I'm new to diving!

[Coastalfreak]

Hi! I'm brand new to the art of scuba diving, and I'm extremely interested in it. I live in Georgia near Atlanta and I have heard there is a good dive shop to get certified at. Once I do get certified, I plan on getting some gear. Do you guys have any recommendations on gear that is good for a lower price?
Thank you!

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome form southeast florida....good luck with your scuba class...when does it start?

 

[tbone1004]

welcome! where are you looking to get certified?

t-bone's gear recommendation if you want the best and to buy once cry once

Deep Sea Supply BP/W-$500
Deep6 Doubles Reg Kit-$850 yes I recommend doubles despite most people diving singles because of the potential for pony bottles, sidemount, and most important so you don't lose a dive if you have a first stage failure.
DIY slate for compass
Wetsuit-get whatever fits
Fins-Deep6 Eddy or Dive Rite XT
Booties-NRS Paddle Wetshoe
Mask-DGX Ultraview
Snorkel-don't bother unless you're snorkeling, in which case get whatever is cheap and simple
Computer-Hollis DG03, Deepblu Cosmiq, Dive Rite Nitek Q, Shearwater Perdix. If you want AI, and/or want the best, get the Perdix, if not, then the others have pros and cons.

Deep6 is in Macon GA btw so very close to where you are. HOG is as well though the only thing I'd probably recommend buying from them is regulators if you don't want to spend up for Deep6 which are similar, but better

alternatively, when I'm back from the UK, if you have any reason to get up to Greenville, I'll be able to show you just about any piece of gear you are thinking about.

as an extra alternative, if you want to get certified in the springs, contact Cave Adventurers because they teach OW in both backmount and sidemount. If you go backmount, I'd recommend getting the DSS BP/W, booties, and DGX mask before you go down, and everything else you'll be able to test dive after your course with them before you commit to buy which is a nice perk that really separates that shop from everyone else

 

[Lorenzoid]

Hello fellow Atlantan! I'm partial to the Marietta (Cobb Pkwy) branch of Divers Supply, though they seem to have gone through some personnel changes, and I don't know who's there at present. If you read through threads about getting certified, you will see that a common bit of advice is to make sure you speak with (yes, "interview") the instructor who will be teaching you rather than just picking a dive shop and assuming that because the shop has a good reputation they will provide an instructor and a class structure that are a good fit for you. Some teach face-to-face the old-fashioned way, and others favor on-line learning. Some allocate more time for in-water exercises than others. Some classes are packed into a long weekend, and others spread it out over several weeks. What's "best" is what fits your style. Speak with the instructor before signing up for the course and make sure the course fits the way you like to learn.

 

[Coastalfreak]

Thank all of you for your help! I really do appreciate it.

 

[ram04769]

Hello Coastal and welcome to SB. Best of luck with you scuba course and wishing you lots of fun and fascinating dives.

 

[RyanT]

Welcome to diving! The advice you've gotten already is quite good (read lorenzoid's advice again, it's something new divers are almost never told). If you're on a budget, I'm not sure I would follow t-bone's advice of buying two regulators. He's right, it's great to have a backup and/or another one to grow into, but modern regulators are quite reliable. So if you're on a budget, you're probably better of spending the extra money on a computer while you're getting started. For a BC, you have two choices, a jacket-style or a Backplate/Wing. When you look at them side by side, the jacket-style looks so much more comfortable and functional. It's not. When you get a backplate/wing, you'll find it to be super comfortable and functional. It's really stable on your back, puts you in nice trim underwater, and it's modular. So later if you decided you want to dive doubles, you can just get a new wing and use it with your backplate. Enjoy!

 

[drrich2]

I may've missed it mentioned, but believe DGX refers to an online vendor called Dive Gear Express. A good site to visit and you can learn something things - like Mr. Clean Magic Erasers can easily erase a dive slate!

Deep Six has been getting some high praise on this forum; they're new enough others you talk to may not've heard of them I'm guessing. Regulators need periodic servicing; whatever you pick, be sure a local dive shop will service it. Unless you're going to mail it in for servicing.

Richard.

 

[tbone1004]

@drrich2

common brand/company acronyms used on this forum
DRiS-Dive Right in Scuba
DGX-Dive Gear Express
CA-Cave Adventurers
DSS-Deep Sea Supply
SS-Silent Submersion

I think that's about it, but there's probably more

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Good for you that you are asking questions here, before you are certified. I found this site about a year after I was certified. One thing I wish I had done was ask about how the skills were taught. I learned by kneeling on the bottom of the pool, or kneeling in the sand at depth. It sure would have been better if I was taught buoyancy skills (not only theory) and then skills using that buoyancy. I never knew there was an alternate to how I was taught. I liked this book http://www.amazon.com/SCUBA-Practic...ds=Scuba:+a+Practical+Guide+for+the+new+diver
and I'm sure there are plenty more books around that will be helpful, as well as just asking questions here on SB,
you're gonna love this!! Learn well, and dive safe!!