Certification Prices

[jlcnuke]

I like the idea of new divers buying full sets of top-quality gear because a lot of that will be served up to the rest of us on eBay or Craigslist in a few years. (If someone already made that joke, I missed it.)

The first time I got certified I didn't know better and ended up being that guy (with encouragement from the dive shop doing the certifications), but the second time I took up diving I knew better and paid 1/2 price or less on average for my gear.

I'd wager I could come up with Geobound's gear with 1/2 the budget and have money left over...

 

[PhillyDave]

OW certification here outside of Philadelphia ran just short of $1k for the class, cert. dives at Dutch Springs, and mid-range personal equipment. I tacked on about $500 more for a 3mm wetsuit and dive computer.

We tell our students at Scubadelphia to budget $900-$1000. If someone is quoted less in the area something is wrong.

 

[Geobound]

@jlcnuke I'd be curious to see what $$ amount you could come up with on the following gear.

This list is everything that I just purchased, so I know exactly what I paid for it all.

Suunto D4i Novo with air transmitter
Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD
Apeks XTX200 c/w Egress Octo
Henderson Thermoprene 7mm wetsuit
Suunto SK-8 wrist compass
Scubapro single pressure gauge
AL-80 tank with din valve and boot

I haven't included all the other stuff like mask, fins, snorkel, boots, etc....etc......but could easily add that up, I'm just curious to your comment that you could get my kit for half of what I paid?

Remember I am in Canada, and without taxes I paid $3370.00 CDN or based on the current exchange rate $2587 USD.

I thought that I had a great deal, but maybe I'm wrong?

What can you do?

Thanks,

John

 

[Bubblesong]

@kg13 @Geobound and @anyone else from the Greatwhitenorth; PLEASE do not listen to those from warmer states telling you to save money on cold water diving. Would you take advice to buy a used or cheapo car that could leave you stranded in a snowbank when it is a deadly -30 degrees F ? Of course not! Anyone with a yearround tan, that doesn’t have hockey pucks stuck in the shrubbery, that doesn’t have a storm shelter for covering the walk to the mailbox, does not know what is needed up north. If somebody has never dove Plattsburgh, they can’t tell you how to dive YOUR area safely.
Since i froze my fanny at Miner Institute for a full winter, I can suggest that you might want to spend MORE money. Consider the Thermalution heated vest, the Drysuit, the boat coat, portable warm shower for your car.
Just make sure you dive lots, and the per dive will be less expensive!

 

[PhillyDave]

Always buy a Shearwater computer!

 

[Geobound]

@Bubblesong "doesn't have hockey pucks stuck in the shrubbery"

Thanks for the laugh.

Oh I'm quite happy with what I got and for diving in the cold waters that we have here, but I'm always curious to know how people think that they can save a ton more cash on stuff than others?

Of course taking out the exchange rate, I'm pretty sure my deal is as every bit as good as people can get south of the border. Don't get me wrong I'd love to save more and if there is something I'm missing then I'm all ears, but piece for piece I don't see there being much savings let alone half?

 

[jlcnuke]

@jlcnuke I'd be curious to see what $$ amount you could come up with on the following gear.

This list is everything that I just purchased, so I know exactly what I paid for it all.

Suunto D4i Novo with air transmitter
Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD
Apeks XTX200 c/w Egress Octo
Henderson Thermoprene 7mm wetsuit
Suunto SK-8 wrist compass
Scubapro single pressure gauge
AL-80 tank with din valve and boot

I haven't included all the other stuff like mask, fins, snorkel, boots, etc....etc......but could easily add that up, I'm just curious to your comment that you could get my kit for half of what I paid?

Remember I am in Canada, and without taxes I paid $3370.00 CDN or based on the current exchange rate $2587 USD.

I thought that I had a great deal, but maybe I'm wrong?

What can you do?

Thanks,

John

Prices in USD
Apexs XTX200 w/octo and gauges should go for under $400
Hydros Pro BCD should be around $500 shipped
Henderson 7mm thermoprene $256 (I prefer not to buy used wetsuits)
The Suunto is a bit harder, not many used selling right now, but you could get probably get the computer for ~$300 US (negotiate a bit) and the transmitter for ~$265, though it's possible you could get the bundle cheaper depending on how others bid it up.
The AL-80 tanks I just picked up I got for $25 each with valves and boots (could have swapped to din valves I'm sure as he had them for sale as well), but I had to pay $46 each for hydro/vis/air fill, so $71 a piece. That was a pretty good deal, but I can routinely find deals that would be less than $125/tank.
Oh, and the compass is ~$71 shipped.

So, going with the $125 tank price, and assuming the rest of the auctions go fairly normal, that's $1,917. I'd pay to have the regs serviced ~$150 with parts for all from my experience. So just over $2k all in. Of course, when I said I'd likely get it for 1/2 the price with money left over, you had been talking $4k and different gear. For instance, you had $1,900 for just the BCD, regs, and console, which here is around $900...

 

[Dogbowl]

Prices in USD
Apexs XTX200 w/octo and gauges should go for under $400
Hydros Pro BCD should be around $500 shipped
Henderson 7mm thermoprene $256 (I prefer not to buy used wetsuits)
The Suunto is a bit harder, not many used selling right now, but you could get probably get the computer for ~$300 US (negotiate a bit) and the transmitter for ~$265, though it's possible you could get the bundle cheaper depending on how others bid it up.
The AL-80 tanks I just picked up I got for $25 each with valves and boots (could have swapped to din valves I'm sure as he had them for sale as well), but I had to pay $46 each for hydro/vis/air fill, so $71 a piece. That was a pretty good deal, but I can routinely find deals that would be less than $125/tank.
Oh, and the compass is ~$71 shipped.

So, going with the $125 tank price, and assuming the rest of the auctions go fairly normal, that's $1,917. I'd pay to have the regs serviced ~$150 with parts for all from my experience. So just over $2k all in. Of course, when I said I'd likely get it for 1/2 the price with money left over, you had been talking $4k and different gear. For instance, you had $1,900 for just the BCD, regs, and console, which here is around $900...

Apples and oranges. New vs. used. Not a fair comparison.

 

[jlcnuke]

Apples and oranges. New vs. used. Not a fair comparison.

Of course it's a fair comparison. One dive after he buys new, he's got used gear too.... or do you think that an identical reg that someone else dove with twice is somehow less valuable than a reg you dove with twice?

Paying new prices for things that can be had for significantly less with pretty much no actual signs of use (and no impact on function either) is just a waste of money. With tons of people buying gear for their OW class, because their LDS encouraged them to, then selling the gear after the class because they decide not to take up diving or just never dive or need the money etc, not taking advantage of the used market is just throwing money away imo.

Do you know the difference between my BCD and a brand new BCD of the same make/model? Cost, that's it. I could have paid more, but why?? I personally like my money and would like to hold on to it.

 

[Dogbowl]

Of course it's a fair comparison. One dive after he buys new, he's got used gear too.... or do you think that an identical reg that someone else dove with twice is somehow less valuable than a reg you dove with twice?

Paying new prices for things that can be had for significantly less with pretty much no actual signs of use (and no impact on function either) is just a waste of money. With tons of people buying gear for their OW class, because their LDS encouraged them to, then selling the gear after the class because they decide not to take up diving or just never dive or need the money etc, not taking advantage of the used market is just throwing money away imo.

Do you know the difference between my BCD and a brand new BCD of the same make/model? Cost, that's it. I could have paid more, but why?? I personally like my money and would like to hold on to it.

You are absolutely correct about it being your opinion. And there’s nothing wrong with having an opinion. Doesn’t make it a fair comparison though. Still new vs used.