Should I buy equipment?

[tenley]

I am trying to figure out if it's worthwhile for me to buy dive equipment.

I am planning two dive trips per year, one to a place live Belize where I'd likely do a liveaboard and another to a place like Florida for a three-day weekend. In total, probably 8-10 days of diving per year with 2-3 dives per day.

I am concerned about cost and safety. If I am traveling with my dive equipment, do I have to pay excess luggage fees that outweigh the savings of buying my equipment?

So far I have only ever dived with rental equipment so my standards are pretty low... however, I have been to dive shops in Malaysia that did not rinse their dive gear after a dive so that made me nervous. (Won't the salt corrode the equipment and cause safety problems?)

How much are maintenance fees to keep my equipment safe? I am not a do-it-yourself kind of person.

I currently own a dive computer, mask and fins... so I am looking at BCD and regulator.

Thanks so much for your help!
Tenley

 

[dmoore19]

I have a similar situation. I purchased my own gear early on. Making sure the gear is properly cleaned and is in good working condition is neither difficult nor tremendously expensive. The confidence in knowing what to expect every you dive was valuable and worth the investment for me. In my experience, International flights include 1 or 2 checked bags that weigh <50lbs. Domestic flights usually carry a charge for the bag. I would pay it and take my own stuff with me.

Now what to buy is "a whole nother can of worms". Good Luck

 

[DevonDiver]

You hit the nail on the head in identifying the two factors that should influence your decision.

1) Cost. Will you get a 'return of investment' on the kit? Identify the full cost (purchase + servicing etc) and expected lifespan of the kit. Balance that cost, over its lifespan, against the cost of rentals...

2) Safety. Establish the actual risks imposed by rental kit in the area/s you will be diving in. Have you yet to experience an incident? Are there alternative diving operations available in those locations that have better quality rental gear? Will worrying about rental equipment detract from the quality of diving that you enjoy?

If I am traveling with my dive equipment, do I have to pay excess luggage fees that outweigh the savings of buying my equipment?

Only if your total baggage exceeds the alowance given by the airline. It is quite possible to put together a light-weight and rugged set of equipment that is suitable for travelling. With judicious selection of your non-diving items (clothes, toiletteries, electronics, books etc), you should be able to avoid ever paying surplus baggage charges.

I can get my BP&W, Force Fins, 4th Element Thermocline suit, titanium regs and mask into my carry-on baggage...so there's no excuse for exceeding a check-in baggage allowance

Won't the salt corrode the equipment and cause safety problems?

Yes, it will. A responsible dive operation should ensure that it's equipment is rinsed properly after each day of diving, checked for functionality and stored properly.

That said, the primary probem with salt water effecting non-oxidising/rusting materials (not many of those in scuba kit) only arise when they dry. The salt crystal can then damage materials and cause abrasion etc. If the kit is used daily, then this becomes less of a problem. For the recreational diver, with their own kit, the gaps between diving make this more of a concern and proper rinsing and storage become very critical.

How much are maintenance fees to keep my equipment safe?

They will vary. When considering the purchase of equipment, you should be investigating the availability of service/spares in your local area. Check with those providers to confirm the costs. The servicng costs for different brands can vary drastically.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

You are the only one who can answer that. As a diver I'd say rent your stuff unless you are unsure of the maintenance on the rental stuff.

As an instructor I'd say buy your reg and a good travel BC and fall back on the information you should have received in your OW class about caring for gear. All of that information should have been in there.

As a dive equipment retailer I'd also say buy but don't go crazy with it. You do not need a $500 BC and $800 reg for the diving you plan to do. I could put you in a complete set up - weight integrated BC and reg with 2 gauge console or just an SPG for around $600 bucks- shipped. And if that is the type of diving you'd be doing everything would fit in a carry-on.

As to how those items would be for traveling; they'd be fine and if you plan on checking a bag anyway there would be no excess fees other than the usual checked bag fee. I could also put you in a modular system for just a bit more and everything would fit in a carry-on as well. A liveaboard you'd only have a few pairs of shorts and some t shirts anyway plus what you wore on the plane. 3 day weekend in Florida to dive - change of underwear would be enough for me.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I think that another factor is just how you feel about having/using your own gear vs. renting.

I was miserable in rental gear. Not because I was worried about the safety of it* but more because it didn't fit me, was questionable on the sanitation front, was different each time, and was a question mark hanging over every trip before I even got there. All these things made it more stressful than fun. And it was not really about facts and figures, as you can tell.

Since I got my own gear it's like a whole different world.

BUT, that's me, and it may not be you. I just wanted to present it as a concept.

Blue Sparkle

*Not that one shouldn't concern oneself with the safety of rental gear; I'm just saying that wasn't the thing about it that made me miserable.

 

[casyen]

Well everything depend on your personal taste and cost as far as i am concerned, I only used rental instrument, When i started diving, to see if i liked it or not, and before i bought my gear, to see which brand i will be more at ease with.

For me its a question of personal hygiene first [ you can easily catch a fungal infection or so on rental equipments, and also when you have your own equipment, you will know what to expect of them.
If you care for them and maintain them then rest assured they will serve you for many years.
As for rental you don't have any warranty of what to expect. Anyway the final decision is yours

 

[Token]

I am concerned about cost and safety. If I am traveling with my dive equipment, do I have to pay excess luggage fees that outweigh the savings of buying my equipment?

How much are maintenance fees to keep my equipment safe? I am not a do-it-yourself kind of person.

I currently own a dive computer, mask and fins... so I am looking at BCD and regulator.

A regulator set won't add to your luggage weight much [you can even carry it aboard with you] and cleanliness and regular maintenance is worth the cost, IMHO. A lightweight travel BCD may be worthwhile, but if you are happy with wetsuit rental then perhaps a rental BCD as well is the way to go.

Personally, I like to own my own equipment for the sake of familiarity and, and I don't mind the extra cost involved. Considering that the gear I have now will likely last me for the rest of my life, it's worth it.

 

[flyindiver75]

The piece of mind of owning your own gear to me is priceless. As was stated previously a good travel BC and reg can be had relatively inexpensively with minimal impact on the weight of your baggage. I have drug my gear through mexico, Hondura, and the Bahamas and have no regrets and have had no issues with baggage weight.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

In your profile it says you live in DC correct? If you live near any body of water there is probably fantastic diving close by. I would purchase gear and explore the diving close by. The only sales pitch my open water instructor gave us is that divers who purchase there own gear are more likely to become active divers.

 

[ajtoady]

I like knowing when and where my equipment was serviced. It has also been set to my preferences as far as fit and comfort. I know that you can rent some good gear but its like driving your own car. You know it's behaviors and feel at home in it.