Deciding on gear and whether to get it

[Sheri SGR]

buying your own gear is the way to go, it will definitely increase the likelihood of you two diving more often and as a new diver she will benefit from having her own gear to increase her comfort and desire to keep diving. Womens BC definitely not the same as a mens, regulators, guages, etc. same is fine although you might like more bells and whistles and she just wants something simple and effective (less pricey)

nothing I like more than shopping than shopping for gear on someone elses dime... There is plenty of good gear available within your budget, you can also look for the package deals like you mentioned earlier as well as looking for someone selling their slightly used gear.

my sister is still diving with my old Libra BC purchased in 1997 it now has over 500 dives on it so I have definitely gotten my monies worth.

Here is a link to our budget regs article, we also have a womens BC article your girlfriend might find useful.
TOP STORY / Budget Regs

you can choose your gear based on price or decide what you want based on features, narrow it down and then look for the deals. good luck!

 

[victorzamora]

Well, I've found a couple of awesome deals...but they are based around the Hog 38# wing, which is for doubles. I don't plan on diving doubles. Is there a GOOD fix for diving singles? Is diving with a single tank on the 38# double wing going to be an issue?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Well, I've found a couple of awesome deals...but they are based around the Hog 38# wing, which is for doubles. I don't plan on diving doubles. Is there a GOOD fix for diving singles?

Yes, buy a single-tank wing for single-tank diving.

Is diving with a single tank on the 38# double wing going to be an issue?

The concern about using a doubles wing for single-tank diving is that the size and dimensions of the doubles wing could make it more difficult to vent properly.
For doubles diving, buy a doubles wing.
Use the right tool for the job...

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I'd hate to be at 120'+ deep and have a reg go out just because I wanted to save a little $$$. I know it's a stretch, but cost isn't the only thing to consider when purchasing new.

I have bought both new and used gear, so I'm not necessarily promoting one over the other. However, I would say that if you were to buy a quality used reg and have it checked over, I don't see why it would be any more likely to "go out" at depth than a new one (which is basically a used one once you dive it).

To clarify: I'm not saying to buy any old reg and then just blindly dive it; but just that if you buy a viable reg that is used, and then have it checked over and/or serviced, it should be as reliable as a new one. (By viable I mean not one that is now a complete "orphan" with no parts available, not one that is clearly broken/abused, etc.)

My own example: Although I bought a new BC (and a number of other bits of new gear), I did buy a used reg set. I got a really nice, high-quality reg for a very good price, and I've been very happy with it. The one I bought had just been serviced, but I still had it checked over by a reg tech before using it the first time. As an aside, I have since learned how to make a number of routine checks on it myself, thanks to an excellent "reg check" post here on SB (I think it may be a "sticky" post).

The reason I bought the used reg set when I did was somewhat similar to what you are going through now: I had a two-week trip coming up, and I calculated how much I'd be spending renting regs, and then checked to see how I could do in buying one instead. The used reg I bought was suddenly very economical since it meant I didn't have to rent one (plus, much more pleasant!).

Of course if you would be comfortable and happy with a new reg set but not a used one, then that's a very good reason to buy a new one. You want to have faith in your reg.

Blue Sparkle

 

[victorzamora]

Bubble, that's what I was assuming....but there's a HOG 38# wing for $110 shipped here and it's really just too cheap to make me pass it over. I mean, it's half the price of any other decent wing I could find. That, plus the basic $28 dive rite harness and an $80 alu backplate puts me all-in to the BC at just over $200. Plus two stainless tank cams it's pushing right around $250 shipped. Plus $400 for a full reg set and I'm in the water for appx $650. I need to get a quote on those Hollis regs from my LDS. However, for another $150 I can get full hollis setup (with the Elite 2 harness). I would almost definitely save the $75 on the harness and do the basic webbing harness. Y'all are definitely right about it, I think.

My tax return (after paying my dad back for a dumb mistake) is going to be $425. I'm trying to sell off two monitors and should be able to scrape more funds together. Plus my birthday is coming up....so I will be pushing $1k in the bank, but I won't want to spend that much. Plus, the less I spend on myself the earlier I can buy gear for my fiancee.

Also, BlueSparkle....I know you didn't mean buy cheapest possible and hope for the best, but that $100 reg linked somewhere in this thread was REALLY beaten up and not so trust-worthy looking. I simply can't find used regs in my price range that look like something I want to get hitched to. However, I AM looking and if I find something I'll be more than happy to hop on it.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

With respect to the good deal on the 38-lb. lift doubles wing, I would recommend not getting it. That's probably more lift than you need, and the wing shape is in a classic, wide horseshoe that's more appropriate for diving doubles. You're not diving doubles; you're diving single tanks. Get a single tank wing.

In a pinch, could you make the 38-lb. lift doubles wing work in a single tank configuration? Yes, but you really should be using the proper tool for the job. You may have issues fully venting the doubles wing. There are many other BCD options (new or used) available for single tank diving out there.

Blue Sparkle asserts that a properly serviced/functioning/well-tuned used reg should perform just as the reg did when new. Based on my experience, I would have to agree.

FYI, the cosmetic appearance of a used reg has little to do with how the reg actually performs. However, it may give a prospective buyer some hints about how well the reg was serviced/cared for/stored. If a 2nd stage faceplate is severely scratched up or cracked, replacement faceplates can often be purchased.

 

[victorzamora]

The reg I was referring to had significant cosmetic damage to the first stage. Also, there is a lot of discoloration along the seals....I'm afraid that it's damaged and has been abused/mistreated. After all of the abuse it seems like its gone through, it seems like it'll take a lot of money to get that reg setup back to fully-functional status. Buying used gear is not something I'm against in general. However, cosmetic damage is evidence of other abuse and it's VERY obviously mistreated gear.

Now, about the 38# wing: you're right, I know better than that. I've always been about getting the right tools for the job as well as buying right the first time. However, after all of the money I'll have spent on the setup I don't believe a $100 difference between the "right" setup and a "wrong" setup. I guess I was just hoping that a single tank adapter would've done it...but that would've both not worked as well AND cut into the price difference benefitting the "wrong" setup. As great of a deal as that is, I'm sticking to a single tank wing.

 

[aquaregia]

You know, I think that all the ways I know of to write off a first stage would happen during service, not use.

 

[victorzamora]

How about this combo?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

How about this combo?

Shipping on that Ebay package is $75, probably due to inclusion of the tank. Make sure you figure in the shipping into the overall cost.

Here are my personal thoughts on the gear...

• That Sherwood piston first stage has the dry-bleed system. Other people say it works fine to keep the ambient chamber dry. Not my personal preference. Be forewarned that you'll get sick of other "helpful" divers telling you your reg is leaking. It's supposed to have a very small constant stream of bubbles emanating from the ambient chamber.
• The Sherwood Oasis second stage supposedly has "moisture-retention fins" inside that minimize dry mouth/throat. If it works, that could be a plus.
• I don't particularly like the Oceanic slimline octo. I prefer to have identical second stages (one as primary, the other as octo/backup) connected to a first stage. This simplifies troubleshooting and servicing.
• One of my buddies owned a Sherwood Avid BCD. I didn't like the weight release mechanism as much as the Seaquest (Surelock) one.
• The Avid BCD has two tank cambands. That's nice.
• It's nice that the package includes all of the "expensive" gear that one would need to go diving -- regs + SPG, computer, BCD, tank.

I'm picky when it comes to scuba gear.