Equipment advice and hints

[beester]

Hi Guys,

I would like your advice or just general hints and recommendations on the following equipment. Just to give a setting, I have dived for 4 years about 12 years ago and started training again 4 months ago. First dives are under my belt. I live in Belgium and will dive year around (so general cold water diving).

Scubapro Mk17-G250V (according to my lds scubapro is reissuing a version of the G250) or S600 as main regulator. (Not bought yet)
Scubapro MK16-R290 as secondary (bungeed) regulator (got a bargain on this one).

Pinnacle Artic 7mm suit (Merino lined whatever that means).
Pinnacle 5 mm vest with hood

SeaQuest Black Diamond BC (also tried a Scubapro Masterjacket, but the integrated weight and the fact that the blatter is on the back made me choose this one...already bought)

Have an old pair of Scubapro jetfins... the rubber straps are ruined after 12 year but thinking about replacing them with springstraps... other option is buying new Mares Quattros. (not sure yet)

Computer: Probably a wristmounted Suunto Vyper 2 (not bought yet... probably in May).

Other stuff: Suunto SK7 wristmounted compass, old scubapro depthmeter (had it recalibrated), divinglamp will have to wait until after summer.

I know that most divers have a sort of fetish with their equipment. Everybody will suggest other things... but just by posting this and reading reactions I'll learn alot about your experiences.

Thanks for your input!

[beester]

Nobody an opinion on the above shortlist?

[spectrum]

Nothing too controversial that I can see. All solid items loved by many.

* Get the spring straps
* Get your light and enjoy some night dives

Pete

[drew52]

Nothing wrong with the list and I second the spring straps on the tried and trusted jet fins.

Either 2nd stage is good. The S600 is smaller then the G250 but many people choose the G250.

I own the MK16 and my wife has the MK17. Both are great cold water 1st Stages.

[beester]

Nothing too controversial that I can see. All solid items loved by many.

* Get the spring straps
* Get your light and enjoy some night dives

Pete

Thanks for your advice guys... Chosing nothing too controversial is probably the reason why nobody was interested

Anybody know something about a Scubapro MK19 1st stage? It's being advertised by my lds but I haven't found any info on it online. MK25 and MK2 I ofcourse know.


Cheers!

[Jimmer]

The only thing on your list I have personal experience with is pinnacle wetsuits. I dive a merino lined suit, 5/4mm, and I love it, super comfortable, and very warm. Very high quality construction too. I'd had mine in 42 degree water at 130 feet, and I can honestly say I was comfortable, but to qualify that I dont get cold easily or often (good Canadian blood in me ).

[beester]

The only thing on your list I have personal experience with is pinnacle wetsuits. I dive a merino lined suit, 5/4mm, and I love it, super comfortable, and very warm. Very high quality construction too. I'd had mine in 42 degree water at 130 feet, and I can honestly say I was comfortable, but to qualify that I dont get cold easily or often (good Canadian blood in me ).

Thanks for the update... All the other equipment I've have had advice one way or the other from people who had practical experience with it... but the pinnacle 7+5mm Artic I bought without any knowledge about the brand... just because the suit fitted very well. Other people in the club recommended bare artic, waterproof.. but the pinnacle fitted the best.

I will also be diving rather cold water (this sunday will be about 41°F) so this is a rather big concern.

Cheers

[drbill]

If the G250V is a new version of the old tried and true G250/HP, I would want to know more information. I'm not very impressed with the way ScubaPro has "upgraded" their new lines following their take over by Johnson. I love the earlier G250's and dive with them pretty much exclusively.

[beester]

If the G250V is a new version of the old tried and true G250/HP, I would want to know more information. I'm not very impressed with the way ScubaPro has "upgraded" their new lines following their take over by Johnson. I love the earlier G250's and dive with them pretty much exclusively.

Hi Dr Bill,

I'm a newbie so I can't give you detailled info on the G250V. However when I last visited my LDS to enquire about a main 1st and 2nd stage scubapro the owner (who is a 3*cmas instructor) told me that I'd better wait until the new version of the G250 came out. He told me that it would be a G250HP but with a metal inner tube (whatever that means) and that it would be together with the MK17 the best coldwater combo from scubapro (and cheaper than mk25/S600 or mk17/S600).

It's going to be available in Europe from late january 2007. The only link that I can find is the one below (a dutch online shop).

http://www.diveshop.nl/product_info....75&language=en

I'm visiting the LDS tomorrow and will let you know what I can find.

Cheers

Beester

[DutchDown]

Are you sure you don't want a drysuit? I think you will enjoy your cold water dives a lot more wearing one. I've read about the Pinnacle wetsuit and it appears to be a very good choice. But I don't dive wet in The Netherlands anymore since buying a drysuit 3 years ago.

Phil