Just went crazy buying new gear ($1400 Atomic BC1 BCD, TWO Atomic Cobalts, B2, M1, SS1..) STOP ME!!!

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jerbee

Contributor
Messages
150
Reaction score
58
Location
Baton Rouge, LA / Puerto Galera, Philippines
# of dives
I'm a Fish!
The title says it all. I’ve had my Cressi R1 BCD with my XS Compact reg/octo and AC2 1st for about 2 years now, and after graduating from law school and in anticipation of moving to the Philippines for half a year in August, I decided I wanted to treat myself to something a little nicer... so I got an Atomic SS1 inflator/octo combo, to streamline and have one less hose. I picked it up on eBay for $120... It looked great on my BCD, so I decided I should get a serious 2nd stage to allow me to grow as a diver (if I ever start getting involved in tech diving)... so I got a M1 2nd stage from buddhasummer on here for around $150. Then I saw a Z2 on eBay for $90, so I figured “why not, it’ll be good to have as a backup in my gear bag, just in case”. Then I figured that my 2nd stages were all Atomic, so I may as well look at their 1st stages... then I fell in love with the jet seat piston, and found a shop in Florida that was selling a refurb B2 first stage for $160. Got it.

While I was on FB, I noticed a dive shop owner had listed their new BCD, the Atomic BC1, for $650. I talked to her, and she sold it to me for $550 (shipped). Since it retails for $1400 + tax, I figured this was the only chance I’d realistically have of owning such a high-end BCD. I certainly wasn’t going to pay north of 1500 for a poodle jacket, ever. So then I realized the only thing that wasn’t Atomic was my analog pressure gauge and my Cressi Leonardo dive computer... so I went hunting on eBay for a Cobalt ($1200 new). I don’t know how it happened, but I sent a “best offer” of $300 to pretty much every person on there for 2 weeks who had a Cobalt for sale... and someone finally said yes... only when I went to pay for it, I realized that the auction was actually for TWO Cobalts! So basically I bought two of them for $150 each. I ended up having to send them to Huish Outdoors for a recall, because the original owner never did the recall. While they were there, they replaced the button magnets with molded buttons (the original style was prone to rusting).

Then last night I found a guy 120 miles away on FB marketplace who sold me 2 aluminum tanks that were current on hydro and VIP for $65. The lady who sold me the BC1 also had Atomic blades on clearance for half off retail (120, so they were 60), but I really like my Apollo Bio-Fins (which I found on clearance for $80 in a dive shop in Pensacola), so I didn’t take her up on that offer... At this point, I can’t think of anything else I could possibly need. When I decided to upgrade to an inflator/octo combo I certainly didn’t plan on setting out to buy a whole new package, but that’s precisely what happened. Am I crazy, or would you have done the same thing? I mean, there’s no way that I could have afforded all of that gear at retail pricing (hell, I couldn’t afford the BCD by itself at retail), but I kept coming across these ridiculous deals that I couldn’t say no to. Honestly, what diver, ever, has said “I have too much gear”?


You’d have done the same.... right? Is there anything left that I might wake up tomorrow and realize I *need* it, or can I finally hang my hat up and say “done”?
 
If you are serious about possibly trying tech diving in the future, you will likely have to replace all of that. A few searches on Scubaboard would show the popularity of backplate/wings, Jetfins, and disdain for inline octos. At least you can use the aluminum tanks for deco bottles.
 
Oh yeah, I planned on eventually getting a bp/w, and the in-line wouldn’t be used with that... that’s one of the reasons I got the Z2 (as a real octo). The in-line is just for my rec diving while I’m going to be abroad. I don’t know much at all about tec diving, so I figure worst case scenario I can probably sell the Atomic BCD on eBay after a year or two and be able to buy a nice Zeagle (or two) with the proceeds from that, if I do end up moving away from recreational... I do a lot of spearfishing in the gulf, so I wanted a quality 1st/2nd, which from all I read, Atomic makes ones that can be used in a variety of applications. You’re right about being able to use my Cressi for stage bottles if need be... I’m just excited not to have to rent tanks each time we go out to the oil rigs... and about getting my “recreational dream package”. I hadn’t realized that jetfins were so popular before you mentioned them, so it looks like I’ve got something to spend my afternoon today investigating. Thanks for that! By the way, you’ve got some awesome macro photos - not to derail the thread, but what photo setup do you use?
 
Uh oh, now you need a camera :wink:

But that's OK with me as I think taking photos leaving only bubbles is better than spearfishing but that's just me.

In any event, dive what you have for awhile, maybe a good long while. It should serve you well. Spend any extra money on trips!!
 
You should go professional and start getting keyman pricing. Then you're gear spending will truly go through the roof.
 
BC1 is like diving inside a life-raft. Best of luck wallowing in that thing.
 
BC1 is like diving inside a life-raft. Best of luck wallowing in that thing.

Gotta agree with you there. All my BCDs are either back inflate or BP/W. I really hate full vests. I'm just not comfortable with them in the water.
 

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