New CA Diver

[Ben Donohoo]

Hey everyone. Just got Open Water certified in Los Angeles. Looking for recommendations on my first scuba setup. I've been on Diver Supply looking at their package deals. Looking to spend around $1000. Any advice?

 

[drrich2]

What all do you intend to get for that grand?

Richard.

 

[Ben Donohoo]

BCD, regulator, guages/computer

 

[drrich2]

Are these packages viewable online? If so, please hyperlink to one that's caught your eye. It makes for a better discussion if people can see what brands & models you're looking at. May help you consider where you might want to expand the budget to get a desired feature. Do you to dive locally in California? I ask because that means some cold water diving.

Richard.

 

[Ben Donohoo]

Buy Scuba Packages at Divers Supply

Ive been looking at the aqualung essential with the titan 3rd gen. And the Tusa Liberator Sigma on the second page .

 

[Ben Donohoo]

And yes I plan to dive mostly in SoCal

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

$1000 could be do-able, but all or most would need to be bought used.
There is lots of very good lightly used gear out there on craigslist and flea-bay, especially in Socal.
Do you have any gear of your own at all yet? Like wetsuit, fins, mask, ?

 

[Ben Donohoo]

Yes I have my mask fins gloves and hood. I have a few wetsuits from surfing but need a 7mm or similar

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Yes I have my mask fins gloves and hood. I have a few wetsuits from surfing but need a 7mm or similar

For Socal you can use a 7mm one piece back zip. Depending on what type of hood you have, hooded vests work the best with back zip one piece suits. The bib style leak and will shoot cold water down your back. But in a pinch bib style hoods will work if the water wsrms up a bit. If you’re a surfer you probably are no stranger to California water temps.
Finding decent used wetsuit gear can be a challenge. Walking into a dive shop and getting set up new is guaranteed you’ll get good new stuff that fits but it’s going to probably eat close to half your budget. Look for sales.
Buying the rest used on eBay or craigslist, online classifieds, garage sales, etc. would be the way to go.
Hopefully you’d be able to find a reg set complete with a console with depth gauge, compass, and pressure gauge. Any used reg stuff would need to be taken to a shop and gone through, regardless of what the seller tells you. You have to he 100% sure regs are in good working order. Then you’d just need a watch and you could dive tables until you could afford a computer. At least you could get into the water and start diving.

 

[dwaters]

Welcome to the 'board and to the underwater world!

Please feel free to drop on down to our local forum here: SoCal
and enjoy our wonderful water.
LA is a big town and there are a lot of online/brick n mortar stores in the greater area where you can even try out suits and more.