USED gear for recreational diver: YES or NO

[TSandM]

Air integration is somewhat difficult to manage, if you are going to rent regulators, because they have to install your transmitter or your HP hose on their regs. You don't need it -- it's perfectly reasonable simply to check your gauge at regular intervals.

When I said "constraints", I meant that you don't dive very much or very often and make your trips primarily for another purpose. In the grand scheme of what your travel costs, I'm sure the rental fees for a BC and regulator are not going to be a major issue. (It's different if you are doing a ten day dive trip and have to pay rental every day!) You don't want to carry very much, either. So it all adds up to renting the heavy and bulky stuff, and owning what has to fit (or, in the case of a computer, what you really need to know how to use, and want to keep for your own records).

 

[halocline]

But in life we all have our priorities and I guess that now diving is not as high on my list as it used to be. I had my share of rugged life, now I enjoy more to just lay back and enjoy the pretty girls...

Just out of curiosity, how does does your girlfriend react to your new priority of 'enjoying the pretty girls' on your trips? Sounds like you might need to forget the dive gear and go for a catcher's mask.

 

[Ascanio1]

Wow...

I am really positively surprised by the support & help which I am receiving! I have posted on other forums and neve received such precise and useful info! Really thanks to all!

In fact by posting here I realized that I was asking the wrong question... your posts were useful to make me realize that it is all adding up to what TsandM basically brought up (even if he expressed it in a nicer way): I am only kidding myself! I am subcontiously using the "renting fees" issue as an excuse to justify buying some toys for my hobby! The space/weight issue IS real, but the gear rental cost isn't.

So, bottom line, since I never had problems with fins and jacket, I'll give those 2 a pass and I'll buy:
1) used second hand Gekko,
2) used 1st&2nd stages (Flight?),
3) New mask (but I'll first need to visit some stores to try them on),
4) Used wetsuit (but again, I'll first need to visit some stores to try them on),

- I have started looking for a Gekko on this forum and I found plenty used w/ new batteries from 120$ and new from 200$. That's one item settled. I might come back to ask for the little software tewak which some of you were mentioning.
- I have started looking also for the Flight 1st&2ndstages but haven't found any of those yet, I'll check Ebay.

BTW, is this "Flight" model good? Has it been around for a while to prove it's worth? Any known issues/problems with it? Any comments? Any user "reviews"?

Again, a HUGE THANKS to everyone helping out! Really appreciated!

Tommaso

 

[Ascanio1]

Just out of curiosity, how does does your girlfriend react to your new priority of 'enjoying the pretty girls' on your trips? Sounds like you might need to forget the dive gear and go for a catcher's mask.

@Halocline...

Well, you see... that's exactly why I need to fly low for a while, and please all of my GF's every single whim...

I've always been "Italian" with girls, but recently I was stupid enough to act "French" (*). The difference being that Italians cheat and don't get caught, French cheat and DO get caught!

Very regrettably I accepted a French friend's invitation to go on a short break with 2 girls from a Paris Agency... but the moron forgot one of the most basic rules: NEVER, EVER hit on girls from your GF's same agency! Naturally, his GF soon found out (Facebook is the worst invention since the chastity belt: a real nightmare for anyone trying to enjoy some peace of mind) and informed my GF too (both russian) and... well you can imagine the rest!

Of course I denied even the evidence on FB but... russians know how to handle Italians & all our romantic BS... In short, now I have to tread on glass for a while! That's why I had to cancel my Truk Lagoon dive trip! Sorry for the OT... I hope it explains my "no travelling alone on dive trips" constraints.

Smiles, Tommaso

(*): PS, I do not want to start a Italian VS French flame here on this forum so I apologise right now if my words upset any French dive friends!

 

[Tortuga68]

your posts were useful to make me realize that it is all adding up to what TsandM basically brought up (even if he expressed it in a nicer way)

"She"

BTW, is this "Flight" model good? Has it been around for a while to prove it's worth? Any known issues/problems with it? Any comments? Any user "reviews"?

Apeks make very good regs. The Flight is primarily designed to be a lightweight travel reg, as such it's breathing & cold water performance are not as good as some other Apeks regs, but for the type of diving you're doing they will be fine. There are some other factors such as the proprietary hose, if you search scubaboard you'll find some review/comment threads

 

[Ascanio1]

@TsandM:
Uhps, sorry. But thank you anyway.

@Tortuga68
I read through some posts about proprietary hose... the only thing that I seem to understand is that these Apecks Flight have their own hoses. I think both HP&LP. Basically they come with a whole specific very light octopus set up (which is convenient). Is this what you meant? Or there was something else that I should have looked up? Again, thanks, I appreciate your time!

Tommaso

 

[Tortuga68]

The Flight 2nd stages have a "no-tool" fitting ie you can remove the hose with your hands... the Flight LP hose has a matching fitting on that end. So, you must use a genuine Flight LP hose on your Flight second stages. All the other hose fittings (LP at 1st stage end, HP, LPI) are standard threaded fittings

Some people don't like this because 1. the hose costs more 2. if you burst a hose (very rare) you need an Apeks replacement 3. the hoses only come in one standard length. Of course you can carry a spare hose with you to address #2... and/or, you can use a non-Flight second stage like a Mikron (also very small/light but with a standard hose fitting)

 

[Underground]

Titanium regs, computer, fins, booties, mask, some sort of lightweight harness and wing or vest. You could do it easily, you really don't *need* that much to do some straightforward OW dives. You could always decide to rent part of it there also. For instance, just take your computer and regs then rent the rest.

I usually just dive swim trunks if it's somewhere at least 75ish or so also.

 

[Colliam7]

travel ONLY for holiday and relax with my GF, who doesn't dive, doesn't enjoy waiting on the boat or beach, doesn't have an easy character...

I think most of us can / will read between those lines, and not touch that one.

For me diving is a very secondary activity which I indulge in, during my holidays, IF & WHEN, I have the occasion. I DO NOT plan it. Only once I wanted to go to Truk Lagoon in the Pacific but I didn't find any buddies to go with.

Given this background, I would not invest in gear to any great extent. Why bother to even take gear with you in that case, when, as you mentioned, 'renting the equipment locally more than satisfies my needs.'? You might save a bit on rental fees but probably not enough to make the inconvenience of traveling with gear worthwhile. While a dive compueter is a good suggestion from a weight and 'packability' perspective, given the amount you dive, I wonder if that is a useful investment. What makes it more reasonable as a purchase is that it is also be a piece of gear that either cannot be rented in many places, OR is not part of a usual 'rental package' (i.e. BCD, reg, weights) and you have to pay an additional fee to use one.

. . .my GF carries her whole wardrobe with her and manages to return home with even more stuff! I'm sure that some of you can understand me...

All too well. Your description paints a clear picture.

 

[halocline]

I usually just dive swim trunks if it's somewhere at least 75ish or so also.

That's pretty unusual; most people would freeze in trunks at 75F.