Equipment after Basic Personal

[Belce]

Hello and thank you for looking at this post and considering an answer.

I just completed my OW cert and have done 2 additional dives. I really enjoy the experience and want to do more. I have already acquired fins, mask, gloves, booties and a snorkle.

I am looking at what I should get next and I understand that these next ones will be more expensive. Where I dive is around Victoria, BC. Which is at the cold end of temperate diving, low to mid 50 F water temps. In addition I am 5' 4" and 190 lbs male with a waist smaller than chest. I don't work well with off the rack sizes, so when I rent I am using large and extra large suits and having to deal with the extra buonacy as well.

What should I look to as my first big purchase in equipment?

 

[El Orans]

I'd get a suit. If you're not warm, you're not going to enjoy yourself.

 

[ucfdiver]

Unfortunately you might find yourself in need of a custom suit. As El Orans said, warmth is critical.

 

[Belce]

Thank you for the replies.

I am never cold, or even less than comfortable. If I seem to favour a custom suit it is because I currently swim with about 8" of extra suit length wise.

 

[RJP]

In addition to wetsuit I'd add a proper fitting BCD-BP/W. Fit is critical for comfort and really safety on these two pieces. Everything else - regs, computers, lights, etc - are all of the "one-size-fits-all" variety, so you can continue to rent those as needed.

Additional benefit to owning these two pieces is that they will become a "constant" and you can really start to dial in your weighting and trim, since you wont have to deal with buoyancy characteristics changing from one piece of borrowed/rental gear to the next.

 

[seductiveconcepts]

It seems like you already realize your first purchase, if you had that much fun with gear that didn't fit quite right, image if you had a wetsuit that was comfortable and sized correctly...lol Outside of a quality exposure suit, my next recommendation would be a good reg set... I don't mind renting gear, bc, weights etc when I travel to cut down on luggage fees... but I do enjoy having my own quality reg set....so I bring them along and they dont take up much room, I know my reg has been serviced, cleaned properly, and breathes the way I like.

 

[Bottomfeeder Brodie]

I was considering a custom suit myself. Off the rack stuff never seems to fit around my waist. Loose suits just seem to pump cold water in and out constantly with movement. You northern guys really need a proper fit and I have to agree with my fellow boarders that custom is the way to go. Just take the expense as a part of life and get it over with because comfort is everything!