buying gear

[newbie]

I'm new to the sport/lifestyle & wanted to know what gear
to get & some name brands to go for or stay away from price ranges ect. basically what do i need to get started? thanks for any & all help

 

[Ladydiver]

Hi Newbie,

Congratulations on getting into the wonderful sport of scuba diving. Your new equipment is one of the biggest investments you will make but if you take care of the equipment, it is one that will last you a long time.

Now, that said, on with what and when to buy.

As far as what equipment to buy first. I would buy the following.

First off, I would be sure to get your mask, snorkel and fins, which you have to have for your class.

Then I would probably buy either a regulator or a wetsuit. Generally, you want to buy your most personal items first. I recommend the regulator at this point for the same reason they require you to purchase your own mask, snorkel and fins. So that you don't have to put your mouth where someone else's mouth has been or a wetsuit so you don't have to put your body into something someone else has worn.

Once you have your wetsuit and regulator (which should include your depth and pressure gauges or dive computer if you so desire), I would start looking for a BCD. I recommend that you choose something that you feel comfortable wearing and don't worry about which is the most expensive. Try them all on and choose the one that feels best to you. This goes for any piece of equipment you will wear on your body on a regular basis while diving.

After you have those major pieces, you can accessorize as you would like. There are a lot of little items that can make your diving easier and more enjoyable. Things like a diving skin, which will make getting into your wetsuit about 1000 times easier.

As far as which brands to use or stay away from, just about all the brands you will find in your local dive shop would be acceptable. It pretty much comes down to personal preference. Like I said before, be sure to try everything on and choose the fit you are most comfortable with. If you have any questions about the equipment you are trying on or thinking of purchasing. I would also try to buy my equipment from a shop where the sales people are divers themselves, they will have the most insight and ability to answer any questions that come up while you are looking at equipment.

I hope this helps you out with your purchases. If you have any more questions, please let me know.


Cheers,

[Edited by Ladydiver on 07-18-2000 at 01:30 PM]

 

[sdexcalibur]

check out leisurepro.com they have god prices

 

[MikeS]

Newbie,

One of the things that makes buying gear interesting is the fact that there is no “right” set of gear. I suggest you take your time and do as much research as possible before you select your gear. It would be very easy to spend a lot of money and end up with equipment that you outgrow or are unsatisfied with.

Some good sources of information are:

1. This board in the equipment threads.

2. Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine has a good on-line Gear Buyer's Guide at http://scubadiving.com/gear/.

3. Diverlink has a good on-line listing of Manufactures and Distributors at http://diverlink.com/gear/manufacturers.htm

Hope this helps,
Mike