Do You "Mix and Match"?

[SnorkelLA]

So, do you guys mix and match your gear with different brands, different series, model years, what?

Personally, my gear comes from a series of manufacturers from Scubapro, Mares, Aeris, Tilos, Aqualung and Suunto

So, do you guys mix stuff up or keep things the same brand, same year?


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[ZKY]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a diver who has everything the same brand and same year.
The only one that would come to mind would maybe be a newly minted diver that went to lets say an Aqualung dealer and got Aqualung everything including the wetsuit, fins, mask, reg, bc, etc.

For me I have stuff spanning over 50 years of production models, custom suits, regs from probably 5 different manufacturers, one from 1960, and the newest from 2003.
One tank I have is from 1959 and the newest tank from 2004.
I have fins made in France, US, Spain.
The only Jackets I have are old Scubapro stab jackets from the early 1980's. I don't dive them, they were given to me and I have them in a box in the garage.
My plate is one of my own creations combined with an Oxycheq product.

I'm all over the board.

[Tfast78]

I use mostly Scubapro and some aqualung. But if and when I come across a deal or just something I like I'm not going to stick to one brand. I'm not going to replace everything to be the same year model when I purchase a new item. I'd be very surprised if anyone other than a shop or manufacturer rep that only has one brand for all their gear. Good question. I can't wait to see some other replies.

[chrpai]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a diver who has everything the same brand and same year.

LDS DM or Instructor?

[dmoore19]

Scubapro reg(also own a sherwood reg), Sherwood octo(use the second stage off my SR1 for the octo), Zeagle BCD, Scubapro or Tusa fins, Oceanic mask/computer(datamask), Henderson wetsuit. None of the same brand stuff purchased in the same year.

[Kitty_Kat]

LDS DM or Instructor?

Not where I'm from... You can always tell when one brand/item went on major sale though since everyone ends up with it. I like mixing my gear! I'm picky (and maybe a little cheap) so my stuff is all over the place.

[ZKY]

LDS DM or Instructor?

Yes, that's certainly a possibility, didn't think of that, good call.

[undrwater]

I've got ZKY's plate with an Oxycheq wing as well. HOG regs, Hollis fins, Suunto computer, plus a bunch of DIY whosits.

[DaleC]

I'm with ZKY.
I started buying new gear, progressed towards buying used and now try to dive either with gear I have found or built in my garage.
Something has gone sideways somewhere.

[TSandM]

Honestly, I think the only place where I'm consistent is with my primary lights. They're all Light Monkey (or prior incarnations of the same company). I think they probably always will be.

Otherwise, I'm eclectic. I have wings from DSS, HOG and Deep Outdoors; I have plates from DSS and OMS. I have two Fusion dry suits, but I've had other brands in the past. I have undergarments from Whites, 4th Element, and Diving Concepts. I have fins from ScubaPro and Deep See and Dive Rite. My backup lights are chimaeras.

The regs are slowly but surely going all Hog, though . . .

[MaxBottomtime]

My left and right fins are Scubapro Jetfins. :)
My first and second stages are from different manufacturers, my plate is from ZKY and my gloves are either homemade or from a hiking store, depending on whether they leaked the previous dives. The homemade bungee fin straps are even different colors.

[Scuba_Noob]

Aqualung BCD and regs. Scubapro fins. DUI drysuit. Might replace the BCD soon with a back inflate or BP/wing from any brand that fits well. The rest are completely different companies (Princeton Tec lights, Wenoka knives, Oceanic mask, Akona gloves, Bare hood, etc.).

No brand loyalty. Whatever fits and feels comfortable. Whatever works well with my dive goals.

[RTee]

I have not been a traditonally one brand shopper (Sherwood, Suunto, TUSA, Mares).

On the other hand, my GF, following her OW course basically adopted Mares for her fins, BCD (now replaced with an Express Tech) and reg (Abyss).

Two years ago, I discovered Zeagle from a friend of mine (SS BP&W, FH VI (X2) and Express Techs (X2)) and have had great support from a FL based LDS.

Finally, last year I added HOG and Shearwater to the inventory.

[Jim Lapenta]

Let's see, HOG, Edge, Oceanic, Hollis, Dive Rite, Manta, Pinnacle, Wetwear, BARE, US Divers, Salvo, XS Scuba, Nocturnal Lights, and Dorcy for major (over say $50 per item) stuff, and numerous small items including a bunch of DIY gear.

[buddhasummer]

Im the same as many others my gears all over the place and all different ages. I tend to now be brand loyal with some equipment and buy only Apeks regs, only MB-Sub lights, only Atomic masks and only Oxycheq wings. All other gear Fins etc are all from different manufacturers/brands.

[ZKY]

I just thought about what I have:

Scubapro
Aqualung
Dacor
Healthways
Sportsways
Mares
XS Scuba
Tilos
Xcel
M&B
Suunto
Oceanways Pacific
Oceanic
Picasso
Trident
OMS
Dive Rite
Dris
UK
Princeton Tec
Riffe
JBL
National Divers
PST
US Divers
Oxycheq

and DIY...

[Bob DBF]

There's another way? :confused:




Bob
------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

[mala]

my fins match.
the rest is scrapheap challenge.

[NWGratefulDiver]

I'm pretty agnostic ...

Drysuits - Santi and Bare
Undergarments - Santi, Weezle and Softwear
BCD/BPW - DSS, FredT, Halcyon & Oxycheq
Regs - HOG, ScubaPro, Apeks, Aqualung, Deep Outdoors & Mares
Tanks - Faber, Worthington, PST, Luxfer & Catalina
Fins - Hollis, ScubaPro, XS Scuba & OMS
Lights - Salvo/Light Monkey, Gulftex, UK & DRIS
Gloves/Hoods - Atlas, Sea Soft, Henderson, DUI, Deep See & ScubaMax
Masks - Oceanic, Halcyon & HOG
Certifications - YMCA, NAUI, SDI/TDI, GUE, IANTD & NSS/CDS

... I do try to spread my money around the industry ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[boulderjohn]

Occasionally a company will offer fantastic deals for instructors, especially if they buy a full kit. You will sometimes see an instructor decked out that way for that reason.

[DivemasterDennis]

I have my favorites, but as I dive in extremely varied conditions, gear for cold murky fresh water and 85 degree tropical 100 foot vis water is not the same. One brand does not suit all needs. I do try to keep myself somewhat limited in variety, as it makes it easier to stock multiple spare parts with fewer drawers or cubbie. I tend to lose things so this is an important issue to me.
DivemasterDennis

[MG11]

Compass, SPG, knife, computer---Cressi
HOG regs
Oceanic mask, snorkel
Edge fins
Light-Intova

[jmneill]

I tried and failed at exactly what you are asking. I don't see how it could be done by a regular diver. Something from another brand is eventually going to look, feel, or fit better.

[Bratface]

Mostly Scubapro except booties, fins, and lights.

[oreocookie]

When I first started buying gear, I thought it would be amusing if I could end up with every piece of kit on a dive being a different brand.. while I wasn't really trying to accomplish this, I have so far succeeded, except on night dives.

fins - mares
boots - aqualung
wetsuits - bare, beuchat
bc - zeagle
reg - scubapro
spg - hog
computer - oceanic
mask - hydroptics (technically a modified scubapro, oh well)
snorkel - genesis (when it comes along)
knife and dive lights - underwater kinetics
compass - it's my next purchase and going to have to be suunto

[raftingtigger]

my fins match.
the rest is scrapheap challenge.

Amen Brother! An eclectic mix of whatever mixtures add functionality. I'm always tweaking my gear to make it more functional, streamlined, reliable,... Whether it is retrofitting my fins with spring (ahem, I mean bungee) straps, adding a D-ring, re-routing straps, adding a regulator swivel, ... Tweaking my gear is almost a sport with me.

[cloudflint]

For me I just used whatever worked so I got a mix of all sorts.

[ZKY]

The first time I see someone decked out in all matching brand name gear and all brand new I'm running the opposite direction as fast as I can.

[Bigd2722]

Fins - Atomic
Booties - Akona
Socks - EVO
Wet Suit - Liquid Fit
Computers - Suunto
Compass - Suunto
Watch - Citizen
Gloves - EVO
Back Plate - Dayo
Knife - Atomic
Line Cutter - Dive Rite
Weight Belt - Omer
Wing - HOG
Lights - Intova and UK
Regulator - HOG
Octo - Sherwood
Mask - Tusa
Pockets - Zeagle
BC inflator - Zeagle
the rest of my gear is a mixed bag

[j2s]

Like other members I mix/match, cannibalize and pull parts from several brands to make a 'custom' piece of gear....If I can't find what I want, I'll make it myself..........Whatever works best for me....

[nolatom]

Mostly scubapro.

But mismatched fins ever since one drifted away while working finless on a Stetson drilling trip. Boat gave me an orphan fin, I can't tell the diff in finning, though one is green and square, the other silver and longer (Scubabpro, Aqua Lung).

I'm easy to identify in the water that way...

Also too cheap to buy new fins just so they'll match when these work okay.

[whitlockca]

I wouldn't know what to do if all of my gear was the same brand ... hehe... Oceanic,
Mares, Aeris, the list goes on.

[jewelofnile69]

Mostly scubapro.

But mismatched fins ever since one drifted away while working finless on a Stetson drilling trip. Boat gave me an orphan fin, I can't tell the diff in finning, though one is green and square, the other silver and longer (Scubabpro, Aqua Lung).

I'm easy to identify in the water that way...

Also too cheap to buy new fins just so they'll match when these work okay.

Did you swim in a circle till you got a 2nd fin? LOL :rofl3:

----

But as to the question...all sorts of stuff: aqualung, scubapro, cressi, mares, oceanic, seaflite.... (I can't remember 1/2 of it.)

[BKSZEA]

No real brand loyalty... whatever fits/feels the best:

Mask - Mares
Wetsuit - Oceanic
BCD - Zeagle
Reg - Oceanic
Computer - Oceanic/Sherwood
Fins - US Divers
Knife - US Divers
Booties - Sea Sports (cheap at Walmart)