A newbie diver from Philippines

[vp_zarate]

Hi This is Paulo, a licensed PADI - OW & AOW diver. I first enjoyed diving last December 2012 wherein me
and my friends decided to have our intro dive in Boracay. Since, then I knew that I want to explore more
and get into diving.

Now, can you help me identify which brand should I buy for the following items; i think this is a must
have. right?

1. rash guard - I'm thinking Aqua lung. Is it good?
2. Wetsuit. I've read that in the Philippines we should buy 3mm - 5mm right? Which brand should I buy?
3. Mask - Saw one in the mall it cost 2K+ (Mares). Is that good? or there's better one with lower price?
4. Regulator - here I don't have any idea yet.

Is there any dive shop in Makati, Philippines where we can buy all of this and have a different brand that we can choose from?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[dimac]

Congratulations!

1 & 2) do you plan on protection from the cold or just to avoid stings? I dive with a wetsuit during photo dives because of the longer time UW. but for fun dives I just use board shorts and a shirt.
3) try the shops and see what fits you. No one usually recommends a specific mask because all our faces are shaped differently.
4) have a look at the shops near you and from there, do a search here on Scuba Board. They all work. I think no modern reg performs horribly. It's more of initial budget, serviceability, material/weight, and aesthetics.

Stores that I know of in Makati are Aquaventure (aqualung/apeks regs), Nautilus (not sure), ScubaWorld/Pacifica (ScubaPro), Mares (Mares).

Hope this helps

 

[Pao]

Welcome vp!

Nautilus is my first choice if you are cost conscious - Arnaiz (Pasay Road Makati) - 8177293
If you want to splurge then Pacifica is the place for you - Chino Roces (Ziebart) - 8464220
1. Wet suit - 3mm, 5 IMHO is too thick for local conditions, I personally use a 1 mm for short (1 hr or so dives). All my suits are "generic" from Nautilus.
2. Mask - Go to a dive shop and try everything in sight! Be patient. Don't be afraid to ask and try. It is very personal. I had to go through 5 sets to finally get it right and I ended up getting a "generic" frameless mask which is a fraction of the cost of my 1st mask.
3. Fins - any reputable open heel fin brand will do - Mares, Scubapro, Aqualung, Cressi etc. I personally use rubber paddle fins. They need a little bit of getting used to but once you learn to use them you'll love (or hate) them ;-).
4. Rash guard - Scubapro, Aqualung, Mares just get them from a proper dive shop. They are way overpriced in malls.
5. Regulator - My personal favorite is Apeks. Any reputable brand will do. You can research it online but beware of "praise releases" from manufacturers and "review" articles which are actually sponsored by the manufacturers. Always ask for cost of service and parts availability as you will need to have it serviced every year or so. SB is an excellent resource where you can actually ask people who use the same equipment.
6. You should also be looking at buying your own computer and BCD. Few resorts/shops rent out computers and a BCD is also essential life support equipment.

You can post questions to the group as there are many here who are more than willing to help. Just try to be as specific as possible to get more meaningful answers.
We also have our own little corner in Scubaboard dedicated to the Philippines and diving in the Philippines: Philippine Paradise Divers

Don't hesitate to ask!

 

[drbill]

I rarely make gear recommendations for others as there are many individual preferences. However, congratulations on starting your diving experience in a fantastic area to dive! I spent three weeks diving in Anilao and Puerto Galera earlier this year.