Equipment for New Diver

[kpleynes]

Hi,
Just got certified and am addicted to diving.
I am planning to purchase my own system since rentals are also expensive and I know that I will be diving at least every month.

These are the equipment that I am planning to buy based on gear reviews in Rodales.com.

1. Regulator - Mares R12 Axis
2. BC - Dacor Rav or Mares Vector Origin
3. Octopus - Cressi Sub
4. Compass - Sigma

I am planning to get this from Leisurepro.com.

Any inputs on the brand and model and from purchasing from Leisurepro.com would be more than welcome

Also, are there other items that I should consider buying. I am located in the northeast and would probably be diving both in warm and cold waters.

 

[Wendy]

I think you should try to rent the gear that you are looking at buying first to see how you like it. It doesn't matter what we think of it, or what Rodale's says about it (also not all gear out there is included in the Rodale's reviews), what does matter is if you like it and you are comfortable with it. Go out there and try some different set ups and gear. And then pick the one you want.

 

[boney]

Do try them out before you buy... you don't want to spend a bunch of $$$ on something you're gonna send back. I think the Mares R12 and the BC you choose are frequent renters, or at least at one shop I know so you should be able to try those out.
If you're diving cold waters make sure your reg is suitable for that environment. Another thing you want to consider is if the reg is ready for nitrox. I would hate to buy a reg then take a nitrox course only to buy another set of regs. Gets pretty expensive that way. Do you already have a wet or dry suit? Hood, gloves?
You'll also want to consider getting a knife or some shears if you got caught in anything and possibly some flashlights for night dives. Almost forgot a tank or two... not that I have one yet but I am planning to.
Get the basics first - which you are already planning on getting - and you could always rent the other things (like the flashlight) until you decide which one you want to get.

 

[DeepTechScuba]

This gets debated a lot in scuba across the world.

Generally, some people say to buy your diving suit (wetsuit or drysuit).

Others say to buy your dive computer first.

Here is the general order that I would suggest buying your equipment in:

Boots & fins
Mask & snorkel
Weight belt (cloth) and weights (soft weights)

NOW you can at least go freediving in warm water! Then ...

Thermal suit & hood

NOW you can at least go freediving anywhere! Then ...

Dive computer
Compass with large dial easy to read in the dark or light
Dive knife
Regulator system with 2 full service 2nd stages (NOT octo nor Air2)
B/C

Then last and least, if ever, your TANK(s).

Regarding specific brand names, MARES is pretty good, sort of midstream. It is not great, like ScubaPro, nor cheap, like Oceanic.

More salient than brand names is the issue of whether you buy a jacket-style B/C or a back-inflation type. Beginners usually so better with jacket styles. But in the long term, you will do better with a back inflation style.

I agree with Boney about trying to rent the specific item before you buy it, to see how it works for you.

 

[jerseygirl]

I live in the area where the Leisure Pro store is located, and I give them the thumbs up. It is a TINY upstairs shop, and they don't seem like the scuba warehouse they are, but they always have an enormous selection of sizes, colors, and styles for the best prices anywhere, which I always find surprising.

Anyhow, as far as buying gear goes, I think you will need to buy the roughly $500 worth starter stuff (3mm wetsuit, boots, fins, mask, snorkel, defog, save-a-dive kit, dive bag and so on) regardless of whether you plan to purchase the big stuff like computer, regs & BC. I ended up buying it all after my first weekend checkout dives because the rental BC was shabby and the borrowed reg made me nervous and disgusted. If you want to dive often, you will never regret the purchase of your equipment.
My vote for computers is Suunto, but you can't go wrong with most of the other equipment these days, as long as it is not some obscure brand, it will probably be just fine. The mask is just a matter of fit and range of vision. Go for a low volume mask because it retains less water and allows better visibility. Fins are also a matter of super debate, just go with your gut on those!!

Good Luck and happy diving

 

[learn-scuba]

I won't comment on brands or models as that's always a matter of personal taste. However, on the subject of the order to buy gear in... two things... first, and least important, renting gear is expensive. The longer it takes you to buy your own gear, the more diving is going to cost you. The sooner you own your own gear, the better for that reason. Second, given the choice between owning a wet suit and owning my own regulator... I'll take the regs everey time. That's my life support and I want to know that it's not been abused and is in good repair. I can rent a wet suit and it's not going to do any harm if it's not in perfect condition.

I'll also add that a third benefit to owning your own gear sooner than later is that of comfort and familiarity. When it fits right, you're used to the feel of it and you know where everything is without looking, you're a more comfortable diver and that's important. Constantly renting different gear is like jumping into a friends car you've never driven before... you know there's a switch for the headlights somewhere, but you're going to have to fumble around in the dark to find it. Your dive gear is the same way.

 

[DeepTechScuba]

Scott has presented the classic view; timeless; ages old:

buy your regulator system first.

I am not particularly disagreeing with the classic view. Its just that the reg is not as critical today as in decades past.

These days, when almost all regs are fairly reliable, including rental regs, it is probably more important to own and be able to operate a dive computer. Of course, you can also rent a dive computer as well.

Now we are back to square one, in a world where you can rent everything, if you want.

Freediving is the least costly diving activity, and that is why I believe in acquiring your gear in stages, first the minimal required stage that JeseyGirl spoke of, including your weight belt. Then second ... ah well, now I am just repeating myself.

 

[learn-scuba]

DeepTechScuba once bubbled...
Scott has presented the classic view; timeless; ages old:

buy your regulator system first.
<snip>

Dang! Talk about making a man feel like a crusty old antique in a single sentence! Geeze! ~grinning~

But all the same... if I took NOTHING else with me on a dive vacation, I would carry my own regs (with my air integrated computer). Sorry... I've been to too many third world dive sites and wouldn't offer the regs they had to Saddam. Well, okay, maybe to Saddam. I see people who rent regs throw them down on the beach in the sand, drop them, leave them sitting in the trunk of their car for three days in the sun, etc. etc. etc.

And don't even get me started on rental BCDs with power inflator buttons that are missing, leaks, torn hoses, or worst of all you tap the power inflator button and it just keeps right on filling until you beat on it a few times.

I'll rent a wet suit, mask, fins, snorkel, weights, tanks... but my BCD and my regs are my lifeline. I guess I'm just an old stick mildewing in the mud ~smile~

 

[DeepTechScuba]

Scott has mentioned the topic of DIVE TRAVEL.

Good point. Totally different subject however.

Here is my list of things that I take with me when I dive travel:

Warm-water locations ---

Carry-on suitcase with rollers & extending handle. Everything else for scuba fits inside of it, as follows:

Fins (I use short fins, like ScubaPro jetfins because they fit nicely inside of my carry-on suitcase whereas long freediving fins that some folks wear for scuba are too long and totally inappropriate for scuba IMHO)

2 masks, each one stuck inside a fin foot-pocket for protection (if your mask is too big to fit inside of your fin foot-pockets, your mask is too big and you need to get a lower-displacement mask)

Snorkel & keeper, separated from my mask and tucked along the side of the carry-on suitcase

REGULATOR SYSTEM, consisting of my favorite most reliable first stage and two full service second stages attached to it, spg attached to it, and LP power inflator hose attached to it, with a bottle of mask defogger attached to it by a snorkel keeper (so Scott & I agree about the importance of bringing along your own reg)

Cloth pouch weight belt (for freediving, since my B/C is integrated, and I can therefore put the weights that I will borrow from the dive boats into my B/C weight pockets)

Booties (these are the short tropical boots for diving with open-back fins)

Dive computer & compass (mine are both attached to the same strap); tucking this inside one of the booties protects it.

Swimsuit & dive skins & T-shirt & cloth hat & sunglasses

Jon line

Orange inflatable signalling sausage (the kind that clips to your D-ring)

B/C disassembled and rolled up and stuffed into the top of the carry-on suitcase.

Scuba tool.

Slippers of some kind, like shower thongs.


Cold water locations --

All of the above except the dive skins & booties

Hard-walled suitcase to hold the drysuit, woolies, knives(2), spear, gloves, and hood, and zipper wax.


NOW BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION: WHAT GEAR DO YOU BUY FIRST?

Hmmm. Several schools of thought on that one ... .

 

[DeepTechScuba]

Scott, if you "took NOTHING else with (you) (except) (your) own reg" ...

then you would be diving butt-naked, dude.

I suppose that is possible in the warm waters of Florida. Interesting picture, I'm sure.

But (no pun intended) in the cold waters of California, realm of the GreatWhiteShark, you would then totally shrivel all of your appendages, if all you took with you was your own reg.

Main Entry: shriv·el
Pronunciation: 'shri-v&l, esp Southern 'sri-
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -eled or -elled; -el·ing or shriv·el·ling /'shri-v&l-i[ng], 'sri-; 'shriv-li[ng], 'sriv-/
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1588
intransitive senses
1 : to draw into wrinkles especially with a loss of moisture
2 a : to become reduced to inanition, helplessness, or inefficiency b : DWINDLE