What did you buy but eventually replaced?

[Bob DBF]

$65 snorkle? I've got three good snorkles around here and I don't think I paid $65 for all of them, may be I should sell gear instead of buying it.

Over the years I've been diving I have replaced everything at least once, although I still have and dive all my old regs. I'd say there are way to many gear choices now and divers are being sold gear instead of competence to improve their diving.

I tell new divers to watch what the seasoned good divers in their area use and that gear is probably a good bet. In addition, any good diver can dive any gear they can get their hands on, have fun, and make it look good. Don't let a sales pitch decide what you buy, don't spend top dollar, function over form, don't buy what you don't need and quit whining, everybody makes mistakes, I have a spare air.


Bob
------------------------------------
It is necessary for us to learn from others' mistakes. You will not live long enough to make them all yourself.
Hyman G. Rickover

 

[spectrum]

I have to say that I got at least a few years and 200+ dives out of all the first pass gear. Eventually some items got replaced as needed or as my focus changed a little. Some of it is still in service and very little has been cast aside while still in perfectly good condition. I attribute this to 6+ months as a Scubaboard junkie before starting OW class and critical thinking. Back then, I think there was less hyperbole and dogma. Also, I'm pretty good at resisting fads and need a good reason to part with my cash.

I will say that if I had switchd to a BP&W sooner my hair may have returned and I could still have my wisdom teeth. Live and learn.

Pete

 

[fjpatrum]

Honestly, the only things I've replaced have been my jacket BC (with a backplate/wing) and my computer because I couldn't find a way to download the data off it without spending more than the computer was worth to build my own cable. (I still have and occasionally use the old one.)

I've bought almost all my gear used and have only lost one z cutter. I've added gear but I've been completely satisfied with everything I bought except the jacket BC. I was fine with jackets in a pool but in deeper water they just don't fit me well.

Like a few others here, I'm not much of a trend follower. I researched my regs before I bought them (and it's actually how I found Scubaboard) and I tried all the gear before I purchased it. I've bought additional gear, but not because I didn't like what I bought the first time (except the BC... that just wasn't comfortable, though I had tried jackets in pools and thought they'd be fine.)

 

[Ulfhedinn]

I went from my backinflate to a BP/W. I changed out my regs and hoses. Went from a big to a little knife.

 

[Ozwald]

Sounds awfully familiar.....

In a word? Everything. Jacket BC led to BP/W. Yoke reg set turned into a dozen sets of DIN regs. AL tanks turned to LP steels turned to HP steels and then ended up with AL tanks again (because I got rid of the originals) when I needed stage bottles.

Computers and lights are probably the most often replaced for me. Started with a nitrox computer, needed a multi-gas computer - got one, started diving trimix, needed a new computer. Began diving pushing it further, needed a second trimix computer...

Had the cheap hand cannon, bought all sorts of lights thinking it would be what I needed before I finally bought the canister light.

Advice - buy the gear for the type of diving you think you're going to want to do (and then buy for one or two levels beyond that just to be safe). I probably spent 2-3x what I needed to in all buying crap and gadgets and then replacing it with what I really needed all along.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Over the years I have upgraded gear and added gear for new dive conditions. I have never quit using a piece of gear until it wears out. The oldest stuff becomes my "pool gear" for teaching and training. Wet suits lose insulation efficiency with time, and they need to be replaced after 150 dives or so, in my opinion. I have upgraded computers as technology has improved, but my last purchase was of a very up to date but simple computer. And big read outs for my tired eyes. I like simple. Now as to the gear I bought that I found was surplus:
1.) Really big pistol grip dive light. Smaller LEDs are bright enough.
2.) Big dive knife. I like the bc mounted 3 or 4 inch knives, and have on each bcd.
3.) Glitzy snorkel. I like a plain snorkel with a flex tube near the month. If it cost more than $25, it was not for me.
4.) O2 analyzer. When I got nitrox certified years ago, I thought I'd need this. It cost several hundred dollars. I didn't need it. Every nitrox vender I have used, on a boat or dive shop or elsewhere, has had one. You only need one if you mix your own.
5.) Mask strap mounted light. I never could get it to point where I wanted.
6.) Brightly colored stuff. I started out as a lime green guy, but have evolved into a grey and black guy.
7.) Custom ground prescription mask. I have found the pop-ins are more than adequate, and sever hundred dollars less per mask.
I have a lot of equipment- I can outfit 4 people head to toe with everything they need for a recreational dive, all up to date as far as maintenance and all working well. But items 1-7 I could have done without.
DivemasterDennis

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

O'Neill 7 mm wetsuit ... replaced it with a Diving Concepts drysuit ... which got replaced with a Northern Diver drysuit ... which got replaced with a DUI TLS350 drysuit ... which got replaced with a White's Fusion Drysuit ... which got replaced with a Santi eSpace drysuit ... I'm now looking at a new Bare design that's made out of really stretchy 1.5 mm neoprene.

TUSA Imprex Pro BCD ... replaced it with a ScubaPro SuperHawk BCD ... which got replaced with a Dive Rite TransPlate ... which got replaced with an Oxycheck BP/W ... which got replaced with a DSS BP/W ... which I still use when I'm not diving my Dive Rite Nomad sidemount rig

TUSA RS-135 regulator ... replaced it with a Dive Rite RS2500 reg ... which got replaced with an Apeks ATX100 reg ... which got replaced with a ScubaPro MK25/SP600 reg ... which I still dive when I'm not diving my HOG regs.

Apollo Bio-Fins ... replaced them with a set of Turtle fins ... which got replaced with Jet fins ... which got replaced with OMS Slipstream fins ... which got replaced with Hollis F1 fins

I've been through an assortment of computers ... two different Suunto models, two Oceanics, a Uwatec, a Dive Rite, a Cochran, and currently a Liquivision X1.

Lots of other stuff ... frankly I don't currently own anything that I started with ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Scuba_Noob]

Gloves - Got thicker ones, and might replace them because a seal nipped through them.
Snorkel - I like snorkels for surface swims , but I lost my original. Now it's well-attached.
Light - Bought a cheap halogen lamp, replaced it with a couple of LED lights.
Fins - Decided to get ScubaPro Jet Fins to replace my splits, just for personal preference.
Diffuser for camera - Lost it. Now, I zap strap it to the camera strap.

Might eventually replace my jacket BCD and MAYBE in a long time replace my drysuit.

 

[Hank49]

this is fun....but it does remind me of how much money I've spent...
fins 1 Voit Duckfeet (really) 2. Mares Planas 3 Mares Avanti Quattros 4. Beachat longblades. 5 beachat full foot. 6 Riffe silent hunters 5 Carbon fiber blades (coming)
Mask...man...at least 10. Now I'm using a generic black low volume I found in Hawaii for $30.
snorkels...I can't remember them all.
BCD 1 AquaLung (POS) 2. Seaquest Spectrum 3. Halcyon ss backplate and Pioneer 27 wing 4. Oxycheq wing
Regs Aqualung unbalanced piston.to. ScubaPro MK2. to ScubaPro MK20 to Scubapro MK25 (an assortment of 2nd stages from SP and one Atomic)
wetsuits. I presently have about 6 or 7. four of them are old. I use a Mako 1.5 mm (summer) Spetton 1.5 with high pants and hood (spring and fall) and a Mako 3.5 mm with a hooded 2 mm vest
I'm on my third boat. 5th motor (6 if you count the twins I have now) 1st was a flats boat. 2nd a nice Deep V 22 foot Bradley (made here) 3rd is a 25 skiff which presently has twin 40 hp Yamaha Enduros. ( I would still be with my 2nd boat but the canal where I live now is too shallow to bring it in)
A tolerant wife is a real plus. The smartest thing I did was teach her to dive. I'm not going to list her stuff....haha. ya man...

 

[highflier]

I like threads like these, I have yet to buy scuba gear, I do have Snorkle gear, some of which could be upgraded but not required. I am about to buy scuba gear and hopeful that research and threads like this will allow me to get gear that will last me a long time. I think I have regs figured out. Hog D1 with seconds. 2 sets one for me and one for the wife. I selected these as I can learn to service them myself and save money, By getting the same exact setup there will be lesss learning and parts stock for me. Still undecided on cold version or not. I will be doing all dives in warm water, and most of it in the Florida keys.

BCD's I am struggling with. There is no way I can try anything but a jacket. have not been able to find rentals of anything that I am looking at. Right now the wife likes the Mares Hybrid. I thought it was nice also, but I want to at least see and or try on a Zeagle express tech, and some other BP/W. Even if it is on dry land, at least I can learn about fit, comfort and features that way.

For rec, diving I was going to start with a 2 gauge console and later research and upgrade to a computer, Undecided on watch or console, Which ever it is Definitly AI.

Is there really any need for a light or knife at this stage of the game.

Highflier

PS. Thanks for all the comments, It would be great if ppl could add if they upgraded cause unsatified, vs just time to replace worn outdated stuff.