BrianV
Contributor
Buy the basic goodies (mask, fins, booties, snorkel). Make sure you select a good mask that fits well. Don't get too caught up in selecting fins. Your next purchase should be a wetsuit. A one piece 3mm will serve you well from water 70-85F (which is what Hawaii and all the tropical stuff is). I can dive 65F no problem in my 3mm without a hood, but find a hood a nice to have at that temp.
After that, the first major scuba purchase should be your BCD. I haven't been on SB long, but you'll find tons of people telling you to go with BackPlate + Wing. If you really plan on going all out with diving, maybe you can consider that, but I'd recommend a decent, light weight jacket or back inflate (Zeagle Scout, Oceanic Probe, Cressi Aqualight, Dacor Talon, etc.). Find one that's weight integrated with rear trim pockets and good utility pockets. D-rings are nice for when you start attaching things, but most importantly find one that fits well and is comfortable. I am NOT a fan of the octo Air2 integrated BCDs, and they cost more. I would go with a conventional BCD over an integrated.
If you're a 5'9"-6'1" diver you can easily rent a BCD anywhere you go, but if your real large or small you may have difficulty renting. My girlfriend is 5'3" and less than 110 LBS and couldn't ever find a well fitting BCD so we finally bought her an Extra Small Oceanic Isla (which is a real nice BCD for her needs). That was all she owned until a couple weeks ago until she started purchasing more. With that BCD she could travel with the piece of mind of knowing it was going to fit and not stress out about an improperly fitting BCD.
After that, your next purchase (in my opinion) should be your reg. Although rental regs are typically high quality regs, I don't like that they've been used by others. Also, some regs free flow more, some breathe harder than others, etc. I like knowing how my reg works and what to expect from it. Unfortunately this is a multi-step event because you can't just buy the reg and use it, you'll need an SPG and depth guage as well as an octo. Expect this to be one of your spendier purchases. If you don't get a computer you'll need the depth guage, but there are sub-$100 combo guages available.
After the reg, a computer is a wise purchase. You'll probably want a console computer, but you'll quickly learn that wrist computers are a lot better, plus you won't have to retrofit the console you previously bought to accomodate another device.
I imagine at this point you'll want more wet suit stuff like hoods, gloves, vests, another suit, etc. I now have pretty much two suits, two hoods, etc. Even though you're a tropical diver, you'll likely want to dive in the winter or something.
After that there is weights and eventually the tank (if you plan on local diving a lot).
In between those major purchases there are tons of things like clips, safety devices, lights, knives, bags, etc. Basically every time you go to your local dive shop you will have an itch for something. I buy about half of my stuff at my lds, and half online. Things that I know will need frequent service I buy from the LDS (regulator especially), and they've already tuned both my regs a couple times. Things like wet suits are harder to buy online, but now that I know my sizes I buy those online too. I stick with Henderson, and I bought my first 3mm 1pc Henderson (regular, not gold core or hyperstretch) for $180 from my LDS. I recently bought a regular Henderson 7/5 online for $129.99 (would've spent $350 plus at the LDS). Bought my tank at the LDS because I get free air fills that way, plus if you buy online, shipping is a lot and you have to pay for your stickers anyways.
Have fun and take your time, it's not a race to get fully outfitted. Don't buy super high end stuff, but buy good stuff.
After that, the first major scuba purchase should be your BCD. I haven't been on SB long, but you'll find tons of people telling you to go with BackPlate + Wing. If you really plan on going all out with diving, maybe you can consider that, but I'd recommend a decent, light weight jacket or back inflate (Zeagle Scout, Oceanic Probe, Cressi Aqualight, Dacor Talon, etc.). Find one that's weight integrated with rear trim pockets and good utility pockets. D-rings are nice for when you start attaching things, but most importantly find one that fits well and is comfortable. I am NOT a fan of the octo Air2 integrated BCDs, and they cost more. I would go with a conventional BCD over an integrated.
If you're a 5'9"-6'1" diver you can easily rent a BCD anywhere you go, but if your real large or small you may have difficulty renting. My girlfriend is 5'3" and less than 110 LBS and couldn't ever find a well fitting BCD so we finally bought her an Extra Small Oceanic Isla (which is a real nice BCD for her needs). That was all she owned until a couple weeks ago until she started purchasing more. With that BCD she could travel with the piece of mind of knowing it was going to fit and not stress out about an improperly fitting BCD.
After that, your next purchase (in my opinion) should be your reg. Although rental regs are typically high quality regs, I don't like that they've been used by others. Also, some regs free flow more, some breathe harder than others, etc. I like knowing how my reg works and what to expect from it. Unfortunately this is a multi-step event because you can't just buy the reg and use it, you'll need an SPG and depth guage as well as an octo. Expect this to be one of your spendier purchases. If you don't get a computer you'll need the depth guage, but there are sub-$100 combo guages available.
After the reg, a computer is a wise purchase. You'll probably want a console computer, but you'll quickly learn that wrist computers are a lot better, plus you won't have to retrofit the console you previously bought to accomodate another device.
I imagine at this point you'll want more wet suit stuff like hoods, gloves, vests, another suit, etc. I now have pretty much two suits, two hoods, etc. Even though you're a tropical diver, you'll likely want to dive in the winter or something.
After that there is weights and eventually the tank (if you plan on local diving a lot).
In between those major purchases there are tons of things like clips, safety devices, lights, knives, bags, etc. Basically every time you go to your local dive shop you will have an itch for something. I buy about half of my stuff at my lds, and half online. Things that I know will need frequent service I buy from the LDS (regulator especially), and they've already tuned both my regs a couple times. Things like wet suits are harder to buy online, but now that I know my sizes I buy those online too. I stick with Henderson, and I bought my first 3mm 1pc Henderson (regular, not gold core or hyperstretch) for $180 from my LDS. I recently bought a regular Henderson 7/5 online for $129.99 (would've spent $350 plus at the LDS). Bought my tank at the LDS because I get free air fills that way, plus if you buy online, shipping is a lot and you have to pay for your stickers anyways.
Have fun and take your time, it's not a race to get fully outfitted. Don't buy super high end stuff, but buy good stuff.
