Canadian Buying Gear....need help...

[JBFG]

USPS is definitely my favorite.
What sucks is when the shop charges a ridiculous handling price

 

[SandyRobinson]

Extreme Exposure has a blemished Eclipse 30# wing for 325 USD. if that interests you. I bought the same wing for my daughter 3 years ago, and she has been very pleased with it. The Halcyon webbing with the Hs makes it easy to line everything up. I think their are less expensive and just as good options for a backplate. Just decide on steel or aluminum. I do not know enough about other materials such as carbon to carry on a conversation though.

 

[Paul M]

It would help us help you if we knew your region.
That said I will reiterate what a few others said...check out Dan's Dive Shop. A couple things I know about DDS, as said to me by Matt himself. There is the website price and there is the "visit the store" price. I have even negotiated price with them via email.
Often they can beat or match the price you pay from the US, for the same item.
Just one example, my 3 LDShops sell Faber HP100 with standard pro valves for $560. DDS was $400.

 

[Gee.Eleven]

Thanks for all the responses! I actually live in the Niagara Region so DDS's is one of two LDS's here. Matt seems like a stand up guy and I'll be doing my course through them as well. He told me to come in and chat with him about some options for my budget so I'll do that and go from there, god knows hes answered my gazillion questions ive been peppering him with...lol. I have a wedding coming up this year so unfortunately not a lot of wiggle room in the budget, after the wedding is another story, haha..I can see myself dropping some cash on a drysuit..

 

[Bierstadt]

Like any other equipment-intensive sport, scuba diving requires time and experience to learn all the options you have have available. You also will make a lot of tradeoffs based on what you prioritize. If you want your LDS to love you, give them all your money and take what they recommend to you. But that is... not especially sensible. You'll end up with kit based on THEIR priorities. That could be good and it could be bad. Asking around here, you'll get advice based on what the poster prioritizes. I think you understand that. The only hard and fast rule is to make your choices with your eyes wide open, which you are now doing.

As you have surmised, Halcyon gear is premium and commands a premium price. But every reputable gear manufacturer is going to have safe gear. You are not buying safety by spending more money on used gear. For $2500 an experienced diver could buy every piece of kit they needed - including a drysuit. Or they could buy just a one reg set and an overpriced bcd. Or a single dive computer. It depends on what you value in your gear.

The generic advice assumes that your diving live revolves around your dive shop and you want to get everything from them. That is expensive but generally viable. If you like them then you do want to give them business, but it doesn't have to be everything you buy. The regs are the most important and most in need of regular service, so if you buy one piece of gear from your LDS it should be the regs. If you want reg recommendations you need to state what sort of diving you will be doing and what brands your dive shop sells. I'll run through a few items to show you some options.

My pick: Deep6 reg set, about $650. LDS options will cost more, may be prettier, and will have local servicing - but won't perform any better.

BP/W is heavily favored in this community, and I think it gives the best performance in the water at the cost of being a bit more unwieldy to transport. It's a good trade, though, and if your really want to make it easier to travel with you could get a soft backplate. Modular systems have a lot of advantages. I love my DSS rig, but they are out of business atm. I don't think there is any need to spend more than $500 on the full wing, plate, STA, and harness set.

$500 (950 running total)

Dive computers, well, what kind you get really doesn't matter much. I suggest your first dive computer should be whatever has the best sale price and appeals to you. Just get something. Most divers here regard a Shearwater as the best dive computer, but at $950 for the Perdix AI you don't need one yet. And you'll want a backup dc eventually. So just get a cheap one now on sale, and if you eventually want to upgrade it'll become your backup.

$200 (1150 running total)

Thermal protection is intensely personal, but cold water points towards a drysuit. You can order a bare-bones Seaskin drysuit from the UK for about $600. But honestly, if you are spending that much money on a new custom fit drysuit you might as well add a few of the normal bells and whistles, so it'll be more like $750. Then you need warm undergarments to layer under it. If you have great kit from a hiking or hunting hobby you may not need much, or you might need everything. Call it another $200.

$950 (2100 running total)

Accessories:
Compass $40 DGX
Wrist slate $10
Primary Light: $60 DGX
Backup light: $40 DGX
#24 cave line and half a dozen bolt snaps to secure gear: $30

Total: $2280 usd (not sure what the exchange rate is atm) (doesn't include taxes and brokerage fees)

What more do you need? Well, steel tanks, maybe a better mask or fins if you don't like what you have now. You'll need a pony and its reg set for diving deep in cold water eventually. An smb for boat diving, and flag and float for shore diving. A 5mm or 3mm wetsuit for warmer temps where the drysuit is overkill. But if I had your budget that's where I would start. And I'd have all nice, new, long-term gear.

Also, check out the market for used gear whenever you decide what you want. I got a semidry for less than the cost of a new wetsuit by finding a used deal on ebay. Classifieds here are safer than Ebay, more or less.

You may want to stick with what your LDS has, or some mix of LDS, used, and online. Whatever works best for you. Just keep your eyes open.

 

[Paul M]

@Gee.Eleven
I had a hunch you were in the DDS area when you said your LDS was selling their BP/W rental gear
Not many dive shops teach OW student with that gear.

 

[Gee.Eleven]

Like any other equipment-intensive sport, scuba diving requires time and experience to learn all the options you have have available. You also will make a lot of tradeoffs based on what you prioritize. If you want your LDS to love you, give them all your money and take what they recommend to you. But that is... not especially sensible. You'll end up with kit based on THEIR priorities. That could be good and it could be bad. Asking around here, you'll get advice based on what the poster prioritizes. I think you understand that. The only hard and fast rule is to make your choices with your eyes wide open, which you are now doing.

As you have surmised, Halcyon gear is premium and commands a premium price. But every reputable gear manufacturer is going to have safe gear. You are not buying safety by spending more money on used gear. For $2500 an experienced diver could buy every piece of kit they needed - including a drysuit. Or they could buy just a one reg set and an overpriced bcd. Or a single dive computer. It depends on what you value in your gear.

The generic advice assumes that your diving live revolves around your dive shop and you want to get everything from them. That is expensive but generally viable. If you like them then you do want to give them business, but it doesn't have to be everything you buy. The regs are the most important and most in need of regular service, so if you buy one piece of gear from your LDS it should be the regs. If you want reg recommendations you need to state what sort of diving you will be doing and what brands your dive shop sells. I'll run through a few items to show you some options.

My pick: Deep6 reg set, about $650. LDS options will cost more, may be prettier, and will have local servicing - but won't perform any better.

BP/W is heavily favored in this community, and I think it gives the best performance in the water at the cost of being a bit more unwieldy to transport. It's a good trade, though, and if your really want to make it easier to travel with you could get a soft backplate. Modular systems have a lot of advantages. I love my DSS rig, but they are out of business atm. I don't think there is any need to spend more than $500 on the full wing, plate, STA, and harness set.

$500 (950 running total)

Dive computers, well, what kind you get really doesn't matter much. I suggest your first dive computer should be whatever has the best sale price and appeals to you. Just get something. Most divers here regard a Shearwater as the best dive computer, but at $950 for the Perdix AI you don't need one yet. And you'll want a backup dc eventually. So just get a cheap one now on sale, and if you eventually want to upgrade it'll become your backup.

$200 (1150 running total)

Thermal protection is intensely personal, but cold water points towards a drysuit. You can order a bare-bones Seaskin drysuit from the UK for about $600. But honestly, if you are spending that much money on a new custom fit drysuit you might as well add a few of the normal bells and whistles, so it'll be more like $750. Then you need warm undergarments to layer under it. If you have great kit from a hiking or hunting hobby you may not need much, or you might need everything. Call it another $200.

$950 (2100 running total)

Accessories:
Compass $40 DGX
Wrist slate $10
Primary Light: $60 DGX
Backup light: $40 DGX
#24 cave line and half a dozen bolt snaps to secure gear: $30

Total: $2280 usd (not sure what the exchange rate is atm) (doesn't include taxes and brokerage fees)

What more do you need? Well, steel tanks, maybe a better mask or fins if you don't like what you have now. You'll need a pony and its reg set for diving deep in cold water eventually. An smb for boat diving, and flag and float for shore diving. A 5mm or 3mm wetsuit for warmer temps where the drysuit is overkill. But if I had your budget that's where I would start. And I'd have all nice, new, long-term gear.

Also, check out the market for used gear whenever you decide what you want. I got a semidry for less than the cost of a new wetsuit by finding a used deal on ebay. Classifieds here are safer than Ebay, more or less.

You may want to stick with what your LDS has, or some mix of LDS, used, and online. Whatever works best for you. Just keep your eyes open.

This was very helpful, thank you! I have yet to find a good "check list" of what I should be looking for, it's quite overwhelming but when I see lists its easier for me to break it down. I've joined some swap groups for my area and can see already there are some very good prices for things that I would have never considered to buy retail with my budget.

@Gee.Eleven
I had a hunch you were in the DDS area when you said your LDS was selling their BP/W rental gear
Not many dive shops teach OW student with that gear.

Hahahaha, I got the feeling, even not knowing much about diving at this point, that the gear used from DDS for the OW course is typically not what you would see for course use!! Not that I'm complaining in the slightest, lol!

 

[davecampbell]

you're a lucky diver. Dan's is my local shop ( I'm in hamilton, but make the drive) you're in very good hands, and matt has the best pricing in Canada. I count my blessings when I hear horror stories about people's LDS....

 

[Marie13]

@Gee.Eleven

There’s a group in Ontario that has a swap meet every April, I believe. @racanichou can give you more details. Might be worth the drive.

 

[Paul M]

@Gee.Eleven

There’s a group in Ontario that has a swap meet every April, I believe. @racanichou can give you more details. Might be worth the drive.

This is it. ScubaSwap.org - Home
Get there early. Have a plan. Know what you're looking for. Good stuff goes really fast.
It's a fun event even if you dont find something.