Newbie saying hi, and looking for advice

[Pelagos13]

Hello,

My name is Mike.

My wife and I just got back from Mexico and we did our first two discovery dives with Dressel Divers down by Playa del Carmen, and we loved it, and would like some advice about getting into this awesome sport.

I would like to ask you experienced divers some questions about getting started.

Any help with the following questions would be greatly appreciated, and they are as follows......

1. Where would be the best place to get certified in the lower mainland of BC as we live in Langley.

2. What would the best way to aquire equipment as I would have to buy two sets of gear?

3. For buying the mask, snorkel, and fins, what are the best value for us as we do not want to buy something that we may grow out of.

If there is any other advice you might have I would appreciate that too!

Any way, thanks for your time and feedback.

 

[TMHeimer]

I bought most of my stuff used about the time I was taking the OW course. Still use the crummy old BCD. Make sure what you buy is safe & comfortable.
Some will say it's best to rent various stuff at first to see how you like it. Won't argue with that either.
Mask-- Do the "put it on your face and inhale through nose to check that it seats properly". May have to try many.
Fins--Too many choices. I started with basic paddle fins. Ask in the shop for advice.
Snorkel--All pretty much the same. I use a foldable snorkel and keep it in my pocket. If you go that way it is "legal" to use in a PADI open water course I believe.
Wetsuit--The used one I bought lasted over 10 years.
Weight belt--Most likely you'll need one along with your integrated weights. I use a "pocket" belt and insert 2 pound weights. I also use suspenders (diving ones). No slipping weights or slipping belts.
Some use a harness, which I think may be even better.

 

[RyanT]

Welcome! Not being familiar with the area, I can't answer your first question.

Equipment acquisition is a tricky and personal thing. The reality is that if you stick with the sport, you'll probably end up going through lots of different gear as you try and learn new things.

With that said, the basics (mask, fins, snorkel, exposure suit) are fairly easy though. For these things, the brand doesn't matter nearly as much as finding the ones that fit you and are comfortable. This is where a good local dive shop (LDS) comes in handy. If you've got one within a reasonable distance, go in, try a bunch of gear on, and find what fits you well. If you end up with a poor fitting mask, fins or exposure suit, you'll be pretty miserable on your dives. Once you've got these basics down, you'll better be able to concentrate on learning to dive.

The other issue with BC is the water temps. You might find them a tad chillier than Playa del Carmen! You have some extraordinary diving in your part of the world but you really need a dry suit. Dry suits are more expensive than wetsuits and add a layer of complexity that wetsuits don't require. Again, this is where a good local shop and training in a dry suit will come in handy.

 

[W W Meixner]

Hello,

My name is Mike.

My wife and I just got back from Mexico and we did our first two discovery dives with Dressel Divers down by Playa del Carmen, and we loved it, and would like some advice about getting into this awesome sport.

I would like to ask you experienced divers some questions about getting started.

Any help with the following questions would be greatly appreciated, and they are as follows......

1. Where would be the best place to get certified in the lower mainland of BC as we live in Langley.

2. What would the best way to aquire equipment as I would have to buy two sets of gear?

3. For buying the mask, snorkel, and fins, what are the best value for us as we do not want to buy something that we may grow out of.

If there is any other advice you might have I would appreciate that too!

Any way, thanks for your time and feedback.

Mike...

Contact Greg McCracken...at Ocean Quest Dive Center in Burnaby...he has everything...and instructs in all the courses...just remember...for the most part...this is dry-suit country...

Dive Safe...and Welcome...

Warren

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I'd second @RyanT 's comment about the drysuit. If you can afford it, it will make a world of difference. That said, I dove the San Juans in Washington State for 20 years in a wetsuit. It can be done, but best to do one dive per day. The hypothermia in my team on the 4th wetsuit dive in February convinced me we needed drysuits....

That said, diving is beautiful in your neck of the woods. Close to home, I recommend Sea Dragon Charters out of Horseshoe Bay. They get to some cool spots.

Unfortunately I don't know the shops well. From what I saw up there last summer (I was at UBC for work), I was impressed by the shops in Vancouver proper. Seems like you have a lot of options.

 

[Pelagos13]

Thanks for all of the comments everyone. I’m really looking forward to starting our journey doing this. I was a little nervous the first dive, but during the 2nd dive I felt so good and I didn’t want to come up. I’m really looking forward to travelling in the warm climates when we go away so we can break up the beach days.

Thanks again, and I look forward to learning from all of you experienced diving enthusiasts!

 

[diversteve]

Don't buy a mask without trying it on.My $100 mask leaks when I tilt my head up and to the side. My $20 backup mask doesn't.

You need to size the fins also. If you are going to be diving dry - you have to account for the boots.

And if you dive wet,you will need a lot of neoprene - probably layers. It will make you very buoyant so you will need to source a BC with enough weight capacity. Some systems just don't have enough so then you add a weight belt/harness.

Also if you dive dry, there's some inherent buoyancy in the air in the suit you have to compensate for.

I suggest finding a local shop and talking to them.
here;s a couple of shop locators for two of the more popular cer agencies.

PADI | The Way the World Learns to Dive®

my.DiveSSI.com

Being in Canada, I doubt any of the large US online sites will be cost competitve given your current exchance rate. Most major brands reslly don't discount a lot anyway. I could buy the regulator I own (Atomic Aquatics) for the sane price locally or mail order - all I would've saved is the local tax.

There are also cold and warm water regulators. Almost all the cold models work equally well in warm water but many brands have cold water options. In the Scubapro line they're called EVO, Aqualung has their Glacia line. Most colder water regulators will mention some sort of environmental sealing option.

Also inherently diaphragm regulators are better in cold water than piston models. It's because more of the moving parts are protected by the diaphragm. Notice that the Glacia's and the Scubapro Mk17 both are.

Once you pick a shop you like, it's not a bad idea to buy a brand they service. Or at another local shop since reg service is probably the most regular aspect of ownning gear. Or in your case drysuit seals....

hth,

 

[NYCNaiad]

Welcome to Scubaboard & diving!

1. Where would be the best place to get certified in the lower mainland of BC as we live in Langley.
I assume BC is British Columbia...? Either way, a good place to post a question like this in the regional forum for you. You can find all of our regional forums here.

2. What would the best way to aquire equipment as I would have to buy two sets of gear?

I'm a firm believer in renting before you buy.

• You won't know what you like (or where you'll end up diving) until you try a variety of both gear & diving. Purchasing a mask, snorkel, & fins is a good start. The other stuff you can then add on. For instance, you might find you don't like cold water diving & then you'd be out the cost of a dry suit. Or that you need a good regulator (reg) which works in both extreme cold or warm water.
• Some dive shops that rent give you a credit towards a later purchase. That's what I did even when I was traveling internationally as I could then be assured of rental gear that was well taken care of & a computer that my dive shop could teach me about & I could play with ahead of time.

Buying the important gear from your local dive shop (otherwise known as an LDS) will ensure that:

• You get a good fit since you can try things on.
• You establish a good relationship with your LDS. (This works both ways helping them & you. It's how I ended up getting perks from my LDS which were unknown to others who didn't buy gear from them...like the unadvertised trip to the Maldives I got to go on where I dove with mantas & a whale shark!)
• You can get recommendations.
• You keep your LDS in business which is what you'll need to be able to dive in your area.
• You're assured of good quality as opposed to some of the big name sites where the price may be a bit lower, but sometimes the quality is too. (I've also heard that one popular site has even re-sold used equipment as new. With your LDS, that's unlikely to happen since a big, online shop can more easily weather negative reviews than a small LDS.)

3. For buying the mask, snorkel, and fins, what are the best value for us as we do not want to buy something that we may grow out of.

• Fair warning: A snorkel is an object of contention here on Scubaboard with some divers saying it's needed, some saying it's needed but only if it folds up, & others saying it's useless. Don't be swayed by opinion until you try it out yourself & in any case, it is a requirement of your open water course (OW). Personally, I am a firm believer that it is needed, but should be kept folded up in a pocket until you're on the surface. You get the best of both worlds that way. My snorkel has really helped me in a number of situations, but it can get in the way underwater. The folded up type is a special one made specifically to be kept out of the way until needed.
• You must try on the mask to ensure a good fit. There is nothing worse than a leaking mask. Trying one on ensures the best fit, but even then you might find you enjoy a different mask down the road. I started off with one which had a great fit. I got a 2nd one to keep in my pocket as I believe in back-up equipment. The 2nd one seemed like a great fit, but when I had to use it as my primary on a dive, I found it wasn't as good as I hoped. I just recently found a new mask that's completely different from my first. Great fit, but in a very different way. This new mask is now my primary.
• Fins are another point of contention on Scubaboard. People are very divided on this topic so it's good to take what people say with a grain of salt. You'll see people saying they hate split fins (& a few who love them), & then others who are HUGE proponents of specific brand names. Fins are not going to be the biggest purchase you make, but you can get used to them & not want to switch. I know that happened to me. I think getting the fins from your LDS can help inform your choice.

 

[Compressor]

Welcome to SB Mike.
Let us know how you make out please.

 

[Pelagos13]

Welcome to Scubaboard & diving!

1. Where would be the best place to get certified in the lower mainland of BC as we live in Langley.
I assume BC is British Columbia...? Either way, a good place to post a question like this in the regional forum for you. You can find all of our regional forums here.

2. What would the best way to aquire equipment as I would have to buy two sets of gear?

I'm a firm believer in renting before you buy.

• You won't know what you like (or where you'll end up diving) until you try a variety of both gear & diving. Purchasing a mask, snorkel, & fins is a good start. The other stuff you can then add on. For instance, you might find you don't like cold water diving & then you'd be out the cost of a dry suit. Or that you need a good regulator (reg) which works in both extreme cold or warm water.
• Some dive shops that rent give you a credit towards a later purchase. That's what I did even when I was traveling internationally as I could then be assured of rental gear that was well taken care of & a computer that my dive shop could teach me about & I could play with ahead of time.

Buying the important gear from your local dive shop (otherwise known as an LDS) will ensure that:

• You get a good fit since you can try things on.
• You establish a good relationship with your LDS. (This works both ways helping them & you. It's how I ended up getting perks from my LDS which were unknown to others who didn't buy gear from them...like the unadvertised trip to the Maldives I got to go on where I dove with mantas & a whale shark!)
• You can get recommendations.
• You keep your LDS in business which is what you'll need to be able to dive in your area.
• You're assured of good quality as opposed to some of the big name sites where the price may be a bit lower, but sometimes the quality is too. (I've also heard that one popular site has even re-sold used equipment as new. With your LDS, that's unlikely to happen since a big, online shop can more easily weather negative reviews than a small LDS.)

3. For buying the mask, snorkel, and fins, what are the best value for us as we do not want to buy something that we may grow out of.

• Fair warning: A snorkel is an object of contention here on Scubaboard with some divers saying it's needed, some saying it's needed but only if it folds up, & others saying it's useless. Don't be swayed by opinion until you try it out yourself & in any case, it is a requirement of your open water course (OW). Personally, I am a firm believer that it is needed, but should be kept folded up in a pocket until you're on the surface. You get the best of both worlds that way. My snorkel has really helped me in a number of situations, but it can get in the way underwater. The folded up type is a special one made specifically to be kept out of the way until needed.
• You must try on the mask to ensure a good fit. There is nothing worse than a leaking mask. Trying one on ensures the best fit, but even then you might find you enjoy a different mask down the road. I started off with one which had a great fit. I got a 2nd one to keep in my pocket as I believe in back-up equipment. The 2nd one seemed like a great fit, but when I had to use it as my primary on a dive, I found it wasn't as good as I hoped. I just recently found a new mask that's completely different from my first. Great fit, but in a very different way. This new mask is now my primary.
• Fins are another point of contention on Scubaboard. People are very divided on this topic so it's good to take what people say with a grain of salt. You'll see people saying they hate split fins (& a few who love them), & then others who are HUGE proponents of specific brand names. Fins are not going to be the biggest purchase you make, but you can get used to them & not want to switch. I know that happened to me. I think getting the fins from your LDS can help inform your choice.

Thanks for the advice NYC!

I can't wait to get this started.