Buying package or separate over time

[lovetoscuba]

Hi, I am a vacation diver which means that I only dive when on vacation in the tropics. Usually once a year or at least I try to dive once a year. I got my ow cert. about 8 years ago and have been renting bcd's and regs. I have my own mask, fin and snorkel. I am thinking of finally buying my own bcd and reg but don't want to pay a ton of money for a package right now so I was thinking of buying a good regulator octopus first and later on adding a bcd to my gear. Do you think this is sensible?

 

[Nettie-NZ]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. Personally I've bought stuff piece by piece and it's worked for me. But you can also get some good package deals.
Get advice from people you trust with experience - not just sales people. Some brands have better reputations for lasting well where as for others it's a bit like comparing Fords and Chevys. My first BCD was an Aqualung (I have more than one these days) and my first reg was a Scubapro which is still my go to reg for diving cold water so I don't have any bias.

You didn't mention a computer? If you don't have one, that's what I'd be looking to get next. There is lots of advice here on choosing a first dive computer

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I agree with Nettie-NZ on all of the above, including the computer. Even though your not diving often, as a vacation diver your going to find more of the dive operations are requiring computers. You could rent one, but your going to have to learn about a different one every time you do.
Also, check with friends of yours that dive in regards to used equipment. That's not for everyone, I would have no idea whether a used reg was worth buying or not, but with trusted guidance it could work out well.

 

[oly5050user]

Usually can do better with a package. At the LDS I teach out of we charge $299 for a open water course,pool and academics. Buy any combination of a BCD, regulator /alt air, computer and we offer the course for free.

 

[lovetoscuba]

Sorry I wasn't very clear. I plan on buying the whole regulator setup which includes the 1st and 2nd stage reg plus the octopus and a 2 gauge console that may or may not include a computer so that when I go diving, I only need to rent the bcd.

 

[Diving Dubai]

A smentoned above, there is not right or wrong way to go about this. Often it's down to personal preferences or finances at the time.

If you asked people to list the following items (BCD, Regs, and Dive computer) in priority to purchase order you'd get a number of permutations:

If you also calculated to cost of new equipment and its service cost over the time it would take to spend that money on equipment rentals - then equipment purchase doesn't make financial sense.

Of course we all buy our own gear, but we know it's not really saving our money.

All that aside: Decide on what you kinda want. Be it brand and price point and your budget and keep your eyes opened. Work out the MSRP total cost of all the items you want brought individually and then you have a max price.

I got a complete set, Regs, BCD, Mask fins boots as well as rash vests and board shorts etc in a flash sale (not as a bundel) which I knew would come (like the US black Friday). The price I paid for this mid range gear which I wanted soley for teaching in was less than I paid for one of my high end reg sets I use for fun diving

Bundles can be great, as long as you understand that you're not going to your total preferred set up - maybe some items won't be your favourite brand for instance. As long as you accept there will be compromise to your ideal expecations then all is good.

The more time you have to buy before you need to use the better chance you can make savings.

Me, I'm inpatient so end up paying the price at the time of deciding "I Want"

 

[RayfromTX]

We bought a package with a zuma bc aqualung core reg set and an i300 computer. It saved us some money so that when we quit diving it 30 dives later and got our preferred gear we had less money hanging in the closet unused.

The i300 computer seems ridiculous now that we dive a Perdix. The zuma is still a decent single tank rig but has limitations compared to our bp/w and our reg sets are good backups if you ignore the cost of service. We don't dive any of it now but still have it hanging and perhaps it will get used by visiting divers some day. It kept us from having to use old questionably maintained rental gear for the dives we did with it.

It allowed us a discount on our training and saved us rental fees that paid for half of the cost of it and at this point we could recover all or most of the remaining cost by selling it but we won't. I would go another route if I knew what I know now but I have no painful regrets either. It got us in and we refused to continue using gear we didn't trust. We had a few issues with rental gear on our discover and pool dives. We did our ow dives on our own gear.

I would still dive it all if I needed to except for the i300 which I can't read and when I can frustrates me with it's user interface that is similar to an early casio watch.