What are good prices for a newbie?

[TravisT]

I am going back to the LDS today with my brother, we're going to look at some of his equipment that isn't for 'pro's' but isn't for entry level either as we hope to be diving on a regular basis after our OW certification. I have a feeling that maybe we just didn't give it enough time. I think he was getting ready to close his store, and we were there wanting to look at everything he had.

Hopefully today I'll be able to find something a little more in my price range as I know what to be looking for on the basic equipment (Mask, fin, snorkel). Most people say 'I have a $30 mask', the ones he had us looking at were around the $120 range. So i'm gonna go back and check things out a little more closely.

Again, thanks for all the tips!

 

[krick]

I am going back to the LDS today with my brother, we're going to look at some of his equipment that isn't for 'pro's' but isn't for entry level either as we hope to be diving on a regular basis after our OW certification. I have a feeling that maybe we just didn't give it enough time. I think he was getting ready to close his store, and we were there wanting to look at everything he had.

Hopefully today I'll be able to find something a little more in my price range as I know what to be looking for on the basic equipment (Mask, fin, snorkel). Most people say 'I have a $30 mask', the ones he had us looking at were around the $120 range. So i'm gonna go back and check things out a little more closely.

My guess is that with careful spending both in stores and online and the occasional bargain, you should be able to get a full set of NEW gear for between $1500 and $2000. This is assuming middle-of-the-line equipment. If you go with lower end on the more expensive items (reg, BC, and computer) and throw in a few used items like fins or your wetsuit, you might be able to get away for a few hundred lower. Unfortunately, this is an expensive sport. On the bright side, if you buy good stuff, take care of it, and have everything properly serviced, you shouldn't have to buy anything again for a long time.

 

[Orlando Eric]

Here is what others know that I finally got in my late twenties. It is better to rent for now and save to buy the higher end stuff later.

Facts - a $175.00 regulator will cost you $175.00 now and then resale for less than $80.00 later if you can unload it at all. For another $175.00 you could have bought a rg for $350.00 which is the difference between a chevy citation and a Corvette.

The high end stuff will last you F O R E V E R or at least what seems like forever.

I got a set of regs that included a BRUT reg but I only use it for 15' - 20' shore dives here as that keeps the better stuff out of the sand. I got the hole like new rig for under $100.00 including compass, depth, SPG and octo. I had it serviced for $60.00 (just in case) and do you think the previous owner was happy selling it to a pawn shop that resold it to me for under $100.00 and the pawnbroker was happy to sell it to me for that price?

When I was a 16 yro kid I had a Mustang Grande 71'. I could not afford the new tires so I bought used ones for around 15 - 20 dollars each. Every little piece of glass on the road would give me a flat and the rain would not clear since there was no depth in the tread. Finally I figured out that the four tires (blown) in my trunk added up to $80.00 that I could have bought a NEW/ GOOD tire with. I put four new tires on it and never spent money on tire repairs for the rest of the time I had the car.

Rent the gear and Save. It is harder to buy cheap now and then get better stuff later.

Eric