Aqualung or tusa dive package?

[scubadada]

where are you seeing 330? divers supply lists 449.95

Piranha VHot Deal! Atmos Mission One Watch Style Dive Computer / Smart Watch Black Ring / Black Strap , Piranha Dive Shop | It was $299 recently, I almost bought one, just to try it out and review it. There you go. I need another computer like I need a hole in the head.

What a rip from Diver's Supply

 

[runsongas]

ok, that changes things

 

[jeffsky29]

Wow, $300, new, sounds like that could be my backup computer. Hmm..

 

[Dubious]

Looking to get new gear, aqualung and tusa both have a package deal around 1000$ which in your minds would be the better of the two?

You will not find much love for these packages here but they would do the job. When I was certified last year, I asked my dive shop about the aqualung package they had advertised and was told they could switch things around in the package for an additional charge. I didn't go that route. You might want to talk to your shop.

A few things to think about.

Both the Tusa and Aqualung BCD listed are jacket style which seems common in many dive locations. My wife and I prefer back inflate bcd. We both now moved to a backplate and wing.

If you plan to dive cold water, I am not sure the Titan will cut it. In my shop, where cold water diving is the norm, the package included the core supreme, but the starting price was more than $1000.

I used a counsel in my training dives and it sucked compared to a standard SPG with dive computer on wrist. The aqualung i300c is a fine computer, I would just suggest you get it with a wrist strap instead. Buy yourself a compass for your other wrist while you are at it. I found navigation much easier with the wrist-mounted compass compared to it being attached to the counsel.

 

[Colliam7]

Looking to get new gear, aqualung and tusa both have a package deal around 1000$ which in your minds would be the better of the two?

When I buy gear I consider the quality, and availability of parts and service, and inevitably that leads to a consideration of brand. Nothing wrong with TUSA gear, but I tend to find more Aqualung dealers than TUSA dealers in the US. I also consider possible resale value, and I think you will find that Aqualung is a better choice from that perspective as well. So, to offer my answer to your specific question, simply on the basis of brand, I would go with Aqualung.

As several posters have noted, there is a tastefully understated enthusiasm for buying a gear 'package' among many SB users. Lots of reasons for for that lack of enthusiasm, many of which have already been mentioned. You might consider talking to the shop about possibly swapping / substituting some items. For example, the Aqualung 'package' includes the ABS 'octo' as the alternate second stage - it is a low performing, needlessly detuned second stage (which I wouldn't use if given to me free). It would be better to get a fully functional alternate second stage, even it it upped the cost a bit. The jacket style BCD is what it is - a jacket style BCD. If you maintain enthusiasm for diving, as you continue to develop as a diver the chances are you will be looking at a more streamlined, back-inflate unit in the future. The integrated weight pockets are a bit of a pain when you get more than about 4-6 pounds in them. Fortunately, the Pro HD does have trim pockets on the cam band, and that's a plus. As several have mentioned, having the computer on a console is not the best configuration for many divers - better to have it on your wrist.

Buying a package is an understandably attractive proposition for many - trying to select gear can be overwhelming, as there are lots of brands and models, and the process can be mind-boggling for a newer diver. But, $999 is a lot of money, even with the i300 computer, and you might want to pause and consider other options, even some alternative 'package' options such as the ones runsongas identified.

 

[Maxgmcz71]

Do you really want a jacket BC and a console? Perhaps that is what you trained in?

Yeah

 

[pauldw]

Jacket BCs are good, actually.

Edit (addition): Jackets are especially good at floating you above waves. If you're new, and shore diving in US coastal water, that's a consideration. Another consideration if you're shore diving in the US is to have a compass; you'll need one in low visibility, and some packages skip that, which is cheesy. Below your price point, packages start dropping the dive computer, and just go analog. Get a dive computer. Going above your price point is mostly adding bells and whistles. Some of them are nice, but if you're only doing occasional dives on occasional vacations, where you mostly just tag along near a divemaster, it doesn't matter a lot what you get. You know you'll likely need an exposure suit in addition to the package, right?

 

[Glenn Williams]

Divers supply, aqualung package deal. They are an authorized dealer and have 3 brick and mortar stores. I bought a package deal from them and have not regretted my choice at all. My package consisted of the aqualung pro BC, the core regulator and octo, also bought an Aqualung i300c dive computer to go in the puck. The console comes with air pressure gauge, so I popped in the i300 and on the other side where the white blank piece is I bought a compass. Great price for the package. Then when/if you buy a wrist dive computer you have a great backup system already in place.

My wife dives a different brand (Mares) and (Cressi). She will be going Aqualung when she upgrades.

At the end of the day, it’s your choice though. I personally recommend Aqualung as in my opinion it is great quality equipment and they do stand behind their products, although at times they are hard to deal with. What I mean by that is this. Make sure you register your equipment the day you get it. Ensure you take your regulator to an Aqualung dealer for the visual and overhaul at the required intervals. Aqualung has free parts for life, but you must have them inspected as per the required intervals. If not you will have to pay for the overhauls. My local dive shop screwed me and I wound up paying 300+ for my overhauls on the regulator.

I don’t regret my choice and love my equipment. As a matter of fact I just purchased some aqualung phazer fins yesterday.

I guess you can call me an Aqualung fanboy, but oh well haha.

Good luck

Glenn

 

[jeffsky29]

It would be good to understand what your experience level is, but I assume you are a fairly new certified diver that has been renting gear until now. Also, it looks like you are looking to purchase on the internet. If my assumptions are wrong, I apologize.

Some smart dive shops will match online pricing. But what you get in experience and knowledge is worth paying 10 to 20% more! Sometimes they will includes some air fills or maybe a free tank rental, something you can’t get online. A good local dive shop will make sure you are getting sized correctly, ensure hoses are the proper length and in general a wealth of information, especially for someone buying their first set of gear. You would be much better serviced and if you have issues, you have a place to bring your gear back to for resolution. And, I would think if they need to send your gear out for repair, they can lend you stuff!

With that said, you only know what you know, so tough to make a decision on a jacket vs back inflate BC now. Of all your gear, the BC is the one piece of gear that effects how you feel in the water, your comfort and freedom while diving. With respect to training, there is no difference between a jacket and back inflate BC. This is coming from someone that has been diving a Tusa, jacket BC, for many years and just switched to an Aqua Lung Rogue back inflate BC. My Tusa BC, still works great, but not getting squeezed when inflating is liberating, my arms and shoulders have no restrictions, and even more important, the back inflate BC keeps me in a very comfortable horizontal position under the water, rather than the angled head up position with the jacket. I wish I made this change years ago! Your dive shop should have demo or rental gear to let you try a back inflate BC. Usually, if they charge to rent the BC, they should put the cost of rental towards your purchase, so it should not cost you any more money. I know you are chomping at the bit to buy your own gear, but be patient and try to make good Informed decisions.

Good luck and safe diving!

Jeff

P.S. I do not work for a dive shop, but if you are in Southeast Florida, I can certainly recommend a great one.

 

[drakcheslav]

1000$ ia pretty hefty for a whole set.
You can have a bit more complete and better tailored package if you shop around.

Depending on what you want to do in the future, it's better to shop around.

If you're a travelling/tourist diver you don't need your gear that much IMHO. You'll usually rent.

If you want to dive on a regular basis, your own gear is the way to go due to consistency.

Both packages are good and reputable manufacurers.

The advice I got when buying gear is that I should first decide what I want to dive. And after that start collecting my gear.