New to diving Need equipment advice

Okay. So I just received by Open water certification. I dove in Cozumel Mexico for a week and I am hooked. I want to start investing in my own equipment, but I do not have a bunch of dive friends to advise me. I intend to do some diving in the New York area, but I also travel to warm water destinations 2-3 times a year. I have seen a BCD called the Scubapro Geo which is good for travel. Is it only good for travel or can I use it as an all purpose piece of equipment. I was also told the first piece of equipment I should buy is a dive computer, because it is all about safety. Just starting out I can't break the bank. Thoughts on used equipment, ebay, buying online? I will take any suggestions

Join the Dive New York group on this board.
There's your advice, buddies, new friends, trips, etc., etc.

Rick

Rick Murchison:

Join the Dive New York group on this board.
There's your advice, buddies, new friends, trips, etc., etc.

Rick

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Yup, Rick is absolutely right..! A great bunch of people.

I'll also put in a plug for the Sea Gypsies for monthly meetups with great lectures, great friends, and a bunch of local dive coordination. I should mention our "intro to northeast diving" program this year, which you may find particularly interesting and helpful...

Finally, for dive travel and friends, I can recommend Oceanblue Divers, which also has monthly meetings (this Wednesday, actually).

Getting back to your original question, there is such a wide range of equipment out there, both new and used, that it is hard to make a single recommendation over a forum post. I would say find a local dive shop that you trust where you can try a few things on and get an idea about what works for you. I will also mention that I dive my backplate and wing both locally and in the Caribbean, so if you are serious about local diving you might want to consider something like that from the start instead of a standard jacket BCD . There are a lot of VERY active threads here about this controversial subject, but that's my 2 PSI.

I don't think that a dive computer makes you a safer diver, actually. The fact of the matter is that in 2011 most people use them, but there are plenty of people here who would say that the reverse it true, that it breeds complacency and a lack of understanding of your dive profiles. That having been said, most people pick one up somewhere along the way. Even the cheapest models these days support nitrox, so you don't need to get anything elaborate when you are just starting out...

Hope to see you at one of the meetups!

Mike

I wouldn't start out with a BC as your first piece of equipment. A well fitted mask and a good pair of fins should be your priority and as you continue on with your diving you can add equipment as you go along.

I've written an article that might help you on scuba equipment for beginners. Click here to read it

Turtle-Diver:

I wouldn't start out with a BC as your first piece of equipment. A well fitted mask and a good pair of fins should be your priority and as you continue on with your diving you can add equipment as you go along.

I've written an article that might help you on scuba equipment for beginners. Click here to read it

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Nice article, thanks for posting..!

I think that we were assuming that the OP has mask, fins and snorkel - pretty much any open water course requires these to be purchased.

Mike

doctormike:

Nice article, thanks for posting..!

I think that we were assuming that the OP has mask, fins and snorkel - pretty much any open water course requires these to be purchased.

Mike

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Fair point. You would be suprised how many people I see diving in Thailand that rent everything, and that's what I was thinking of when I replied