Question for Instructors/LDS Staff and Owners

[Flfiremedic]

Does you or your shop supply mask, fins, and snorkels to OW students, or do you require that they purchase or supply them?

 

[talonraid]

The LDS where I work in Texas requires the student to provide their own mask, fins, snorkel and booties.

 

[ianw2]

This is considered the core "personal" gear. I don't recall ever seeing a dive ship that supplied mask, fins, snorkel, boots or gloves to OW students.

Newer divers who are not adept at equalizing ear often come up with a tinge of blood in their masks. I certainly wouldn't want to put that mask on my face later.

I don't like the idea of putting a regulator that has been in an unknown someone else's mouth in my mouth, either.

 

[WVMike]

It is common practice around here for students to buy mask, fins, snorkle and boots.

 

[SteveAD]

One of the biggest reasons a large percentage of OW students drop out of diving is because renting tanks, bc's, and regs is a pita. Any student who doesn't own even mask, snorkle, and fins is almost guaranteed to never dive.

 

[ReefHound]

Our shop requires students to purchase their own "personal" gear. We don't even have masks, fins, or snorkels available to rent. Most instructors and DMs bring spares to class but these are intended to deal with contingencies (something got left at home, lost in the lake, broken, etc.) so we can get everyone through the class, not so a student can forgo buying their own set. If there are extenuating circumstances (i.e. you special ordered something that hasn't arrived) we will scrounge up the gear. It's usually easy to tell those with special situations from those just trying to be cheap.

 

[ericjespersen]

My LDS supplied everything. I think it helped decide what I was more comfortable in.

 

[Scubadoo72]

My LDS/instructor supplied everything until the open water cert. dives at which point you had purchased your gear, or rented from them. This gave us the opportunity to try different masks and fins to find what we liked before purchasing. Some people had their own gear by the end (me) and some just rented. I am also the only one that dives regularly from my class.

 

[Yarbrough]

Our shop will supply, but strongly suggests purchasing their own personal gear. We are very accepting of students who buy a mask and then decide during the class that they do not like it, it just adds to our rental stock. All too often, rentals get destroyed and as was mentioned earlier, a little bit of bodily fluid is not something I want to risk.... I'll continue wearing my own mask and using my own snorkel and reg.

 

[ErikH]

My 'LDS' is a university diveclub (without a shop). All students are welcome to join. For € 70 (~100$) a year we supply everything without extra costs, including air. Both for courses (from OW to DM) and fundives. We are only limited by the amount of regulators, 10 at this moment. This makes it possible to learn and keep diving for only the extra cost of getting to a divesite. We do encourage people to but their own gear, but only for comfort.

Most of our divers will buy their own equipment when they become 'addicted'. But as long as they are not sure if they really want to go on with the sport, they don't have to invest. On average we see AOW-students buying their own mask and neoprene, and by the time they start a rescuecourse they own pretty much everything.