Scuba - mix or match ?

[TekDiveGirl]

well I don't think I have much that matches...even my 1st and 2nd stages are different brands (DiveRite 1st, Kirby Morgan 2nd) except my fins - both my left and right fin are from ScubaPro -

I would recommend going with the same brand for both your left and right fins - but that's just my opinion

Dang - I think you are getting a little obsessive there making your left and right fin match like that... I bet you are one of those guys that has to have everything color coordinated too. (-;

Kimber

 

[uaflyer]

Does anyone use the airsource? In case people don't know what it is....its an inflations pump and secondary mixed in one. What are your views on this piece of equipment? Is it worth buying so I don't have a secondary hose floating around? Thanks for the help!!

ScubaGir1

Its just a comfort like a flashlight, knife or safety sausage.
I just feel its not a bad idea like more training or having a first aid kit.

Once you have spent over $1,000 on gear, it seems trivial to spend another $135.
Many people spend more than that on Fins, flashlight, watch or a hotel room.

I manually inflate my BCD at least once every dive, just to keep it instictive.., also a comfort.

I still will need a normal secondary for teaching people.

 

[Michael Freeman]

I actually purchased a s600 as my secondary reg and had them put in a yellow hose to assist with identification. Realisticly, except in training classes and a single OOA event of a buddy, I have never used my secondary reg.

Understand that if your buddy gets into an OOA event at depth, you will have to give them your nice easy breathing reg and switch over to this basic reg. If that is fine with you then it does simplify your equipment a little bit. I just prefer to dive with the best equipment I can afford.

 

[Nemrod]

ScubaPro50, I probably come from the same era as you and I definitly remember the time when you were a USD guy or a Voit guy or a Healthways guy etc. Almost all of every divers equipment came from the same brand. I mostly used USD. This was pre 1970, I was a kid and impressionable but most older divers I knew at that time were the same way. My instructor used USD gear and because he was influential upon me I ran down to the dive/hardware store with all my piggybank money and bought USD gear. I also had a Nemrod set, Nemrod regulator, backpack, orange Nemrod tank, knife, the whole set. My USD set was the same way. Every single piece was USD, depth guage, knife, tank, regulator, every bit. This was pre BC era, pre octa era and one of my USD regulators was a double hose Mistral. The only thing that was not USD or Nemrod in my sets was my Voit A66 Viking fins.
In the 70s as USD gear became junky and Voit went away I began buying whatever I liked without regard to brand matching. Now I am partial to Mares, Mares fins, Mares X mask, Mares regulators etc but everything else is a mix.
When I vintage dive I try to stay all USD but my main backup regulator is a Voit MR12 and if I use a BC it is my vintage Dacor Seachute so despite my wish to stay authentic I have failed. Well, I could get in the water 100% USD as long as I go no BC, my last USD horsecollar gave up years ago. It is very diffucult to go modern or vintage and stay in one brand of gear. N

 

[scubapro50]

and I bet you bought some of that dive equipment from either New England Divers, Central Skin Divers or Berry Scuba Supply mailorder .... didn't you ?

 

[Nemrod]

"and I bet you bought some of that dive equipment from either New England Divers, Central Skin Divers or Berry Scuba Supply mailorder .... didn't you ?"

If your asking me then the answer is YES!! Central was were my mower money went.
N

 

[Kestrell]

I have 12 to 15 different brands with me when I dive if I count everything.

As for main gear, I have Atomic, Mares, PST, Zeagle, Aeris, Henderson, and Dacor.

Mix and match is the only way to go now.

 

[Poseidon8118]

IF YOU HAD TO GO WITH JUST ONE BRAND OF EQUIPMENT WHAT WOULD IT BE ?

I personally would go with Scubapro first, and Sherwood second if this were the case, because of regulator and BCD preference. Right now I have a few different gear combinations that include these two companies and USD.


Did some one say Berry Scuba! I still bring my gear to one of the original locations on Cicero Ave in Alsip, IL, now called Scuba Emporium. Dive shop owner Pat Hammer broke his business relationship with Berry a while ago if I can recall.

 

[scubapro50]

I personally would go with Scubapro first, and Sherwood second if this were the case, because of regulator and BCD preference. Right now I have a few different gear combinations that include these two companies and USD.


Did some one say Berry Scuba! I still bring my gear to one of the original locations on Cicero Ave in Alsip, IL, now called Scuba Emporium. Dive shop owner Pat Hammer broke his business relationship with Berry a while ago if I can recall.

Before the internet Berry, New England Divers and Central were the kings of the mail order business. Many dive shops stopped selling Skin Diver Magazine because students would see their ads and purchase equipment thru the mail. You could get a doublehose regulator, 71.2 steel tank and a backpack for $89.00 plus shipping in 1967 ... WOW

 

[DiveMaven]

We recently dove with a couple who were outfitted with ALL Oceanic gear. My husband and I were suitably impressed with either the LDS or manufacturer who convinced them to go that route.