Keep renting or buy own?

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newdiver3

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Location
Philadelphia
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Me and my dad are going to Akumal, Mexico in August. We plan on diving the entire week which I am so excited about :D We will probably do about 7 dives. We are debating whether or not to buy our own gear. We went in February to Akumal and rented equipment and it was fine. but my dad thinks it would be better to own our own stuff. do you think it would be worth it. i plan on diving alot because I am now addicted to diving but do you think for now we should stay with renting or go all out and buy it?
 
my husband and I both got our own gear.....i'm a bit of a germaphobe.........I know most places esp in the states would disinfect and al lthat good stuff but still kind of grosses me out a bit.
 
If you plan on diving a lot annually, it's worth it. If you're taking a dive trip once every few years it's probably not worth it.
 
If you're going to dive a lot, buy your stuff. Do your homework and pick good gear...not just whatever you LDS has. It's far more convenient and fun to have your own stuff and get it set up the way you like IMO.

Good luck! :D
 
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a:
If you're going to dive a lot, buy your stuff. Do your homework and pick good gear...not just whatever you LDS has. It's far more convenient and fun to have your own stuff and get it set up the way you like IMO.

Can't agree more.

As said, do take time in doing some research and get the gears that's right for you like and can grow with you as you may dive on.

Good luck!!!
 
There are lots of threads on this topic; to recap:
1. Start with things where fit is important; mask, fins, exposure suit.
2. Your regulator is the key element in your life support system. When you feel more comfortable trusting yourself rather than trusting the dive op du jour to see that it is maintained properly, buy one. In the mean time try as many different models and manufacturerers as possible and read the dive mag reviews.
3. BC or BP/W is next. Same comments as above apply.
4. Make a list of the less expensive stuff ( knife, lanyards, lights, dive bag, etc.) Be as specific as possible. Pass it out as birthdays and Xmas approach.
5. Tanks require VIPs every year ( $10-$20) and Hydros every five years ($30-$40). Add in the cost of an air fill and it takes 15 -20 dives a year to make owning a tank cost effective.

On the one hand:
The more accessible diving is to your home locale the more beneficial it is to own equipment. I live 10 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. I have everything mentioned above and more, some in duplicate, including 4 tanks, and I keep it packed and ready to go so if the visibility hits 15-20 feet ( 5-10 during lobster season) I can be in the water in 1/2 an hour instead of driving to the LDS, selecting and renting gear, driving to the the dive spot, driving back to the LDS, etc.

On the other hand:

If you are only doing resort diving, a full set of equipment can set you back the cost of a weeks dive vacation so what do you want to do: dive one week with your own equipment or two weeks with rented stuff?
 
My wife and I own all our own gear. We figured out the price of renting then figured out how many times it take to pay for the gear.
 
I'd recommend a regulator to start with, then go from there.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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