Hi there new diver here, what gear should I buy?

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Hi there, I wasn't sure where to post this but, I was looking for a good BCD and regulator(and octopus) and perhaps a mask(i may need prescription for seeing, but if there is a good mask for good price ill buy it and just use contact lenses), and a drop leg knife(with black blade if possible) for around 500 - 600 dollars?

Preferably with military type specs/look, and I will be needing a frame-less mask, unless a normal one of good quality will do fine (i don't know if its the quality of the masks i used in training, or my facial structure that it starts to hurt and get sore). Preferably fully blacked out in color for all the gear.

I am looking for an all weather set, as I live in a place with cold water; but would like to use it for warm water when i travel

I am looking to buy this stuff for myself at christmas time

thanks guys
 
Someone will shortly be along to tell you to buy a bp/w, HOG regs, and a trilobite from Dive Right In Scuba instead.
 
You can't even get one good regulator for less than $700. Rent for awhile until you know what you need.


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You can't even get one good regulator for less than $700. Rent for awhile until you know what you need. /QUOTE]

That is not true at all. I sell regulators every day that are very good regs for far less then $700. In fact right now I can do a Black Friday Special, black plate, black harness, black wing and all black regulators for about $700.00.
 
Hi there, I wasn't sure where to post this but, I was looking for a good BCD and regulator(and octopus) and perhaps a mask(i may need prescription for seeing, but if there is a good mask for good price ill buy it and just use contact lenses), and a drop leg knife(with black blade if possible) for around 500 - 600 dollars?

Preferably with military type specs/look, and I will be needing a frame-less mask, unless a normal one of good quality will do fine (i don't know if its the quality of the masks i used in training, or my facial structure that it starts to hurt and get sore). Preferably fully blacked out in color for all the gear.

I am looking for an all weather set, as I live in a place with cold water; but would like to use it for warm water when i travel
While a lot of dive gear is black anyway, you might want to focus on more important features than "military type specs/look" and color, especially when you are working on a budget.

As long as you're looking at low profile silicone dive masks with tempered glass and not toys, a "good" mask is the one that fits best - comfortable and doesn't leak. The only way to find this is to try on a bunch, no one can tell you which one it is on an internet forum. If you're lucky the one that works best will be happen to be inexpensive. It's possible to get masks that take corrective lenses, but it depends on what you are correcting for. You can also get lenses ground and bonded to any mask. There are pros and cons to contacts vs prescription masks that are worth looking up if you haven't already.

It's important that you can reach your cutting tool(s), and that it will cut what you need to cut. The color of the blade, not so important when you get yourself tangled up in some fishing line. There are tradeoffs in sharpness, ability to hold an edge, and corrosion resistance that are worth considering. There are other cutting tools besides knives, usually cheaper and in many situations they work better. An inexpensive pair of EMT shears lacks cool factor but is often more useful than a knife. Some people swear by cut off serrated steak knives in a simple webbing sheath, also cheap and no big deal if (when) you lose it. (Realize that the likelihood of losing a knife seems to go up with price - dive enough, and you can probably find yourself a nice one on the bottom soon enough.)

As far as a "good" BC or reg, with a few exceptions there aren't really bad ones - what's good for any one person depends on a variety of things some of which aren't known here. And as with masks, fit of a BC is very important. (Although yes, someone will be along to tell you to buy a bp/w, HOG regs, and a trilobite shortly.)
 
Focus on function before looks when buying gear, after your first year of diving, your gear will be of mismatching colors anyway, when you realize that your buddy's pink knife is superior to your all black knife, the yellow fins you borrowed gives you a lot less cramps than your all black military style jet fins, the all clear mask whit side lenses gives you much more light than your all black mask and so on.

Also having bright colored gear makes it easier for your buddy to see and locate you in low light / bad vis. situations.

As for knifes, I am happy with my Aqualung scissor knife, the only thing about it that I am not happy about is that it have a pointy tip, I want a blunt one so I can use it for digging and less risk of poking a hole in my BCD or dry suit.
 
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Could also join the navy, try out for seal or eod and get all the gear for free. Plus get paid.
Seriously as Bob said some of us can fix you up with a bpw and reg right now for your budget. Would have to look elsewhere for the pig sticker though. Not really a useful item for most divers.
 
I'll paraphrase what 80% of the replies to this thread are going to be;

"You need to buy what I bought, everything else is rubbish"

People need affirmation of their spending decisions.
 
a mask(i may need prescription for seeing, but if there is a good mask for good price ill buy it and just use contact lenses)

I will be needing a frame-less mask

One of the experts will correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure, but I believe if you foresee the possibility of wanting prescription mask lenses, you need to go with a subframe mask, not a frameless.
 

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