tips on buying gear

[Swordfish]

Hi folks. I'm Norman from Manila. I work for a newspaper and I'm doing an article on buying (the best) dive equipment. I have my own views about going through the process of buying gear but I would like to hear from you, both the professionals and nonprofessionals. Now for my specific questions:

1. How does one go about the process of buying dive equipment?
2. What mistakes do I need to avoid?
3. What do I need to buy and when do I buy it?
4. What do I need to look for in a mask/snorkel/fins/wetsuit/regulator/BC/computer, etc.
5. What do you think are the advantages of buying your own gear?

Please feel free to offer some tips. You don't have to answer the questions line by line. If you want, you may swear by your favorite brand and type (back-inflated vs. jacket style BC, split vs. ordinary fins, etc. [you know the debates are endless]. You may also talk about a particular topic (still about gear) that you feel strongly about.

My deadline is on Monday, Aug. 25 which means that I have only until Sunday to finish the article. I would appreciate it if you could respond fast (am I too demanding). Thanks a lot!

By the way, please indicate your full name (although you may choose to remain unidentified), job and certification level (so that my story won't look like I just invented it) =B)

Thanks a lot.


Regards,
Norman/Swordfish
BusinessWorld

 

[Scottri]

My gear buying recommendations are:

Buy your mask first. Mask fit is very important. Try on as many as you can to find the one that fits your face. Brand is not important. The one that fits is the best one regardless of features and what others say.

Fins: Try different styles in the water before you buy. Some people prefer split fins some prefer blades. It's an individual choice. Some peoples kicking style is better suited to split fins, some to blades. Pay attention to how your hips, knees and ankles feel when trying the fins.

Snorkel: Don't spend a lot of time and money shopping for a snorkel unless you plan on doing a lot of snorkeling. Most scuba divers don't use them very often. Don't get caught up in all of the gimicks of snorkel design. They all work the same way and there is no such thing as a truly "dry" snorkel.

Exposure protection: Ask around what is used in the area where you plan to do most of your diving. When you go to purchase a suit buy the best you can afford. Fit is very important. If it doesn't fit it won't do it's job properly. A good quality, well fitting suit will last a long time if taken care of properly.

BC and Regulator: I don't usually recommend buy these until you have tried many different brands and styles. Some people like vest style bc's some like back inflate. Some like weight integrated some don't. Don't let other peoples opinion influence your choice. Try them all and decide what is best for you. Buy the best reg you can afford but don't feel like you have to spend a fortune. There is a difference between low end and high end regs. Try them on a deep dive and you will see what I'm talking about. Gauges vs computers. Buy the computer you won't regret it. Most dive operations will give you longer bottom times with computers. This does not mean that you can forget the tables. Learn them and always know where you are in relation to the tables even if you are diving a computer. Computers have tons of features. Don't get caught up in the hype. Find one that is easy for you to use and read. Buy one that is Nitrox compatible. You won't regret it.

Sorry for the long post. The list above is the order in which I would purchase my gear.

My name is Scott Richardson. My certification level is Divemaster.
Scott

 

[MechDiver]

Swordfish once bubbled...

I work for a newspaper and I'm doing an article on buying (the best) dive equipment

There is no such thing as "the best" dive equipment. You purchase equipment to give you the optimal use and value for the diving you are doing. If that diving changes, the equipment you have may be worse than useless.

You also don't optimize equipment for use on land.
Price is the last requirement that should be looked at.

 

[jtivat]

There are in my opinion many reasons too own your gear the first and most important would be that you can take care of it and make sure it is serviced properly. The gear will fit perfectly or should when renting it my be hard to find proper fitting gear. The gear will be in your possession and you will be more likly to dive than if you had to go rent it. Which in return will make you a better diver as practice is the only way to do that. It will also make sure you are using the right gear for your conditions. Note this will only be the case if you fallow Scottri's advice above which was very good.

Jeff Timmerman
Padi, AOW, Nitrox, Rescue

 

[large_diver]

Buying gear just before, during or just after certification is not a great idea, in my opinion. As a brand new diver, you will not have enough experience to make informed purchase decisions. Relying on the advice of a dive shop salesperson is OK, but only if you are getting objective advice (not likely from a salesperson). You would not rely on a car salesperson to pick your car for you, so be wary of doing this with a dive shop employee.

Some suggestions:

(1) Rent your gear for 20 dives or so -- this will let you try different brands/models. I ruled out several mfrs./types of gear after trying them underwater.

(2) Find an experienced diver that you trust to help you in your decisions. This diver should be someone who understands the type of diving you do/plan to do (location, water temps, tech vs rec, etc.) and how these variables affect gear pruchase decisions

 

[Swordfish]

Thanks to all those who replied.

The article will be availabe online on Aug. 29 (only) at http://www.bworld.net under the Arts and Leisure section. Feel free to drop by. =B)

Thanks again.

Regards,
Norman/Swordfish