Equipment advice and hints

[beester]

Hi Guys,

I would like your advice or just general hints and recommendations on the following equipment. Just to give a setting, I have dived for 4 years about 12 years ago and started training again 4 months ago. First dives are under my belt. I live in Belgium and will dive year around (so general cold water diving).

Scubapro Mk17-G250V (according to my lds scubapro is reissuing a version of the G250) or S600 as main regulator. (Not bought yet)
Scubapro MK16-R290 as secondary (bungeed) regulator (got a bargain on this one).

Pinnacle Artic 7mm suit (Merino lined whatever that means).
Pinnacle 5 mm vest with hood

SeaQuest Black Diamond BC (also tried a Scubapro Masterjacket, but the integrated weight and the fact that the blatter is on the back made me choose this one...already bought)

Have an old pair of Scubapro jetfins... the rubber straps are ruined after 12 year but thinking about replacing them with springstraps... other option is buying new Mares Quattros. (not sure yet)

Computer: Probably a wristmounted Suunto Vyper 2 (not bought yet... probably in May).

Other stuff: Suunto SK7 wristmounted compass, old scubapro depthmeter (had it recalibrated), divinglamp will have to wait until after summer.

I know that most divers have a sort of fetish with their equipment. Everybody will suggest other things... but just by posting this and reading reactions I'll learn alot about your experiences.

Thanks for your input!

[beester]

Nobody an opinion on the above shortlist?

[spectrum]

Nothing too controversial that I can see. All solid items loved by many.

* Get the spring straps
* Get your light and enjoy some night dives

Pete

[drew52]

Nothing wrong with the list and I second the spring straps on the tried and trusted jet fins.

Either 2nd stage is good. The S600 is smaller then the G250 but many people choose the G250.

I own the MK16 and my wife has the MK17. Both are great cold water 1st Stages.

[beester]

Nothing too controversial that I can see. All solid items loved by many.

* Get the spring straps
* Get your light and enjoy some night dives

Pete

Thanks for your advice guys... Chosing nothing too controversial is probably the reason why nobody was interested :)

Anybody know something about a Scubapro MK19 1st stage? It's being advertised by my lds but I haven't found any info on it online. MK25 and MK2 I ofcourse know.


Cheers!

[Jimmer]

The only thing on your list I have personal experience with is pinnacle wetsuits. I dive a merino lined suit, 5/4mm, and I love it, super comfortable, and very warm. Very high quality construction too. I'd had mine in 42 degree water at 130 feet, and I can honestly say I was comfortable, but to qualify that I dont get cold easily or often (good Canadian blood in me ;)).

[beester]

The only thing on your list I have personal experience with is pinnacle wetsuits. I dive a merino lined suit, 5/4mm, and I love it, super comfortable, and very warm. Very high quality construction too. I'd had mine in 42 degree water at 130 feet, and I can honestly say I was comfortable, but to qualify that I dont get cold easily or often (good Canadian blood in me ;)).

Thanks for the update... All the other equipment I've have had advice one way or the other from people who had practical experience with it... but the pinnacle 7+5mm Artic I bought without any knowledge about the brand... just because the suit fitted very well. Other people in the club recommended bare artic, waterproof.. but the pinnacle fitted the best.

I will also be diving rather cold water (this sunday will be about 41°F) so this is a rather big concern.

Cheers

[drbill]

If the G250V is a new version of the old tried and true G250/HP, I would want to know more information. I'm not very impressed with the way ScubaPro has "upgraded" their new lines following their take over by Johnson. I love the earlier G250's and dive with them pretty much exclusively.

[beester]

If the G250V is a new version of the old tried and true G250/HP, I would want to know more information. I'm not very impressed with the way ScubaPro has "upgraded" their new lines following their take over by Johnson. I love the earlier G250's and dive with them pretty much exclusively.

Hi Dr Bill,

I'm a newbie so I can't give you detailled info on the G250V. However when I last visited my LDS to enquire about a main 1st and 2nd stage scubapro the owner (who is a 3*cmas instructor) told me that I'd better wait until the new version of the G250 came out. He told me that it would be a G250HP but with a metal inner tube (whatever that means) and that it would be together with the MK17 the best coldwater combo from scubapro (and cheaper than mk25/S600 or mk17/S600).

It's going to be available in Europe from late january 2007. The only link that I can find is the one below (a dutch online shop).

http://www.diveshop.nl/product_info.php?productname=ScubaPro-automaten-MK17-G250V&cPath=52_73&products_id=1775&language=en

I'm visiting the LDS tomorrow and will let you know what I can find.

Cheers

Beester

[DutchDown]

Are you sure you don't want a drysuit? I think you will enjoy your cold water dives a lot more wearing one. I've read about the Pinnacle wetsuit and it appears to be a very good choice. But I don't dive wet in The Netherlands anymore since buying a drysuit 3 years ago.

Phil

[Jimmer]

Are you sure you don't want a drysuit? I think you will enjoy your cold water dives a lot more wearing one. I've read about the Pinnacle wetsuit and it appears to be a very good choice. But I don't dive wet in The Netherlands anymore since buying a drysuit 3 years ago.

Phil

I do agree with that, while I don't mind diving wet in that kind of water, A drysuit is the next thing on my list...but since Beester is just getting his kit together now, I would say start with a wetsuit and move to a drysuit when he has some more money to spend.

[beester]

I do agree with that, while I don't mind diving wet in that kind of water, A drysuit is the next thing on my list...but since Beester is just getting his kit together now, I would say start with a wetsuit and move to a drysuit when he has some more money to spend.

I do agree about the drysuit.. most of my club who dive through winter (no winterstop) dive dry. However most of them still dive wet in spring-summer-autumn. In that view I believe that a wetsuit is a solid investment (also looking at the pricedifference between wet and dry) for the first year(s). In a couple of years I'll start looking at drysuits.

[beester]

If the G250V is a new version of the old tried and true G250/HP, I would want to know more information. I'm not very impressed with the way ScubaPro has "upgraded" their new lines following their take over by Johnson. I love the earlier G250's and dive with them pretty much exclusively.

Another update on the G250V. I've visited my local DS to enquire further about the 2nd stage.

This is what my local guy told me:

This new 2nd stage from scubapro is called G250V (he doesn't know what the V stands for). Basically it's a re-issue of the original G250. This means metal (copper) balance tube and a metal orifice. (the G250HP had composite plastic tube and orifice). Poppet design will be slightly different as of course the outside (esthetics). It will be available in Belgium 2nd week of February.

It was quite funny talking to this guy about the G250V. He almost became poetic talking about this 2nd stage :D . He sells other regulators besides scubapro (mares, apex) and used to dive exclusively scubapro but hasn't been realy satisfied the last couple of years with regard to coldwater performance. Last year the MK17 came out and that's when he started diving Scubapro again (in combo with S550). But now he's realy looking forward to the G250V. He'll replace all his 2nd stages with the G250V when it's available.

He might look a bit like a fanboy... however he could have easily sold me another reg (mares or apex) and take my money straight away. However he realy pleaded with me to wait until this one comes out... even going as far as lending me an mk17/S555 combo to tie me over until the release. In his opinion the MK17/G250V combo will be the ultimate coldwater reg.

Hope this info helps!

Beester

[*Floater*]

Computer: Probably a wristmounted Suunto Vyper 2 (not bought yet... probably in May).

Looks like good equipment overall.

As for the computer, Suuntos are well-regarded, but the algorithm they use is considered very conservative. i.e. less bottom time. Many divers prefer the Oceanic and Aeris computers, or some other brands, because they are more liberal. Also, does the vyper have a user-replaceable battery? (another nice feature) - it has nitrox and gauge modes, dive recording and upload capability, and backlight I assume, all important features.

[ReefHound]

The first thing I was going to suggest is a drysuit but that issue has been explained. I'd keep the fins and add spring straps. I'd get a good backup light now and get your primary later. I presume you will be wearing a mask.:D

In general, I'd say look to your dive club buddies for your best advice. You will be diving with them in the conditions and profiles they dive, and while there is not one "right" set of equipment, they have already found what generally works well and what doesn't.

[waynel]

You didn't mention SPG. I recently bought a console with pressure and depth gauges and then started shopping for a compass. In trying to minimize the "stuff" I had to strap on, I took the never used console back to my lds and upgraded to a three gauge, adding the compass on the back. By back mounting the compass I didn't have to increase the size or weight of the console and of course,not having to pack and strap on a compass will be nice. I started diving and fell in love with all the new toys, but my I quickly realized that scaling back and consolidating as much as possible is the way to go.

[beester]

Thanks for all the sound advice guys.

Computer will have to wait until my birthday (May... trying to spread the costs abit). Will keep in mind if the battery is replaceable (suunto does). Thinking about VYPER2 or aladin pro. Most people in the club said that it realy doesn't matter which brand you take... only be sure that it's modern (using RGBM) and has nitrox functionallity and maybe deepstop functionality. Both do... but I still have time to decide.

After having dived in 41°F I can honestly say that the wetsuit (pinnacle) is ok... snug as a bug on a 60ft 50 min dive, only hands got cold after about 25 min...

Wore my boots (bare iceboots) with wool socks (tip from diving buddy) and they held up quite well.

Of course a drysuit will be better but I'll wait a bit before I jump into that.

Regarding a bigger console with pressure (mano) meter-depthmeter-compass. I'll wear the compass on my wrist and have as console just the manometer. I'm not a big fan of big consoles. A manometer I can just fix by strapping it under my BC cumberband... that way I can always easily check it without it dangling all over the place.

Thanks again for the updates and advice!

cheers