Absolute "Minimalist" Diving.

[Rich Keller]

Leisure Pro is the cheapest on line site that I have ever found but if you were to go with used & vintage I could cut the total to about 1/4 of the price for new equipment. I would not consider a snorkel as optional and I would have to add a knife to your list along with one of those tank thingies.

Scubapro MK3 & R108HP reg $40
Scubapro twin jet fins $25
5MM wetsuit (new) $100
3MM hooded vest $20
Weight belt $25
Mask $20
Snorkel $0, came with the mask
7MM Bare boots (new) $40
Gloves $20
Console $0, came with the reg
Commercial dive harness $25

Total........................$315

 

[rx7diver]

AL titan reg $225.00
Jet fins $129.00
Bare wetsuit $250.00 (my area)
Hooded vest $100.00 (my area)
Rubber weightbelt with weights $75.00 (my area)
Mask $80.00
Snorkel (optional) $25.00
Booties $70.00
Gloves $45.00
Console $169.00
(including SPG/Depth G./Compass)
Trident plastic backpack complete $66.95
w/ harness and cam strap

Total........................................$1234.95

... I would not consider a snorkel as optional and I would have to add a knife to your list ...

Scubapro MK3 & R108HP reg $40
Scubapro twin jet fins $25
5MM wetsuit (new) $100
3MM hooded vest $20
Weight belt $25
Mask $20
Snorkel $0, came with the mask
7MM Bare boots (new) $40
Gloves $20
Console $0, came with the reg
Commercial dive harness $25

Total........................$315

Eric Sedletzky, richkeller:

Don't forget the dive knife (or "diver's tool").

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

edit: Sorry, richkeller. I just re-read your post. You said that!

 

[captain]

Eric Sedletzky, richkeller:

Don't forget the dive knife (or "diver's tool").

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

A BIG knife and take some weight off the weight belt.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Yeah I realize I forgot a few things.
So the knife for sure,
and a watch, which many people already have but a cheapo would be OK to start so figure on the expensive side for a cheap watch might be $100.

For the weights I figured 18 lbs. @ $3.00 lb. (for my area with my suit) and a Trident rubber belt kit $24.99
Your thickness of wetsuit and weights may vary.

---------- Post added February 19th, 2014 at 10:22 AM ----------

Leisure Pro is the cheapest on line site that I have ever found but if you were to go with used & vintage I could cut the total to about 1/4 of the price for new equipment. I would not consider a snorkel as optional and I would have to add a knife to your list along with one of those tank thingies.

Scubapro MK3 & R108HP reg $40
Scubapro twin jet fins $25
5MM wetsuit (new) $100
3MM hooded vest $20
Weight belt $25
Mask $20
Snorkel $0, came with the mask
7MM Bare boots (new) $40
Gloves $20
Console $0, came with the reg
Commercial dive harness $25

Total........................$315

Yeah I know my price list was full online retail. It could be a lot less, but for the sake of somebody wanting all the stuff right now this second sitting at their computer and wanting all new, I listed the stuff on the high end of minimal. Like I said somebody could upgrade the reg to an Atomic T1 and get a $600 wetsuit and a $120 mask but I put good stuff that works and doesn't break the bank.
But if someone can get some free stuff or knows what to get used or vintage it only gets better from my starting point.
I could add up some of my stuff of what it actually costed me to get rigged and it would be so low it's rediculous. But not everybody can do that. I wanted to eliminate the dumb luck variable.

 

[fjpatrum]

I have a little more time today so here's my list. Again, all new equipment that is decent quality and very suitable for "inexpensive" minimal diving. I left your weightbelt and weights and your backpack/harness.

HOG D1 reg $180.00 (DiveRightInScuba.com)
Mask/snorkel/fins $40.00 (US Divers "snorkel package" at Walmart)
NeoSport 5mm wetsuit $120.00 (wetsuitwearhouse.com)
Neosport 5/3 Hooded vest $65.00 (wetsuitwearhouse.com)
Rubber weightbelt with weights $75.00 (my area)
Neosport 7mm Booties $40.00 (wetsuitwearhouse.com)
Hyperflex 5mm Gloves $30.00 (wetsuitwearhouse.com)
Console $150.00 (Tusa 3 gauge console at leisurepro.com)
Trident plastic backpack complete $66.95
w/ harness and cam strap
Knife and sheath: $12

Total........................................$778.95


I won't even bother with used because I've found such ridiculous deals that it's not even fair. All told, I'm almost to $3k with enough gear to have 6 or 7 people diving at this point. (I only have 5 tanks though.) That includes a tri-lam dry suit with pee valve, pockets, knee and elbow pads, and the $400 I put in it for silicone zip seals.

Especially minimalist diving, you can do on a shoe-string budget if you're a careful shopper, either for new gear or used.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I also forgot the tank.

New AL 80 - 149.00 to 200.00
Used AL80 - free up to $100 (non hit list)
Used steel 72 - Free up to $125
New HP 100 - $300.00 or maybe more (haven't checked lately)

Or rent one for $10 to $15 a day

I can beat the price of the Hog reg set. An Oceanic SP5 unbalanced basic piston reg from LP for $159.95
---------- Post added February 19th, 2014 at 11:57 AM ----------

So, to sum up, minimalist diving can be done very economically. Just to get wet and enjoy a day of diving a person doesn't have to spend thousands of dollars to get started. It could be done on hundreds instead.
This is part of minimalism.

Thanks everyone for digging even further and finding even better deals.
This is great!

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I confess that in Fiji I along with a friend each took a 30 cu ft cyllinder with 1st and second stage and spg, swim suit only, holing the tank under an arm, and dove at about 20 feet for 20 minutes collecting good thing to eat. we stayed within toughing distance, had a ball, and never repeated the process in the ocean. I have done the same thing in a pool to retrieve toays and ytools left in the pool after a class. Does that count? BTW, I am a trained and insured professional.
DivemasterDennis

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

I confess that in Fiji I along with a friend each took a 30 cu ft cyllinder with 1st and second stage and spg, swim suit only, holing the tank under an arm, and dove at about 20 feet for 20 minutes collecting good thing to eat. we stayed within toughing distance, had a ball, and never repeated the process in the ocean. I have done the same thing in a pool to retrieve toays and ytools left in the pool after a class. Does that count? BTW, I am a trained and insured professional.
DivemasterDennis

Monkey diving has a pretty long and colorful history. Too bad the Sidemount People's Army came along and mucked it up with all that extra gear.

 

[maniago]

Monkey diving! LOL Why's it called that? Great name tho.

I've done it in the pool too for the same reasons DD has. Thank goodness the laywers didn't catch me!

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

Monkey diving! LOL Why's it called that? Great name tho.

Hm, you may need to learn the original Arabic name to understand it?

According to this account, it was the owner of the MV Tala who invented and named it.

Monkey business - Divernet

Using a bare harness to keep the tank against your body is optional, if you're a minimalist.