$400 for personal equipment?

[Stu S.]

I agree, don't waste money on a dry snorkel. I snorkel all the time, just getting into scuba, I've had a US divers snorkel I've used since the late 90's. I spent $30 on a scubamax dry snorkel when I started doing scuba, I only used it once to show snorkeling skills. I then realized that it spends the majority of its life strapped to the side of my mask, getting in the way. I was told that I may one day use it or need it to swim on the surface to a sight or whatever and thats all fine, but seriously a $9 walmart snorkel would be just fine. Or even better a free one from a friends garage.

Dive for a while and you'll have a whole fleet of snorkels. Particularly if you SCUBA at a palce like Crystal River FL, where all the snorkel tours are. If you were able to stop by the house, I'd give you a choice of black, blue or pink. The pink one is a real fancy dry snorkel. My kid found the X-vision mask attached to one of them, too.

Older divers like me remember when the snorkel was important. Before the BC, you finished a dive with about 300 psi in the tank, or less. You didn't bob around on the surface, as that meant treading water. You would snorkel back to the boat and save that last bit of tank air in case you got in a bind.

Have fun with it.

 

[k ellis]

Stu just curious how long ago was when you started diving?

 

[Stu S.]

Stu just curious how long ago was when you started diving?

Two friends and myself got certified in the Spring of 1977, in Maryland. I was advised by experienced divers not to buy the BC, as it "was not perfected yet". I had a thing that was the "pop-up vest" for a dire emergency. Pull a cord, and a CO2 cartridge would inflate it and ride you to the surface. I never used it, and it might have been best delpoyed on the surface. Maybe the best way to develop buoyancy skills is not to start with a BC. My hi-tech item was the SPG, that came from the back of Skin Diver magazine.

I quit diving when fatherhood came along, but quicker than I imagined, I wound up in Florida with a diving daughter. It is still as much fun as ever.

 

[oreocookie]

I spent about $270 on my personal gear and at the time, that was about 3 weeks pay (i had just started a part time job and really wasn't getting many hours):shocked2:. here's my breakdown, with what i could have paid had i not bought at the lds and gone online instead in brackets

mask: XS Scuba M-Line Z Duo (no purge) - $90 ($59.95 with purge)
fins: mares avanti quattro - $100 ($129.95) (fwiw, scubatoys reg price: 99.95, sale: 129.95, savings: $30... but leisurepro has the same price)... when i looked after i bought them, they were cheaper online though
boots: Aqualung Profile in 6.5mm - $50 ( - )
snorkel: Genesis Surf - $35 ($16.95)

then i spent another $280 on an Rx mask that fits identically to my first one, but that something else entirely.

so yeah, $399 sounds a bit steep, they wanted $5 for defog, maybe $5-10 for a mask strap cover, lets say i got 2 disgustingly expensive spare fin straps ($50 for 2)... i still don't even get to $399... even if i bought a second snorkel for some reason

 

[Ken abucs]

I read above where other respondents say you will never use your snorkel. Maybe so, maybe not...

I use my snorkel on every dive and every minute I am on the surface without a regulator in my mouth.

A snorkle has too much dead air space. I'd rather roll over on my back and kick out that way. Much less tiring, and you don't start a dive out of breath.

 

[Miller64]

ok,,some good conversation here,so I'm curious.Here is my pricing breakdown.Good or bad? all local(and only LDS) and I wanted to take up the sport:

2 piece Deep Sea farmer john 6 mil total
5 mil Deep Sea booties,hard sole
Aqualung flex blades2 open foot fins
Aqualung Impulse 3 snorkel
Seadive mask ,no purge,plastic mask case
bottle of de fog,bottle of slosh
all OW books,CDs,Log book,ect
OW class,training,,3 weeks worth
motel at cert cite
entry to cert site
air for cert
weights ,air cylinder supplied for cert
and a mesh bag
OW certified with C card
all the use of LDS equipment,pool,air for practice,til certified

< $950

Just curious if this was high or reasonable for OW cert..I like the wet suit,58 degree water at cert,i was comfy

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

spent I think $360 for a nice cold water package. Came with a Scubapro Crystal mask with side windows and purge, totally dry snorkel, Apollo split fins, probably some of the best gloves available (retail for $50: gives awesome warmth while still giving good dexterity) and a nice pair of boots (that have always kept my feet warm)

 

[vladimir]

ok,,some good conversation here,so I'm curious.Here is my pricing breakdown.Good or bad? all local(and only LDS) and I wanted to take up the sport:

2 piece Deep Sea farmer john 6 mil total
5 mil Deep Sea booties,hard sole
Aqualung flex blades2 open foot fins
Aqualung Impulse 3 snorkel
Seadive mask ,no purge,plastic mask case
bottle of de fog,bottle of slosh
all OW books,CDs,Log book,ect
OW class,training,,3 weeks worth
motel at cert cite
entry to cert site
air for cert
weights ,air cylinder supplied for cert
and a mesh bag
OW certified with C card
all the use of LDS equipment,pool,air for practice,til certified

< $950

Just curious if this was high or reasonable for OW cert..I like the wet suit,58 degree water at cert,i was comfy

It depends; if you are getting certified in the Central Park Lake, the nearest motel is The Plaza, and that package is a bargain. If you have $20 left over, grab a cocktail in the Oak Room afterwards.

Even if you insist on buying from your LDS, the LeisurePro website can give you a good idea of what things should cost. At least you'll know how much you're contributing to your local charity, for tax purposes.

 

[offthewall1]

I hope this is the right place to post this question, but what should one's personal scuba gear (mask, fins, snorkel) cost? I was in a local shop today and the salesperson introduced me to be their "basic" mix and match package of mask, fins, snorkel, dive boots, bag, anti-fog and maybe a few other incidentals for $399!

I was thinking that this should be in the $200-300 range...am I completely out of touch? Or is this a bit extreme for a "basic" package? BTW, they had an intermediate package which sold for like $500-600.

$199 for Mask, Fins, Boots, Gloves & Snorkel... All Top Notch stuff from Cressi (since 1946)

 

[psychocabbage]

My first run of gear was:
Day 1:
Pinnacle neoprene booties
Tusa Xpert Zoom (black -stiffer material)
Tusa Visulator Mask
Cheapo snorkle

1.5 yrs later:
Tusa Visulator Mask
Apollo BioFins
Tusa Boots with a real sole
no snorkle.. I do have the akona mentioned above but its horrid. I would rather go without.
I lost my first snorkle earlier this year quarry diving.. Funny to see the pics afterwards when you see the snorkle then poof its not there anymore..

I have 0 issue with going into any dive shop and trying things on for size then going out and ordering online.. I dont need any store employee to help me try a mask on. I dont need them to help me try on boots. If they choose to pester me, they are wasting their own time.