Some toys I want from scubatoys - your opinion.

Mares Limited Edition Morphos Metal Tech BCD - $299.00
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=MaresLEMorphosMetalTech


Oceanic Delta 3 TDX5 Titanium Regulator $399.00
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=Delta3

Suunto Vyper Wrist Computer - which Scubatoys, does not have but if they would like to sell me a comparable computer for a comparable price.. my ears are open.

I had wanted to go with an inflator/alternate air source add on, but with the air trim system I will need a good Octo.

Any input on my choices will be most welcome, even if the input is 'why the hell would you want that?'

I am new to diving, but I want gear that will handle everything I will do in the future.

I don't like the bc (too bulky) but everything else looks good.

I would get a BP/W, myself.

I love Suuntos but not the air integrated, just find the Stinger grey market if possible.

You can't beat a bungeed reg, IMO.

will handle everything I will do in the future.

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ScubaToys doesn't carry Suunto, so if you want them to put together a BC/Reg/Computer package for you, you'll have to go with a different brand.

Mares and Oceanic are good brands, you won't go wrong with either of them.

magnetic, I didn't really like your BC as it's too bulky (for me). I see that you want BC to handle everything you will do in the future - then get BP/W, you can configure easily even from single tank to double tanks, etc... There are a lot of threads about BP/W, go ahead search on Scubaboard.

You have to be careful about saying anything like "will handle everything I will do in the future."

If you ever decide to get into tech diving you will need to go with a BP/W configuration as Catherine stated. If you are just looking at doing strictly recreational diving then a BP/W isn't required, although many prefer it. I personally dive a Zeagle Brigade from ScubaToys and love it. It is a back inflate model which I greatly prefer over a jacket (the BCD you linked to is a jacket). That being said the Mares BCD will certainly work, it just isn't my preference. I also see you're in CA so if you decide to dive your local conditions you're looking at cold water diving from what little I know of CA. If you're diving in a wetsuit you need to make sure whatever BCD you choose has enough lift to counteract the compression of the wetsuit. Also in cold water you generally want an environmentally sealed reg, which the reg you linked to is not. I would also not get all hung up on the titanium thing. It's true that titanium won't corrode, but other parts of your reg will so you still have to take care of it and maintain it.

I would like to ask if you have considered giving a local dive shop a chance? They generally know more of your local conditions (assuming you're going to dive locally) and can offer better advice for that reason. There's also the matter of fitting on things like BCD's. My zeagle for instance has a different size shoulders than main portion of the BC (one nice thing about Zeagle's is you can mix and match). This is something I couldn't have done if I ordered online. In case you're wondering, ScubaToys is my local dive shop.

Unfortunately no matter what decision you make today, you'll probably be buying new again in a year or so. You might consider renting until you figure out exactly what you want. After all, have you ever even seen those products much less put a dive on them?

BC too bulky, regulator is titanium, which doesn't like elevated oxygen levels (nitrox), Vyper is great but being discontinued. Octo-inflator is a dead-end solution if you are looking to move out of recreational diving at some point (I don't like them at all).

You could do a lot better...

JB loves the Zeagle.

I like the most minimalistic as possible gear...

no pockets, no integrated weights, no extra anything, teeny knife. I might start cutting out tags, he he.

but that's just me. Titanium regs are overkill. The Ti Stinger on the other hand....

I was really just looking at smokin deals on gear that looked like it was quality.

My first big dive trip is going to be 16 days on Roatan, and frankly I would like my own gear.

Foremost I want the gear to be portable. I agree with the bulky on the BC, what is a BP/W by the way?(I am scouring the forums right now for this)

what is a "bungeed reg"?

I have a Morphos BCD and love it. I don,t find it particularly bulhy, although i'm sure it,s not the slimmest either. I just love the airtrim... Won't ever go back as long as they make em... The Morphos is a fine BCD (it's a hybrid jacket/back inflate). Wether it will fit you right is another question you will address by trying one on if you can.

Just my 0.02$

magnetic:

I was really just looking at smokin deals on gear that looked like it was quality.

My first big dive trip is going to be 16 days on Roatan, and frankly I would like my own gear.

Foremost I want the gear to be portable. I agree with the bulky on the BC, what is a BP/W by the way?(I am scouring the forums right now for this)

what is a "bungeed reg"?

Click to expand...

A BP/W is a backplate with wing. I was going to go into detailed explanation, but read this instead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backplate_and_wing.

A bungeed reg refers to a type of regulator configuration used in Hogarthian diving. Basically your primary is on a 7 foot long hose that routes under your right arm, across your chest, around the back of your neck, and then into your mouth. Your backup reg is on a bungee around your neck so that it's always close and in theory you could be able to grab it with your teeth and not even use your hands. This configuration comes from cave diving but has many benefits in other types of diving too. Basically when you are sharing air you give up the regulator in your mouth and they have 7 ft of slack so you don't have to be right on top of each other. This lets each diver control his or her own buoyancy. In a cave setting it also allows the sharing of air when you cannot be side by side but instead have to be behind another diver.

If you are looking for a warm water rig only then what you chose will work just fine. Personally I would stay away from things like jacket BC's and Integrated Octos. They will both serve your purposes but I prefer other things, and so does most others on the board. If you decide to go with a BP/W you need to find someone who can help you adjust it properly. They are not as simple to configure as they appear to be, then again it isn't rocket science either. The other thing I highly recommend you do is try this gear our before you go on your nice expensive vacation. Since you're looking at warm weather gear I doubt you're wanting to dive the CA waters. If that's the case you'll need access to a pool deep enough to move around in, that usually means a LDS (local dive shop) pool. Once again, it sounds like maybe you should go see some of your local dive shops and see what they can do for you. If you are worried about price see what you can get it for at ScubaToys and then confront your LDS with that price. They may not be able to match it, but then again they might, especially if you are buying a computer, regs, and a BCD. Even if they get close I would recommend you go with the LDS, they will be better able to help you if you run into problems.