Totally new to diving

[Scott William Miller]

So I start my open water this coming saturday, so far I have a scuba pro nighthawk bcd, fins, snorkel, Ecozip boots that I was told go with the fins well and a favola mask. I guess my question is this I am being told by a few people I need a computer, torch, a knife, a regulator. I am being told I these are all very important so I guess my question is this what should I be focusing the most on quality wise and what brands are better than others. I girl I used to date said she spent a 1100 on all of them together and she got a really nice computer. Like I mentioned I am new to this all this, my intention is getting into Nitrox, and my end game is search and rescue.... I am looking into Bonaire and Egypt along with Guam.... Can someone please help me or at least point me in the right direction or maybe stores or online places to look. thank you so much

Scott

 

[formernuke]

My advice to new divers

 

[formernuke]

As for lights, I haven't kept up enough to know good ones.

1100 is really really low for really nice everything.

Cutting devices has a lot of options. I carry emt shears on my waist webbing, trilobite on my wrist computer, but that is just my preference.

Narrow down your diving situations, future plans etc and we can provide better advice.

 

[dmaziuk]

torch: buy a $15 2x18650 3-led from fleebay and use it until you need something better. Get a decent Li-Ion charger if you don't have one and proper batteries: genuine sanyo/panasonic.

computer: deep 6 excursion is the current SB darling @275. Mares pucks are the cheapest, with the cheapest download cable too, but between the algorithm and the company, d6 may be the better option.

regs: if your plan is to travel, many people swear by aqualung mikron. But whatever it is, reg prices are ridiculous in US, better wait for the sales of "last year's" model or buy in rightpondia if you can. (I am still renting.)

I wouldn't bother with the knife, though amazon now has a couple of $10 options that may be worth it... So far I dived with $1.99 folders that I throw away when they rust -- every 2-3 years -- and I never used one on an actual dive.

 

[Still Kicking]

I think it would be premature to spend more on gear at this point. You dont know if you like diving yet. Rent gear for your class and for at least a few dives after, then buy quality gear when you know you enjoy scuba and understand pros and cons of different designs.

Be wary of buying gear on ebay/craigslist until you know how to evaluate stuff and know what to look for.

 

[saxman242]

You've already bought more gear than I'd ever suggest someone do prior to their open water class. Wait until you're certified and have a few dives under your belt to give you some idea what you'd like before buying anything else.

 

[Scott William Miller]

Thank you all, I got about 3k to spend but a woman I used to date said 1100.00 was enough and she said she bought a really nice Reg or computer. I have done scuba as a kid at a camp and really enjoyed it and to be honest I am leaning towards search and rescue and of course recreational. I just wanted everyone's thoughts mine feelings is to put more money into the reg and computer but someone told a good torch will be needed as well for search and rescue I know I have to get dives under my belt. I was just looking for input.

Thank you all and God bless

 

[dmaziuk]

Thank you all, I got about 3k to spend but a woman I used to date said 1100.00 was enough and she said she bought a really nice Reg or computer.

Ah. Yes, you can get a nice computer for $1100: Shearwater Research Teric -- or a regulator: Scubapro MK25 EVO/G260

 

[drrich2]

You're getting ahead of yourself a bit. Get certified and take a couple of trips to enjoy diving and see how you like that, before you get into such a specific activity as search and rescue. Are you just after a certification/competence, or do you actually fancy the idea of public safety diving, maybe finding a bloated human corpse underwater?

Are you talking about getting a job in 'search and rescue?' What do you foresee that involving?

I girl I used to date said she spent a 1100 on all of them together and she got a really nice computer.

Used maybe. Or she has a different definition of 'a really nice computer' than some of us. If you want to reduce the complex computer market way down to something easier to take a look at, consider the Deep6 Excursion on the low end, and the Shearwater Teric (or Perdix A.I.) on the high end. Are you willing to pay extra to have the computer download your logged dives onto your home computer to aid you in dive logging? Do you want the computer to be tech-diving capable in case you go that way (again, would be getting ahead of yourself)?

Best wishes this goes well for you.

Richard.

 

[Snoweman]

I think it's good advice to wait to see what you want. If money is no object, then certainly get a Shearwater Perdix or Teric. If money is not that free, then wait and read up. The one thing I would get, even before a reg (which was the first thing I bought after being certified) is a Seacure mouthpiece. Dive operators will put it on their reg for you when you dive with them. I get the heeby-jeebies about putting a rental reg in my mouth. It molds to your mouth, so it's always a comfortable fit.

SeaCure Custom Mouthpiece X Model