Newbie looking for some advise

[William Gordon]

I'm just going through my open water now, i realized that the rental equipment is basically used bottom of the line equipment.

My friend used to do a lot of diving, all over the world and has some (what seems to me as) great stuff.. His new wife isn't into diving, and he hasn't been under for about ten years.

I know him well, and he is the type of guy that takes good care of his stuff.

He offered to sell me his gear:

US Diver SAE first stage/w US Diver Arctic regulator and US Diver Micra adjustable octopus regulator.  $175
 
US Diver Sea Master Tech BCD XL $150
 
Henderson 6.5MM farmer John wetsuit/w coldwater hood & gloves $75

He will let me try it, during my training, before I buy it

Three aluminum tanks, needs hydrostatic done $65 a piece.

I am assuming that the gear is circa +\- year 2000

I figured basically $500 for a full set up is better than renting, then buying brand new very expensive gear

Two questions

1) good deal?
2) it's hard to find information on the Internet about the above stuff, does anyone have any links or ways I can look up the stuff he has?

1

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'd go more like 250 for the whole set up. You are looking at a min of 100 to get the regs serviced on top of the buying price. Offer 125 for em
BC is a $50 item
Another 50 for the suit and gloves
And 50 each on the tanks as they will need hydro and vis. And depending on how old they actually are some shops may not want to mess with them.

I also have to take an exception with your statement regarding rental gear. If that is the case with your shop or the ones you deal with I'd find another shop. That is not my experience with the shops I prefer to use.

 

[rhwestfall]

William, I tend to think you may be confusing "low end" with "simple", or "reliable", or "workhorse". Knowing how much use this stuff gets (rentals & class), and the treatment it gets, its likely better than you think, or it wouldn't last.....

as to the equipment: The regs will likely cost you $25 a stage + parts to service. Tanks will require a hydro & vis ($45 from shops around here). Look at what LeisurePro is selling new ones at and consider the value. i think Jim is pretty close....

 

[William Gordon]

Thanks... And your right.. But I guess the quetion is.. Do I keep paying $100 per weekend for there gear, you buy myself used (as described above) or a cheaper entry level set up?

Also regulator doesnt include gauges.. So I would have to get them or a computer too

 

[William Gordon]

I check leisure pro... It's just that it's so confusing on what package to get.. They have them from $550-$1500... I will be doing 90% of my dives in New England, late spring/early fall type dives. I like the weight pockets... But besides that.. I am lost on what I should be aiming for... I hope to do a couple weekends a year, but would like to be diving as my son grows up during the next ten or so years at least.... I don't mind spending some money.. But don't need to break the bank... If you can, some suggestions would help ...

I like the idea of owning my own, rather than renting... Its my life down there..

 

[birdwrasse]

william,

i would strongly encourage you to visit your local dive shop and buy from them. you want the shop to benefit from your purchase because you want them to stay in business. yes, i know times are tough, but buying from the store will benefit you several fold. when you need help with your gear, they are the best ones to give it. you are going to need it regularly maintained and they too are the best ones to do it. you are going to need tanks and air, and even if you buy your own tanks, you are going to need fills. once you are regularly diving and understand your gear a little better, buying online can save you some money. people think of buying online as a one stop saving... that is not always the case. making sure you have equipment that fits and is assembled properly is also important. some equipment is fine right out of the box, and other equipment needs to be bench tested before it's used. if you can't afford all new gear at once, buy one piece now. buy another piece later, and so on. the other thing you have to keep in mind is that it is very likely that the shop you buy your gear will also service it. there is nothing worse than having older gear and for something to break or need servicing/replacing right before a trip for the parts to have to be special ordered or not available. performance of newer gear has changed through the years as well. you might find some improvements with the newer gear that you find more comfortable. please remember, that just because someone says they have taken great care of their gear and they are trustworthy, doesn't mean that the gear doesn't have issues. as mentioned earlier, older gear doesn't mean not as good as newer gear, but it might mean that it might not be right for you. one last thing about the farmer john! have you ever worn one? sorry to say it was the first wetsuit i ever bought. i hated it! if you're going to be diving in cold water, consider a one piece, even if it's used, but invest in better gloves, a hood, and thicker boots. if your hands, feet, and head are warm, you will be more comfortable. farmer john's are often bulky and sometimes too warm as they often double up in the chest. that means more lead on you too. i've done drift diving in the colorado river in a one piece 7mm with the water in the 40's... chilly, but doable. have fun in you ow class and dive safely. cheers, --carlos

 

[birdwrasse]

p.s. one other thing... as someone that bought a lot more gear than i ever really needed, a dive shop can help you narrow, as well as curtail, your buying impulses. why buy something, and then outgrow it in a year, and buy something else to replace it... they can help you to plan ahead!

--c

 

[deepair]

I would agree. You are always better off buying from a shop for all of the reasons mentioned above. I always tell students that what you save buying on the internet you will spend over the first couple of years you have the annual service done. Also many of the manufacturers will not honor a warranty on equipment sold over the internet. I know of several people who have bought used equipment and then found out that either our shop could not service or the manufacturer was no longer in business. Find a local Dive Shop and let them help you find the right gear for the type of diving you will be doing.

Bill