i'll disagree with Tim above, you can buy whatever equipment you want and almost guarantee you will be able to keep it forever, the key is in knowing what you ultimately want to do and buy equipment appropriate for that. I still own the original fins, BC, regs, and tanks that I purchased while taking OW. I don't use the BC or regs all that often because I rarely dive single tank, but when I do put a single tank on, they are what I go to.
Now, $1700 is a ripoff imho. Not sure which LDS you are going to, but they are pushing you to high margin gear for them so they're set up to make a lot of money.
$500 of that goes away for a combo AOW/Nitrox course, I personally don't believe AOW is a worthwhile course, but it is required to get on most charter boats, and Nitrox is 100% worthwhile. I think it is a crime that it isn't included in all OW courses at this point since it doesn't require any dives, and especially with the eLearning modules from PADI would be negligible to include. Rant over.
So you have $1200 to spend and want quality equipment, what do you do?
First thing is I would write $500 off of that and purchase a Deep Sea Supply backplate and wing. It offers the best bang for your buck of any of the rigs out there, made in the USA, good support, and great features that no one else has, especially for single tank rigs. The "normal" recommendation is the SS backplate with LCD20 or 30 wing, or the Torus 26. Either would be perfect for warm sunny Florida diving. Depending on your size, Tobin is also the only manufacturer to offer more than 2 sizes of backplates, so if you're tall, or wide, it's a great option for fit.
DeepSeaSupply - Products
Call Tobin, he is more than happy to give you advice on what would be the best option for you.
Next up is reg sets. $600 will get you a Dive Rite XT streamlined OW regulator package. This is a great package and you will literally never HAVE to upgrade. Dive Rite offers some great features, is both fairly easily serviced globally, but also have the ability to purchase parts and service yourself, and their lifetime warranty is not predicated on proof of annual service. This will save you a LOT of money in the long run as regulators do not have to be serviced yearly if they are used regularly, 2-3 years is fairly common for service intervals. In technical diving we typically service them when something goes wrong. Purchase an IP gauge and use it before each day of diving, and the first stage will tell you when it is time to service it when the IP is no longer stable.
This package includes equipment that is suitable for any diving from single tank recreational, up to trimix expedition. I recommend if you have an extra $100 to spend, getting the doubles package now, because the first stage is the one that is normally prone to failing. Having a backup first stage will allow you to quickly swap all of your hoses over with an adjustable wrench and then go back at a later date and get them serviced. The swap takes less than 5 minutes and can be done on the boat, as opposed to not having it, and if it fails you are done until you can get the first stage serviced.
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite XT Regulator Backmount Package - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
If you decide that you don't want the long hose, call the shop and talk to Edd or John, and they will change it out for a shorter hose, 40" is recommended with the swivel to go under the right shoulder and up, this provides an extremely streamlined regulator setup.
If you go to 2:10 in this video, you can see how this routes with a singles setup. It is VERY slick
that ate up most of your budget, and you need/want a computer. Deep6 will have theirs out in a few weeks for around $150 and that will be the best deal out there. Unfortunately it uses RGBM, but for recreational diving I am willing to overlook that for the price.
Hollis DG03 w/FREE Dry Box | Dive Gear Express®
That is a better computer, I would add the bungee mount from Deep Sea Supply for $20, but not bother with the usb interface or AI transmitters. It is a nice backup computer that will realistically take you through basic technical training because it is set up for multigas with decompression. It is the best bang for the buck right now.
So that's a bit over, it's $500+$700+$270=~$1500, but it is MUCH higher quality gear that what you were offered, and unless you decide to go to sidemount *the DSS rig can't be used for sidemount *, or doubles *you would need to purchase a doubles wing, but the plate and harness stay*, then nothing will have to be replaced. There is no backmount BC's better than the Deep Sea Supply rigs, different sure, but none better. There are no significantly better regs than the Dive Rite XT's, in terms of quality and user noticeable breathing characteristics, sure computers can tell some are minutely better, but as a diver, you can't tell. While there are most certainly better computers out there than the DG03, the Perdix is the best computer on the market, it is 3x the cost of the DG03, and there aren't really any computers in the middle that I'd really recommend. If you like the Perdix, call Cave Adventurers and see if they will put together a package price on the regs and computer for you, might knock a couple hundred bucks off, but no guarantees of that.
Contact a couple of shops for pricing on AOW with Nitrox, and interview a few instructors, I know Pompano Dive Center has some good instructors, but not all that familiar with the shops down there.
