The cost of incremental improvement

[1982shawn]

Even as a new diver i share in your conflict. Shortly after i took the OW course i started buying my own gear, with little knowledge of what was good or what i would really like. MY fins are the #1 thing id like to change. I bought them not knowing i would need hard sole boots since the quarry is very rocky and booties provided no protection. Now my fins are much to tight when i don the hard sole boots. I am bearing with them till i buy a dry suit(since the fins ive seen used with drysuits have HUGE foot wells).

Also i purchased used regulators, didnt go for anything fancy just wanted something so i wouldnt have to rent all the time. During my rescue diver course i did an OOA emergency and breathed from my partners VERY nice regulator and couldnt believe how SMOOTH it was. It made my regulator feel like i was breathign from a used tire. SO now i drool over the Legend LUX, which i really hope to upgrade before my trip in 4 weeks.

 

[SangP]

Even as a new diver i share in your conflict. Shortly after i took the OW course i started buying my own gear, with little knowledge of what was good or what i would really like. MY fins are the #1 thing id like to change. I bought them not knowing i would need hard sole boots since the quarry is very rocky and booties provided no protection. Now my fins are much to tight when i don the hard sole boots. I am bearing with them till i buy a dry suit(since the fins ive seen used with drysuits have HUGE foot wells).

Also i purchased used regulators, didnt go for anything fancy just wanted something so i wouldnt have to rent all the time. During my rescue diver course i did an OOA emergency and breathed from my partners VERY nice regulator and couldnt believe how SMOOTH it was. It made my regulator feel like i was breathign from a used tire. SO now i drool over the Legend LUX, which i really hope to upgrade before my trip in 4 weeks.

Do it right the first them and you won't have to keep swapping out gear often also realize that you'll never be able to keep up with the curve so it's best to research well before hand and whatever u do stop drooling at someone else's gear lol.

1982shawn, u stay away from my 6 legends lx k lol!

There are a lot of really proven gear that'll do more then fine and last as long as the diver can dive lol!

1. Diverite/Oxycheq/DSS/Halcyon bp/w few other gear work as well or last as long. Even the transpac comes in second.
2. Jet fins... what else?
3. Depth gauge, we don't need no stinking cpu.
4. Scubapro frameless mask.
5. Apeks DS4/XTX50

 

[Kharon]

I seriously lust for the new Cetatek Warp1 fins. At $225 I just can't afford them. My Aeris Velocity X3's work fine for now, though they are heavy and the Warp1's are far lighter and the new structure seems like it would allow me to dive farther into old age without the leg cramping I sometimes experience.

 

[Superlyte27]

Can't wait to try the term "discretionary stupid money" on my wife......instead of the currently used tactic of whining until she yells at me to buy what I want.

That works for your too?
That's my tactic.

 

[Akimbo]

That works for your too?
That's my tactic.

Unfortunately, it works for her too and I have a much lower threshold of pain.

 

[Kharon]

...
2. Jet fins... what else?
I'll take Aeris Velocity X3's even at my age (66). I have yet to find a condition in which they aren't superb. They beat the P!$$ out of the free diving fins (Free Frogs) I have and pounded the current in the West River. The reason I'm wondering about the Warp1's is weight for travel. The X3's are heavy in luggage. Also, If they provide more kick for the effort ... After all I'm no spring chicken - any advantage I can get.

3. Depth gauge, we don't need no stinking cpu.
Yep, can do - BUT I love my brick (Mares Icon) it tells me stuff I didn't know even during the dive. Amazing the stuff you don't notice. Also, tables SUCK - too much dive time penalty unless you're diving a totally square profile.

4. Scubapro frameless mask.
Nope (and I'm sure that I'm in the minority). I wear a huge square frame mask because I can attach a wire frame and attach glasses and a Tachyon camera

---------- Post Merged at 08:31 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:18 AM ----------

...Also i purchased used regulators, didnt go for anything fancy just wanted something so i wouldnt have to rent all the time. During my rescue diver course i did an OOA emergency and breathed from my partners VERY nice regulator and couldnt believe how SMOOTH it was. It made my regulator feel like i was breathign from a used tire. SO now i drool over the Legend LUX, which i really hope to upgrade before my trip in 4 weeks.

For my OW course I bought an inexpensive Cressi reg (1st & 2nd stage). I don't miss a much more expensive reg because I find the Cressi breathes more easily than my snorkle. I've used it under every condition I expect to encounter - water way colder than I ever wanted to dive in, deeper than I wanted, etc. - it worked fine. I'm sure if I tried a top of the line reg set I would lust for an upgrade. As long as I don't know better I don't have to spend the money.