What did you buy that you regret?

[TSandM]

A lot of people -- myself included -- keep giving beginners the advice NOT to buy gear for a while but to rent and figure out what they really need or want. I was actually given this advice from a good friend before I bought MY gear . . . but I wanted to dive, and to dive I needed gear, so I made the best decisions I could at the time. Most of them were okay, but a couple were, in retrospect, bad decisions.

If I had it to do over, I would NOT: Buy a console computer. My husband and I, for reasons I can't clearly remember, decided that wrist-mounted gauges would be too much hassle. We were wrong. Consoles are too much hassle. Either they hang, or you clip them up to something and then have to pull them out to look at them. I have since bought a wrist computer and intend to give up the console. I would also NOT: Equip my BC with an Air2. It seemed like a good idea at the time, eliminating a hose and improving streamlining (my husband and I wanted simple gear, streamlined, and standardized for the two of us . . . small wonder I'm going DIR, huh?) It is a very awkward device to use for air-sharing, and even more complicated if you have to do an ascent. If I had bought a second second stage, converting my gear to a DIR setup would be much simpler as well.

So what gear-buying decisions did other people make that they regretted later?

 

[Rick Inman]

I bought an Atomic M1 reg last year and got the yoke first stage. I have since converted it to DIN, which I should have gotten in the first place for the same price, instead of having to buy the 50.00 conversion.

 

[Moose016]

spare air, piece of crap never worked right and have only used it twice before it needed hydro, also the fill valve got stuck and came out. On the other end I bought a used BC for $100 and a rebuilt full reg from a shop for $200 that I still use and saved a lot of monry on equipment, I just can't see spending the kind of money some people do.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Hi Lynne,

This topic always seems to bring out those who enjoy accusing others of gear "bashing" or having an "attitude" so perhaps we can make it clear that these are our personal thoughts with no implication that just because I might regret buying something doesn't mean your choice was poorly made. Maybe folks can also try to restrain themselves from defending their favorite piece of gear...right!

Gotta run but I'll get back to you with my list.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

What did you buy that you regret?

Engagement ring

 

[gecko3s]

:icoeek:

Engagement ring

that sucks

 

[vladimir]

What a great idea for a thread! I don't think we've ever had a DIR type lamenting their console or AIRII purchase before. Maybe we can get a discussion going later on how life became worth living after trying the backplate/wing.

 

[Avic7]

I regret buying my snorkel...it was awkard and wasn't really useful since I swim on my back when I am on the surface. Oh and I crushed it last week by accident when I slammed the car door while leaving the dive site.

 

[TSandM]

I'm sorry; maybe this has been thoroughly done before.

I am not a "DIR-type". I just wish I had bought gauges I could see more easily, and an alternate air source that was easier to use. Even if I never took the DIR course, I would feel that way about those things.

I have also begun to think my snorkel is less than useful, and my husband (who won't have anything to DO with DIR) discarded his some time ago.

Maybe there's no consensus as to what people have bought and found less than useful. But I wish I had had a thread on this topic to read before I made MY investments.

 

[gcbryan]

Console,snorkle,aluminum tank,non-HID light,retractors,tank light.