gear review

[ScottB]

Trig, Here is a set of tank specs from Tech Diving Limited. Scuba Cylinder Specifications from Tech Diving Limited - 928-855-9400

Be aware there is often some variance between individual tanks.

-Scott

 

[trig009]

thank you for the specs and the warning about individual tanks being slightly different.

how would you go about testing and adjusting your buoyancy?

sorry for all the questions. i am just trying to have the best grasp of as much as i can before my cert to help make everything easier and more enjoyable.

 

[Hatul]

The classic way to set your weighting is with a buoyancy check with near empty tank say 500 PSI just below the surface 10-15 ft. With BC empty you should be neutral.

Going from Al 80 to HP Steel 100 I was able to shed about 7 lbs. On top of that the weight of the tank is nicely distributed over your torso, much like the back-plate in the BP/Wing system, which is nice for trim.

For general purpose I'd go with the 100 over the 80. It will give you extra air and also sometimes your fill will be 3000 psi rather than 3440 and that will reduce your air.

The best steel tanks are made in Canada by Worthington and sold under the XS Scuba brand.

http://www.xsscuba.com/tank_steel.html

Going back to the computer, you can get something simple like the Vyper and later get a fancier computer. They're getting better all the time. It's nice to do dive with 2 computers, so you don't have to worry about one failing.

Adam

 

[trig009]

thank you for the suggestion on a good company. i was planing on keeping the computer from sherwood and running with a remote one. is it possible to run the wisdom 2 computer and a remote wrist computer with transmitters at the same time?

 

[Hatul]

thank you for the suggestion on a good company. i was planing on keeping the computer from sherwood and running with a remote one. is it possible to run the wisdom 2 computer and a remote wrist computer with transmitters at the same time?

I did not see that you had chosen a computer. The Sherwood Wisdom 2 is a good choice as well. It's a fine air-integrated computer. You don't need to go wireless, which has its own problems.

Adam

 

[Bubbletrubble]

how would you go about testing and adjusting your buoyancy?

sorry for all the questions. i am just trying to have the best grasp of as much as i can before my cert to help make everything easier and more enjoyable.

I apologize for not catching this before. You have bought all of this gear...and you haven't even gotten certified yet. To varying degrees, all divers are gear hounds. We completely understand your excitement about buying cool stuff for your new hobby. We've all been there.

At this point, the best thing you can do is stop buying stuff (perhaps even return some of the stuff you bought, such as the octo inflater). Save your dive $$$ for training, gaining more experience, and taking dive vacations. Most dive shops include gear rentals in the price of basic OW certification. Take advantage of this. Try to use the time/experience to figure out what you like/don't like. You may find that you don't like an air-integrated computer. You may learn that you like a different brand reg more. You may prefer a different style BCD. You might be perfectly happy with an AL80 tank rather than a steel tank.

You mentioned that you didn't want to buy a $600 starter set only to have to upgrade to a $2000+ set later. You also stated that you are interested in doing tech diving at some point. Here's what will happen when you transition to tech diving: You'll ditch the octo-inflater for a standalone octo and simple power inflater. The octo will be the same high quality second stage that your primary reg is. You will convert to a long hose setup. You'll ditch the Sherwood BCD for a backplate and wing, which is much more configurable for the demands of tech diving. You will probably switch out your Sherwood Wisdom 2 for a simple brass and glass SPG and a wrist-mounted bottom timer. You'll buy a backup bottom timer. You'll get a wrist-mounted Suunto SK7 compass. When you look back on your original gear purchases, you'll realize that your starter set cost you a lot more than $600. That's just the way I see things playing out. (Full disclosure: I'm not even a tech diver.)

If you really want to slant your gear buying in the tech diving direction, talk to real tech divers. Ask them what kind of gear they would recommend that you get.

In my opinion, expensive gear purchases (BCD, reg, computer, tanks) should be made after basic OW class and only when the diver has determined that he/she wants to pursue the sport further. Probably the first thing beyond personal gear (mask, snorkel, fins) that you should buy is a properly fitting wetsuit that's thick enough for your local dive conditions. Hope you find this advice helpful...

 

[M_Bipartitus]

thank you all for the info. i will have to look into a simpler diver computer as you suggested, i was just going to get the D9 because i really want to get into more advanced dive types and it looked like it would be able to handle any dive type i could think of doing.
...

Unless you want to spend $1k-$2k on a dive computer, I think you will find that a basic nitrox computer with a user-settable gauge mode is more than sufficient even for the most "advanced dive types." Should you one day choose to get the necessary training to go past the recreational limits in diving, a basic gauge mode on a computer is sufficient (along with appropriate dive tables).

That said the Wisdom series was very popular for NDL diving at the shop I did my OW class.

 

[trig009]

thank you all for the info. there is some things i need to clear up. yes i did want to get things ordered before i got home for the reason i said before of getting used to my gear from the start. how ever the gear i bought was in a package and totaled at just over 800 instead of the 1700 listed price of everything individually, minus the watch that was 380 on amazon (for work and diving)

that was a lot of good info on gear and i am thankful that you made it so detailed for later when i start to move into tech diving. you are right in saying that gear like this should be bought after OW cert, but i don't take getting into something lightly and know i will love it. not to mention i am planning on taking the army dive course about 8 months after i get back to the states. the one amazing thing i will say about the army is that it is very easy not to spend money on things, so you can spend it on things you like. i have already scheduled my OW cert and 6 dive days between tampa and the keys. i plan on going as much as i can before i have to come back over here for the rest of my tour.

one last thing is that i am done buying things and have everything i need until i can get into a shop and try on the rest of the gear save for the tank. i am going to rent those for this trip to see what tanks work best with the gear i have.

again thank you all for this info and your thoughts on things.

 

[TheKim]

"so i guess i have to have 5 posts before i can have the links in here, that sucks. i would like to meet the person who made them make that rule"

Yeah, I like to post links as well, but the rule is a pretty sensible one, otherwise forums tend to fill up with spam pretty quickly.

 

[TheKim]

You're right about the Suunto. It is a very capable instrument, but unless you use very frequently and are intimately familiar with it's functions, it can be a bit confusing, and even more so 30 meters underwater. Best to go with simple watches with big bright dials and oversized hands and markers for easy readability.