I need everything!

[hope2divesoon]

I am going to be getting my certification next spring and I am going to start getting equipment for christmas. I have no idea what to get, but I need pretty much everything. I know that not everybody will agree on what is best, but give me your opinions, they will be greatly appreciated.

 

[syruss32]

Originally posted by hope2divesoon
I am going to be getting my certification next spring and I am going to start getting equipment for christmas. I have no idea what to get, but I need pretty much everything. I know that not everybody will agree on what is best, but give me your opinions, they will be greatly appreciated.

My opinion is don't buy too much simply because until you have had a chance to try a few things you will not know what you like or dislike then will be stuck with gear you won't like.

I would ask for Gift Certificates so once you have a chance to get in the water and try some of these you will be able to make better choices for yourself. Although you will get many recommendations on here, each person being different you kind of have to take that with a grain of salt.

Some items you could pick up now and test maybe in a local pool, such as your fins, mask and snorkel. I use TUSA imprex fins and they are very good and affordable. For a mask I have a Sherwood Magnum 4 with custom lenses, although if I was to buy a new mask I would consider a purge mask next time. Getting a good snorkel is important as you don't wanna be sucking down a lot of salt water in surf while you are at the surface.

You could get a wetsuit, drysuit or skin, depending on where you are diving and what temp range you will be diving in.

Start checking out the dive computers if you want to get something that is really nice and helpfull in diving. I would recommend an Air Integrated one, although mine is not, but then mine was only a couple hundred bucks.

Hope this helps a bit!

Now go get a mares hub system with bio-fins and a full face mask with communications built in, and let us know how you like my dream system hehehehe. And maybe a Drager Dolphin or Ray to increase your bottom time.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Borrow or rent as many types of gear as possible BEFORE you
make a purchase decision. Use the gear in open water where its
strengths/weaknesses will be apparent: MOST gear is useful
in pool. Should you fail to heed my advice you will likely own BOXES of gear that you no longer use.

 

[herman]

Hi Mike and welcome to the board.
Have to agree with syruss on this one. Until you have some experience you really can't make a good decision on what equipment you need or want. Go ahead and get a good mask and fins but leave the rest until you have had a chance to try different brands/styles of equipment and you have a better idea of the type of diving you will be doing, warm water, cold water, deep, cave....the list goes on. As much as I hate rental equipment, it's the best (and cheapest) way to go until you have some experience. It helps avoids the room full of "I thought I wanted that piece of equipment" problem....we all have a room like that. The one place I disagree with syruss is on the air intergrated computer. It's a personal choice but I don't like depending on one piece of gear for all my depth/time/air information. I prefer a mechanical pressure gauge, old technology but they are tough and almost never fail. Add a good computer and a watch and you will always have at least 2/3s of the info you need if one of them fails. But that's my prefernce, only you can determine what is righ for you and the diving you decide to do.

Again, welcome to the board.

 

[large_diver]

Pat,

I would second the vote for a gift cert for X-mas -- you can use this to buy mask, fins and snorkel for your class.

Wait on the "other stuff" until you've completed the class and you've gotten some OW dives under your belt. It's hard to know what to buy when you haven't tried out a few models via rental. What's right for folks on this board may not work for you, whether due to diving location, frequency, depth, body type, etc., etc., etc.

Good luck.

 

[buff]

I agree with most of the replies here but I'll go out on a limb and tell what I use. "Nothing fancy, just fabulous"
1. Apeks regulator TX50 with TX40 octo or TX40 with TX40 octo. Get it in DIN and purchase a yoke adaptor. I think(and most on this board do too)that Apeks is the best all-around bang for your buck reg. Cold water, warm water, muddy water it does it all.
2. Mares Quattro fins. Best fin I have ever used. Flexible enough to be efficient(and do free diving in) but stiff enough to deliver power when needed. They also have the widest foot pocket out there-great for dry suit boots. And did I mention the easy to adjust straps??? Some people hate them-I don't know why they do- cause I love em'
3. Mask, snorkel, hard soled neoprene boots(5-7mil)-that's your choice, whatever fits your face and feet
4. BackPlate and harness. I don't own one but I wish I had bought it before I got a BC-very adaptable and comfortable.
5. This was the most difficult decision for me: How do I dive in Cozumel and in Minnesota and not spend a fortune on 5 different thinknesses/types of exposure suits? You live in PA. and that's cold water diving. The most versatile setup for exposure suits I have found is this: 3 mil.(I own a 5/3 BARE front zip-and it's really nice-got it from LeisurePro) jumpsuit wetsuit-can use that in the tropics and can get hot in it...unless it's front zip, then you can just open it up and vent some warm water out. A hooded vest-if you dive in cooler tropical water or in PA in the summer-just put it over the 3 mil suit. A trilam(also called membrane on the other side of the pond) dry suit -no attached hood. You can use the latter to dive in cool, cold water and when it gets really cold you can put on a hood-then you will need gloves too. Fear not the dry suit. I wish every diving organization would make this standard OW training in northern climes. The trilam suit is the most versatile there is-mix and match the undergarments to suit the diving conditions. It's so much easier to get in and out of than a thick,stinky, immobilizing wetsuit.
6. Buy online-you'll save about a third. Buy from DiveInn in Spain or LesuirePro in New York. LP costs more but they have a wider selection. DiveInn is my choice and I can't say enough great things about them. They have FREE 7 day return shipping on their gear. Mention my name and get.....NOTHING......I don't work for them but I often sound like I do. There is also DiversDirect in Florida.

Well, you're talking a couple of thousand- but this gear will last you a lifetime-unfortunately, that eliminates your excuse to replace any old, worn-out dive equipment with the latest "bit of kit". But that's a nice dilema to be in.

Mike
P.S. It's just all my opinion and there are a lot of divers who I like and respect would tell you something different. This is what I found works for me and I am thankful to have this board-otherwise it would have taken years-and thousands of dollars to figure out what works for me. We can't tell you what will be best for you just cut down on the time, effort and money you spend in the course of finding out.

Have Fun!!!!!!!

 

[buff]

I have an air integrated Suunto Corbra computer and it marvelous-I got that at DiveInn too......of course.


Mike

 

[Lost Yooper]

Greetings,

I wish I had the following stuff right off the bat (for cold water diving):

Halcyon back plate, harness, and 35lb wing.
High quality shell dry suit (perhaps a TLS350).
Apex TX50 or TX100 regulator on a 7' hose -- 300 DIN.
Apex TX40 back up reg -- 300 DIN.
2 PST LP 95 tanks (or 104's) with Dive Rite, Scuba Pro, Sea Elite 300 DIN H-valves.
Jet fins with spring straps.
Low profile black skirted mask.

Edit: I would also add a Suunto Vyper to the list.

If you add all this up (including the dry suit) you're looking at $4500 (a warm water diver could easily save $2000 off this). However, there will virtually never be any upgrading of equipment in the future regardless of the type of diving you want to get into (which you don't even know about yet). You'll save a ton in the long run.

Good luck.

Mike

PS. Do me a favor, if you decide not to get all this, please copy this post of mine for future reference. I want to see someone else say "you know, I should have gotten that stuff I was told about by LY".

 

[TexasMike]

One common theme that runs in most discussions of what you should buy right off of the bat is to go ahead and purchase the higher quality of equipment. Often spending the extra $100 on a particular bit of equipment does result in at least that much satisfaction in your purchase. Whether it be from performance, features, or durability.

And it almost goes without saying that you will be purchasing gear that is classified as life support equipment. So would you trust your life on something that you saved $100 dollars on but was "cheaply" made? I hope not.

Also, don't be in a huge hurry to make a gear purchase. You'll be much happier if you take your time and make some good choices based upon the suggestions of others and making test dives with these bits of gear. Many of the folks prior to this post have made some good suggestions. I hope you will get a chance to personally investigate some of their gear choices for yourself.

Continue asking questions, especially the "Okay, you suggested Brand 'X', why?" one. We've got a good bunch of helpful folks here, so you can be assured that when you do throw down the greenbacks or plastic, you're making a very informed purchase.

--TM

 

[TexasMike]

Going along with Lost Yooper's last post.....

The things I wish I had purchased right off:

• Jet Fins with spring straps (can't beat this setup)
  Vyper Computer with Wrist mount
  Suunto Compass on Small slate (with retractor)
  Cannister light with HID head
  Low Profile Black Skirt mask (my TUSA clear skirt is okay, but I do see "ghost" images in my peripheral vision every so often)

And though I continue to be very happy with my Zeagle Ranger BC, I have "seen the light" of the increased versitility of the Backplate/Wings BC's (like the Halcyon, Dive-Right, and OMS setups) and am kinda getting the itch to upgrade. Also getting the dry suit itch as well.