What kind of gear do I really need?

[oldenred]

I am currently getting ready to get my OW cert. I like to plan things out and know what's going on before I jump into things. Especially things that are expensive enough for my wife to divorce me over! jk

After my OW I plan on getting nitrox and advanced OW. I'll be plenty happy with 130' or less and don't see the need to go deeper especially since it's only 130' or so up to 60 miles off our coast.

 

[freewillie]

There are two ways for you to accumulate your gear. Piecemeal getting certain items one at a time in no particular order, the other is a package deal getting everything at once. Be wary of LDS package deals. They generally include some items at a good price but other items are included and are loss leaders. In other words, overpriced items they can't get rid of so they put them in a package.

The minimum is your own mask and fins. I would buy any of the two items based on fit and not worry about brand. For cold water you would generally need your own gloves and booties. Try them on at the same time, especially the booties and fins to make sure they fit each other.

I generally recommend you look at what I refer to a personal fit items first, that would include wetsuit and BC. Especially you find yourself hard to fit with items just off the rack. I'd say wetsuit first since a good fit is essential to keeping you warm. As pointed out earlier you might pass on the wetsuit and opt for a dry suit if most of your diving will be in water 40-50 degrees. At that point rent the wetsuits until you take a dry suit diving class. My LDS rents dry suits so you might then just rent the dry suit and purchase the undergarments which aren't that cheap either.

The most important aspect of a BC is the fit, although most people do well with the simple small, medium, and large unless you have an odd body shape. At that point if you have a hard time with standard rental BC's you might try out a bunch of different types and then buy the one that fits the best. My recommendation is a back inflate BC, they are more comfortable than standard jacket style BC's. The jacket styles are more common rentals and would likely be the one you try first if you rent. Many readers here on Scubaboard swear by the back plate and wings. They are cheaper but you should try multiple different styles before you actually buy.

For me a regulator doesn't have to have a specific fit because you just pop the mouthpiece in your mouth. I've tried a fair number of different brands by renting and to be honest most if not all performed just fine at depths to 100 feet. I've never had a problem breathing of a regulator even down to those depths. For the most part by and large any of the entry level regs will do just fine at recreational depths. I do have a fancy schmancy and very expensive Atomic T3 regulator. I bought it because the titanium is light and I take it for travel, and in large part because I can afford something that expensive. To be honest, the less expensive Z3 breaths just as well and is 1/3 of the cost. It is heavier but is the one we use for my daughter to travel though.

You didn't mention if your package includes a computer. Anything from an entry level wrist or console with SPG to fancy wireless with Air Integration will depend on budget and personal preference.

Or, you can get all of the above all at once. If you are getting your OW certification through an LDS do ask about student discounts and rent to own programs instead of a package. If they are really interested in your business for the long term not just the class I've found most local LDS shops will be willing to give you a discount on all your gear if purchased at once and not just the gear in the package. It won't hurt to ask.

 

[swimmer_spe]

I have inexpensive gear.
Here is my list:
2 steel 120cf tanks
crushed neoprene drysuit
dry gloves
dry suit underwear
2 pair fins
2 snorkels
1 mask
1 farmer john 7mil wetsuit
1 full 3mill wetsuit
bcd
regs

I have more that are "extras".

The total for that list is well over $5k. What is in the package?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I change my mind like I change my t-shirts some times on trying to help people get into the sport.
But anyway, here is my advice *(and it's only internet advice so take it with a grain of salt).

I would just worry about training right now. Get your mask and snorkel, then fins when you figure pout what type you like. Get everything else later.
Rent the rest for now or borrow. Join a dive club or find people to dive with and be social. See what they are using and some of them may befriend you and let you use gear to try out.
You might want to try split fins, then paddle fins etc.
All this is not nearly as complicated as it seems and doesn't need to cost a fortune.
Look at how simple the gear list was years ago and people still dove and had a great time. Of course these days there are a few more gear requirments, but not as much as some dive shops would lead you to believe.
I know you feel vulnerable right now because you don't know much about the sport, but just take your time and don't get taken.
Learn before you buy so you don't have to buy two or three times.

There are some threads here on SB from a while ago about what gear is really needed to start out (and save money). Do a search and look at a few of those threads. They were posted exacly to help out people like you.


Now, let's say my house burned down and I had to start completely over.
What I would get and the way I would approach replacing everything would be entirely different than you getting your gear for the first time, even if you saw exactly what I got, simply because I have been diving for a while and have gotten used to certain equipment and certain ways of diving that the beginner wouldn't necessarily do.
So there is some gear that you will need (for your class) that I no longer use, if that makes sense.
But somebody else replying to this thread may have dove for thirty years and is still using the same stuff they were certified in.
That's what makes advice giving so tough sometimes.

 

[Frosty]

I am currently getting ready to get my OW cert. I like to plan things out and know what's going on before I jump into things. Especially things that are expensive enough for my wife to divorce me over! jk

After my OW I plan on getting nitrox and advanced OW. I'll be plenty happy with 130' or less and don't see the need to go deeper especially since it's only 130' or so up to 60 miles off our coast.

On that basis I stand by my origonal post.
If I were you I'd buy nothing right now
Or at the very most a mask,snorkle,fins and boots.
The good news is they are the cheapest part of your gear to buy and if you decide scuba aint for you then you have all the gear for a lifetime of snorkleing. so the money isn't wasted.
You;ll likey decide on a different mask in time but thats ok. The current one then goes in the kit for a spare. (spare mask is always a good thing.)
The rest of your gear Honestly just hold fire dude. I PROMISE you will not regret it.
I'd invest all my time and effort into becoming a good diver.-Your learning curve right now is incredibly steep. The trouble is you don't know what you don't know.
Just an example from personal experience. I started out diving the second time around and the diving world had changed. So I HAD to have a computer.it had to fit into the standard console. I HATED the darn thing it was just too complicated when I was still rremembering boyancy control and all the other stuff..--So I'd blown $600. Then I decided the way to go was a wrist computer. well yea all well and good but now I'm consulting the wrist and the console to check pressure and depth etc.-pingo--another $600
Finally I had the brains (takes me awhile for stuff to sink in) to dive with a couple of rental rigs and found a rental integrated full console computer and I loved it. So Now I have a sherwood wisdom 3 costing me $800
So I "wasted" $1200 (in fairness thats NZ dollars) on kit.--and thats just ONE part of the gear.

 

[industrious95]

You're not certified yet, so why spend all that money? Maybe you'll find you don't like diving.

Get what you need for the class and rent so you can try different fits & features.

I don't think anyone would have a problem with ScubaPro quality. Depending what you're buying, Scubapro might mot be the best choice, but it's certainly not cheap junk.

 

[lemke]

In 36 years of diving, the only NEW equipment I bought initially was a mask and snorkel. Everything else along the way was used (except masks, and maybe one or two pair of fins). This year I bought my very first NEW reg set, and a new pair of freedive fins.

 

[UrbanJungle1966]

OMG 45 degrees. I'd want a heated dry suit or a heated submarine for that .

As a newish diver who likes his own stuff I would suggest buy everything but buy entry level or 2nd hand. Best part about diving is you meet lots of new people who have lots of different ideas so use their ideas. BTW I have bought everything I need. Is it exactly what I want no. I even bought tanks but only payed $180 for 2 faber 85cfm. Are they what I want? no they are too big but I will use them and they do the job for now. Not going to enjoy them when I go side mount.

I did my OW and bought my BCD first and sort of regret it. It doesn't suite what I want to do now but it does suite carrying stuff I don't want in my hands and dangley things annoy me as it is a fumble. Also there are so many variables to diving which even affect what type of fins are going to be best. Also are you going to be able to dive near where you live or only when you are on holidays as generally home is cold, holidays is warm so different wetsuites, boots, gloves.

Things which wont change well most circumstances are mask, computer, weights (buy small ones), small torch for nooks and crannies (ebay $10) and that's about it.

You do know you will want the minimum backups of spg, torch, air. Also if it isn't on your wrist it is a hassle. I love my computer. Uwatec Smart Z 2nd hand. Doesn't have a compass which I use quite a bit. I used to follow now I lead a lot. Should have bought a wrist mounted compass. I also reckon those consoles with everything on them are crap. Used them initially and hated them. Always having to fumble about and look. Now I just glance at my wrist and go air good, rbt good, that's all I really care about, oops missed something important, fumble for my compass, direction good.

Yep you are in for some spending so seriously don't buy what you "think" you need initially as you will be wrong.

 

[ScubaMike05]

Welcome to the great sport of scubadiving! Another vote for getting comfortable with seeing if you like scuba diving rather than buying gear right away. Personally, the only way i'll be in 45 degree water at depth will be in a submarine or some really gnarly drysuit.

If you want a good place to buy gear, check out Scubatoys.com; they are great guys and will treat you right. Personally, I would stay away from ScubaPro- unless you follow their repair schedule to the letter, you get botted off the "parts for life" program. Really sad.

 

[LowDrag]

Avoid buying a package. I bought a package and ended up regretting it. I will say however that I eventually found an LDS that works with me on my purchases rather than trying to convince me that I should buy what they think is right for me. Listen to these guys here, join a club, get out and dive. Try different gear and keep reading and researching what you want.

Good luck