Hi - I am new and need some advice

Hey all,
I just got out of the military, and moved back to the Tampa, Fl area. I am new to scuba diving. I completed my OW, AOW, and Nitrox courses while stationed in Hawaii. So far I only have the dives that I have gotten during the courses, but I fell in love with it, and I am eager to start diving in Florida.

I am planning to continue my diving training with the Rescue diver course in the near future before school starts up.

I don't have my own gear, but I have been looking at advice on the forum, and pricing out setups online. I was wondering if I could get some advice on the below pieces of gear, i.e. will they complement each other well, and will they be sufficient for me to have an enjoyable diving experience. I decided for the bp/w because I am confident that I will get into cavern diving, and I don't want to have to buy a new setup. I only plan to use a single tank for the time being. So here is what I have in my shopping carts from Leisurepro.com, and scuba.com:

OMS Comfort Harness System II Harness System Only Large $87
OMS 2 lb. Aluminum BackPlate Only (BP-020) $60
OMS Back Pad for Backplates $39.95
OMS Compact Weight Pocket $15.00
OMS 36" SS buckle with 2" Cam Band(for single tank) x2 $54.00
OMS Larry Green Signature Series Wing Black 45lb lift Wing $219.95
Tusa Duo-Air Alternate Combo Inflater IR-3 $98.95
Oceanic GT3/CDX5 Regulator GT3/CDX5 $299.95
Aeris Atmos AI Air Integrated Computer Console, With Compass $485
Gear Keeper Scuba Console Snap Clip Locking Retractor $30

Is this setup going to get me in the water? Or am I missing things/things are incompatible? (I only have snorkel gear, slate, dive knife, and 2 lights)
All said and done it comes out to $1377 shipped, after a small discount from lp.com

I would have preferred to go with a wrist computer, but a good wrist computer+spg and compass was much more than the Aeris Atmos.

One concern I had is whether or not the Tusa Duo-Air Alt inflator fits the OMS wing.

Thanks,
Bryan

I'd cut a couple hundred dollars off this . . . First off, don't bother with the comfort harness. You don't need it, and most people who buy them end up with a Hog harness in the end, anyway. And skip the backpad -- you don't need that, either. You think a backplate looks uncomfortable, but they aren't.

Also, take a look at the "What did you buy that you regret?" thread, and think again about whether you want a combo octo-inflator. They're expensive, and many of us discard them. You won't be able to use it if you go to doubles, whereas the standard second stage can be used as a backup reg (for caves).

If you are diving a wetsuit and an Al80, you don't need anywhere near 45 lbs of lift in a wing. A 30 lb wing is more than enough. NO wing will work for singles and doubles, so buy an optimized wing for the diving you are doing now, and save for an optimized wing for the dive you will do later.

On the other hand, I would highly recommend going with a simple SPG and a wrist computer. I found that dragging a console up in front of me to know my depth and time made me crazy. If you are diligent about checking your pressure, you don't need air integration, and it makes the wrist computer affordable.

These are, of course, MY opinions, and I'm sure you will get other ones.

Hi Bryan,

Welcome to Scuba Board and welcome to diving. My advise to you, and I mean it in a very positive and sincere way,---SLOW DOWN! Diving isn't an activity that you truly master until you have hours and hours of experience in open water. Those two plastic cards you now have do not make you a really qualified diver. IMO you should have waited to get your AOW until after at least 50 dives under your belt. You need to dive enough that "things", skills just come natural because of repetition and experience. First master the basics so that if your mask is kicked off, it's no big deal; master your buoyancy, one of the hardest skills to achieve in diving; Get so comfortable in the water, that mentally, 60' or 80' or 100' is no different than being at 30'. At this stage of your diving career, don't even think about cave diving. That activity is way beyond your skill level now. I don't think I would even take the rescue course until after you can rescue yourself in a distressed situation. And the only way that comes about is through experience, experience, and more experience.

Get yourself some good quality basic gear, and experienced buddy/ies and just start to dive your butt off; and being in Florida, you have that opportunity. Start simple on, let's say, John Pennacamp (sp) Park and work your way to the more challenging diving that's out there. Achieving a bunch of plastic cert. cards does not make you a qualified diver----only experience does. I hope you took my comments in the right way, not as a criticism, but as a fellow diver who wants to see you excel and stay safe. Again, welcome to diving.

TS&M is right on the money, as per usual. But, I'd nix the computer completely, unless you really feel that you need one right out of the gate, technology changes and computers get better and less expensive ... so don't buy one till the very last moment before when you absolutely must have it. Get a Citizens Aqualand instead, it's got a depth guage and a downloadable dive logger.

OMS Comfort Harness System II Harness System Only Large $87
Go with a single piece "hog" harness. It's more comfortable and doesn't contain any extra stuff to confuse your hands when you're feeling around for something.

OMS 2 lb. Aluminum BackPlate Only (BP-020) $60
Maybe. It depends on how buoyant you'll be. SS might be better.

OMS Back Pad for Backplates $39.95
Skip it. You don't need it

OMS Compact Weight Pocket $15.00
??Might need it, might not.
OMS 36" SS buckle with 2" Cam Band(for single tank) x2 $54.00

Skip the OMS straps and pick up a couple of SCUBAPRo straps. They a lot tighter and more secure.

Terry

i agree with barracuda, slow down, go diving, try a few different setups, bcd, back inflate, gear for what you are diving, rent from a couple of different shops, try Mares, ScubaPro, and some other good lines of gear, and find out what you like and dont like.....
not everyone ends up in a hog harness or a bp/w, and I think a bp/w or HOG are prob not the best for a new diver
I would suggest and good computer, and put your focus into a great reg 1st, bcd, and get in the water, get comfortable, borrow some buddies gear, rent stuff, try it out, ask people you dive with, meet on the beach, or on a boat, ask why they like/ dislike, get multiple opinions, and then dive to develop your own particular setup..dont just dive into alot of specialized equipment you may or may not use next year, KEEP IT SIMPLE SCUBADIVER

tsandm is really accurate with what she is saying. That comp could be swapped to a wrist with similar features for around 200-400 and an spg which you would save a few bucks. The Duo Air i would recommend just for very casual recreational diving if your comfortable with it but definatly not for tech oriented diving or caves.

my recreational rig is
Zeagle BC came with duo air-400
oceanic atom 2.0 which i cant wait to try 600
and a reg that i dont care for and are old that were free

with casual recreational diving i think my rig is similar (other than regs) and save you around 75 bucks, and i only have 2 hoses and my comp is on my wrist. I am locked into what that bc offers though which kinda stinks, atleast im happy with it. Some of the zeagles can take 2 tanks but im not positive how well they hold up for caves. I would def. take my time though and see what you like and learn from other peoples mistakes with what they like and dont like and ask them why they like and dont like things.

Bryan_FL:

...
Aeris Atmos AI Air Integrated Computer Console, With Compass $485

I would have preferred to go with a wrist computer, but a good wrist computer+spg and compass was much more than the Aeris Atmos.

...

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I agree with what has been said, and esp. with TS&M.
I also wanted to point out that you can get excellent components for less than the console you have priced:

Suunto SK7 Wrist Compass - $59
Uwatec Aladin Tec 2G Wrist Computer - $299
And you can easily get a quality brass and glass SPG for about $80

(these are just some examples from leisure pro, since you were already shopping there. There are many other good choices)
Not only do these components cost less but they are better quality than the Atmos ( and I have owned both)
And the compass and computer will both work with the excellent DSS wrist mount boots.

Bryan_FL:

...I am confident that I will get into cavern diving, and I don't want to have to buy a new setup ...

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A nice goal, but hard to get to. If you listen to the advice people are giving you will be well on your way.

Good luck on your gear choice.

Thanks a lot for all of your guys input. I took most of your advice into consideration, and made a few changes to the setup:

reduced wing to 32lb
went with wrist computer/spg
ditched the Air duo for regular alt. air
ditched back pad
can't find scubapro cam straps online but found some rubber tension pads at DSS for $10 a pair.

Sounds like some good choices, have fun with your new gear.