Where to start?

[mudhole]

I have my OW and I am now trying to get my gear. I would like to know what peice of gear I should get first. I already have mask fins ect. I have narowed my equiment down to : DSS BP&W , Oceanic GT3, Octo 8,computer, and a dry suit.

Guardian, welcome to the Board, and don't take offense at our attempts at humor. Every piece of diving equipment has been fought over here, endlessly. Humor, has taken the place of some of the rancor. As a beginning diver, you really have the world to look at. Equipment for a warm water tropical beach, is different than what TS&M needs in the Pacific Northwest. That's why many have asked, where you will be diving.

How much experience you have, determines what we will recommend. . . like a diving computer is not needed in your beginning dives, because you should not be making decompression dives until you have a lot more experience. . .

Also, related to experience, a BP&W, is necessary for many advanced divers, pushing the edges of long times, and deep depths. But the majority of divers are diving in warm waters, shallow depths, and will never dive multiple tanks. The majority of divers will never dive a BP&W, and cannot even rent them in tropical areas. Jackets and back inflates are good beginners choices for comfort and fit.

You can use the search function, to study the thousands of posts on any one piece of gear. . . but because you have had a couple of this boards messengers already post here, click on the posts of "TS&M," "the Kracken",, and "RoatanMan" These are some of the great divers on this board, and they differ in their advice, because they dive in different parts of the world, with different goals in diving.

Remember many times on the board someone will try to inject humor. . . it doesn't always come out right. The issue of snorkel. . . most instructors say to wear one at ALL times, as a beginner you may wind up far from shore, and snorkel makes a long swim more comfortable, and safer. I carry a folding snorkel in a vest pocket, when I dive a strange area. A folding snorkel, will bring out lots of comment, but after 30+ years of diving, I do things the way I'm comfortable.

 

[gwells]

mudhole, is there a particular reason *NOT* to start w/a BP&W? i can understand why someone wouldn't *need* one to start off, but i hadn't seen any advice saying someone *shouldn't* start with one. and i've seen many people say they prefer diving w/BP&W over a jacket, so i could see some logic in starting with one. what's the logic behind starting with a jacket instead?

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

drysuit.

 

[oreocookie]

mudhole, is there a particular reason *NOT* to start w/a BP&W? i can understand why someone wouldn't *need* one to start off, but i hadn't seen any advice saying someone *shouldn't* start with one. and i've seen many people say they prefer diving w/BP&W over a jacket, so i could see some logic in starting with one. what's the logic behind starting with a jacket instead?

the logic is that some people prefer jacket bc's over bp/w, though those people are generally much less vocal (about that anyway) here on SB. The people who say they prefer a bp/w over a jacket have tried both (or they're full of ****). If you start off using somebody else's gear (rentals, borrowed, etc), you'll dive stuff you like and stuff you don't and you'll buy what YOU like. No point making a judgement on what to buy based on what other people like.

 

[gwells]

ok, while i understand what you're saying, the logic would seem to go the other way, too, right? i mean, if there's no specific benefit to a newbie to using a jacket, why would it be wrong to start with the bp/w instead of starting with the jacket?

i'm not trying to be difficult here, i'm just trying to understand the logic.

 

[Sas]

Also, related to experience, a BP&W, is necessary for many advanced divers, pushing the edges of long times, and deep depths. But the majority of divers are diving in warm waters, shallow depths, and will never dive multiple tanks. The majority of divers will never dive a BP&W, and cannot even rent them in tropical areas. Jackets and back inflates are good beginners choices for comfort and fit.

Says who? Have you done a survey? Anyway, I personally do not care what other divers wear, I care about what I find comfortable for gear so I get irritated by posts like yours that make sweeping generalisations about bits of gear for "beginners".

ok, while i understand what you're saying, the logic would seem to go the other way, too, right? i mean, if there's no specific benefit to a newbie to using a jacket, why would it be wrong to start with the bp/w instead of starting with the jacket?

There is nothing wrong with starting off with a BP/W over a jacket style if that is what a diver prefers. Or vice-versa. They should try out different types first though to decide. I think though that if one is looking at doing advanced diving at any stage, then they should consider a BC that is appropriate for future diving rather than now. However, this does not necessarily mean a BP/W. I know divers who have modified jacket BCs to take doubles, or who use a Transpac, or something along those lines, but not a BP/W.

 

[mudhole]

Saspotato and gwells. . . You can dive with a bare tank under your arm and a single hose regulator without the extras, I've done it and know others who will do anything to get underwater. Is that right, or good? Judge the dive conditions, and what equipment fits those conditions best. I've discussed BP&W with a lady in the northwest, diving cold water, and diving deep, and exploring caves. . . and agree the BP&W is the only correct choice. Some of my experience was under the ice, two and three tank combos, and BP&W was the right choice for me for those conditions. But, I have also "dropped in" four or five locations on a single tank. . . I've dove places in the caribbean where aluminum 80 rental tanks were the only tanks available and needed no wetsuit. . . could either jacket or BP&W function? sure.

I've owned a ScubaPro jacket BC since the year after they came out, and it fits me very comfortably. . . I've changed when the fashion colors changed from orange to black and when the black didn't look so black anymore.

Buy what is comfortable for you, after you've dove several times with each. Not many people "need" a BP&W but those that do - go for it. I own a comfortable jacket, but If I drive to the lake and "need" a plate with doubles, I can borrow one in the time it takes to load it in my truck. Not everyone can switch so easily.

 

[mudhole]

mudhole, is there a particular reason *NOT* to start w/a BP&W? i can understand why someone wouldn't *need* one to start off, but i hadn't seen any advice saying someone *shouldn't* start with one. and i've seen many people say they prefer diving w/BP&W over a jacket, so i could see some logic in starting with one. what's the logic behind starting with a jacket instead?

gwells, sorry to delay getting back to you. The reason I recommend any of the jackets, back inflates to new divers, is because most of those new divers will drop out of diving before they have enough experience to benefit from a BP&W. I recommend renting before buying either, and in most of the dive shops in the midwest and tropical locations I'm familiar with, the only thing you can find to rent is some form of vest or jacket.

The dive shops that I know that rent or sell BP&W are the smaller more technical shops, and the quality of the instructors and shop owners is better than the average shop. But they reach far fewer new divers. They seem to scare the beginners.

For a beginner, setting up a plate is mysterious and difficult to do right, without help from someone that knows the equipment. Once the straps are adjusted, it is more awkward to put on. . . In many dive shops there is no one that is working to "fit" new divers, so just throw a jacket on them and go.

Look at where you are diving, meet the divers that may be your future dive buddies, ask for their help and advice, dive with several types of equipment, then choose the equipment that you need for your future.