My Gear list thus far - tell me where I can save some money

[chrpai]

Some wings have slots to go without an STA and some don't and will require an STA. A "just big enough" donut wing (say 30lb give or take ) is a good choice. Make sure it doesn't have any retractors or an inflator that's too long. Otherwise there are many good choices.

 

[Tampa]

I can testify it's not uncomfortable. I've done several dives in Lake Travis with nothing but swimtrunks and booties for my fins on. I had to hump my rig down the cliff side into the water and it was perfectly comfortable. Properly adjusted I have no trouble getting in and out of the rig. I see no reason for all the extra failure points in more complex harnesses. I too used to think people were FOS claming this but they aren't.

PS- I dive Hollis F1's but checkout the Hog tech fin for $59 at Special Purchase, Clearance, Closeout, and Discontinued Merchandise - Dive Gear Express

Also the Hog tech mask (in my profile pic ) is a good, affordable mask.

PSS- still wondering if steel is best for you

Why not use Steel if you don't mind me asking? I figure SS will give me a little more weight and make me a little more negative in the Saltwater, most of my dives will be in the ocean.

 

[chrpai]

Lake Travis (fresh water) warms up to the upper 80's above 40' in the summer. If I'm doing a shallow dive in swim trunks, an AL80 and a steel backplate overweights me. Not horribly so but noticable. If I throw on my LP95 it's even more so. I picked up another AL bacplate and harness for $70 and this gives me more options.

When I wear my 5mil in freshwater, the AL80 and steel backplate is perfect for me.

What it comes down to for you is how much weight do you wear for the various types of dives you do today?

Storm Aluminum Backplate w Harness and Crotch Strap for Technical Scuba Divers | eBay

 

[theduckguru]

Can I ask how you came up with this list? Why do you specify an Apeks Brass SPG? And why high dollar regs and a bottom end computer?

So I am newly certified as of about 4 months ago, It is time for me to buy my gear instead of renting. I plan to make hopefully depending on work and such at least a couple dives a month. I wanted to go with a technical rig set up, that being said if you have an opinion why I shouldn't I would love to hear it. The purpose of this thread is to post up my shopping list thus far that a friend help me set up and for you guys to chime in and see if we can cut some costs without cutting quality. So here we go!

Technical Rig BC
Apeks WTX Harness - 355$
or Deluxe one piece harness - 95$
WTX SS Backplate - 175$
WTX3 Wing - 280$
Inflator hose - 85$
Single tank adaptor - 75$

Regulator/Alt
Apeks XTX 50 reg - 560$
Apeks XTX50 Alt - 250$

Dive Comp
Suunto Zoop (wrist) - 300$

Pressure Gauge
Apeks Brass 5000PSI - 125$

I will also probably need a DIN to Yoke adaptor depending on where I will rent my tanks from, I plan on buying a tank at a later time.

This list comes up to roughly 2300$ before taxes and shipping straight from aqualung.com. I like quality brands like aqualung and apeks but I would like to get my total price down to roughly 1500$ even though that seems like quite a stretch anything helps.

Thanks!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

As long as you are not doing something like using a steel plate and say an LP 95 in a skin a steel plate is not that big of a deal. If I use a 3 mil and an al80 in saltwater a steel plate means I might have to use 4 lbs on a belt. An lp 85 or lp72 then I don't need any ditchable weight.

Getting back to your list. Sorry but that much money for a BPW and Reg set up is simply insane. I could use stronger words but this is a family board.

$85 for an inflator is akin to armed robbery. $125 for a harness is worse.

Here is a rough idea of what I put a diver in with similiar interests:

32lb singles wing 259.99
SS plate 99.99
Harness 60.00
cam bands (2) 36.00
STA - not needed 00.00
Total 455.98

HOG single tank reg set 449.99 includes hoses, 1st stage, both second stages
SPG AND Hose 99.99
Total 549.98

Grand total 1005.96
Shipping Free
Assembly of plate and harness Free
Assembly and test reg/spg Free

$2300? I can outfit a couple for that and they will still have money left over to dive.

Also you will not have to take the regs in every year or lose your "free parts". Yeah "free", I'd guess that extra grand covers those.

 

[Tampa]

I haven't had enough dives to really experiment with weight, I'm naturally negatively buoyant though. I don't want to use a weight belt and want to get as close to neutrally buoyant as I can. I will be buying a 3mm suit but when/if the water is warm enough I will just be going in some shorts and booties. My next trip is in 2 weeks to key west so I am trying to get my rig set up before then.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2013 at 10:26 PM ----------

Can I ask how you came up with this list? Why do you specify an Apeks Brass SPG? And why high dollar regs and a bottom end computer?

This is currently my friends rig and he loves it, the computer he likes because it is simple and still shows everything he needs he also hasn't changed the batteries in a year and its at half life still. he dives about 6 times a month.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Then go with an aluminum plate. But until you do proper weight checks expect to need to use a belt. And please, ignore the people who tell you not to buy "tech gear". They don't know what they are talking about because it's NOT TECH GEAR. It's a BC. A different kind but still simply a BC.

Oh and just shorts and boots in saltwater? Bad idea IMO. There is stuff that stings, scrapes, bites, and irritates bare skin. I wear a full suit, even if it's just a skin, no matter what the water temp. Your instructor should have mentioned this.

 

[Tampa]

Then go with an aluminum plate. But until you do proper weight checks expect to need to use a belt. And please, ignore the people who tell you not to buy "tech gear". They don't know what they are talking about because it's NOT TECH GEAR. It's a BC. A different kind but still simply a BC.

Oh and just shorts and boots in saltwater? Bad idea IMO. There is stuff that stings, scrapes, bites, and irritates bare skin. I wear a full suit, even if it's just a skin, no matter what the water temp. Your instructor should have mentioned this.

Good Point! Well I will be buying a 3mm full suit regardless

 

[japan-diver]

Have to agree with what Jim has said the BP/W is just a BC its not tech gear at all and neither are the regs you choose to list. But the prices you mentioned are a bit high. Any wing you buy new should have the hose included in the cost also so that should not be mentioned anyway.
I know as a Dive Rite dealer we could bring you in much below that cost (including shipping from Japan) with a true tech computer on your wrist also if you wanted it. A good SS BP/W should not be over $500 and a great reg set can be had for between $550-$750 depending on brand etc. So your total should be well below the $2000 mark with a computer. Being in Flordia I would think there are numerous LDS's or some here on the board close by that could get you a much better deal on the same or comparable gear.
I would also suggest the SS plate as they weight out nicely for salt water dives unless you are planning on using large steel tanks exclusively and very little neoprene. In the summer if I put on one of my 120's with a shorty or rash guard I am a bit heavy with my SS plate but manageable, with just a 3mm suit on its not bad at all. In Al 80's its nice because I do not need any weight to be neutral at all.

 

[Tampa]

Thanks for all the info! I work 730-530 M-F so hopefully I can find a dive shop close to base that's open to at least 7, Just so I can get some price comparisons and such. Now what about computers, I liked the idea of the Zoop just because it seems real simple and still has (I thought) everything I needed and for 300$ or maybe a little cheaper if I shop around I figured that was a good deal. I looked into the Petrel and its like 900$ and has a lot of features I would probably never touch.