other people what they have and what they like to drive... But the bottom line is that some guys are truck guys, some are sports car guys, and some are family people - and each wouldn't be caught dead driving the other's choice of automobiles.

Here's what I would tell someone who's just gotten their license: Go drive some cars. Borrow mom and dad's, borrow your buddy's, and rent a car here and there. Find out what you like, what you don't like, and what will really serve you over the next five years' worth of car payments. Consider that trucks haul and tend to be rugged. Consider that sports cars are a blast to drive. Consider that you can take all of your friends out on a Friday night if you get a van or SUV. Let yourself get attracted, and then make a decision.

In fact, don't even think about buying a car unless you've been behind the wheel at least 100 times - driving just once every day, that's what - three months? Wait three months before picking - you simply don't have enough information to form an opinion about anything until you've put 1000 miles on an odometer somewhere.

Scuba gear is no different - go dive 100 dives, and then make a decision. If that means that you won't be making a decision for the next three years (based on 33 dives a year), then that's a big hint that you won't be diving enough to warrant purchasing anyway. Owning gear is a pain - it has to be cleaned after every dive, maintained ($150 procedure at least) at least annually, and of course, you have to carry it with you on every dive trip you take - which usually ends up making the trunk of your car smell... Well... Let's not go into that.

It's much easier to arrive at the site, put on someone else's gear, and go diving. No worries, no mess - and you don't have to worry about whether or not it's going to work - they maintain their own stuff.

It's kinda like getting a driver's license, and 20-30 times a year you simply ask for a car, truck, or whatever you feel like at the time, and it's given to you.

The cost is usually around $35 for the whole day - no worries, no mess.

The only time I would recommend buying is when you completely fall in love with a certain piece of gear that you simply can't do without... A certain regulator, gauge, BC, or whatever. Kinda like finding out that you simply won't drive anything but a Ferrari - and so it's justified to buy one.

Now, here's what you should do with all the money you didn't spend:

1. Send 10% to me. This is your "good advice" charge.
2. Take all of the rest and go diving. A lot. Consider it "research" for finding out what you like and don't like.

Side recommendation: Call Extreme Exposure in High Springs, Florida. Tell Doug that SeaJay sent you for advice. Ask him to rent you some stuff to try in Ginnie Springs.

Good luck.

 

[CAPX28]

If you are looking for a wet suit, you might want to check out BARE wetsuits.

I just got the Arctic sgs ( similar to hendersen hyperstretch) and i LOVE it. Great fit lots of sizes to choose from and when i first tried it I didnt even realize i was wet ( Honestly. The glide skin seems to seal everywhere. No leaking down the neck to your back and it has internal flip seals in forarms and calves also. Flexable warm and seemingly dry. Check it out. https://www.divetank.com/gear/listproducts.php?categoryid=36


On the other hand if you go dry I havnt the slightest clue.

 

[wedivebc]

Congratulations on "getting the bug."

Gear: Don't. Yes, I'm serious.

Put the credit card down and back away from it.
......

Good luck.

Believe it or not I actually think this is a wise approach. Maybe that's why I no longer own a dive store.
But seriously I bought several sets of dive gear before I found the 'right' dive gear for my needs.