New diver looking for gear advice

[mermaidmd]

This is a great discussion, thanks for all the great advice...I agree that it's tempting to just jump on the cheapest prices but often the result is just more money needs to be added to get the gear into trustworthy shape. I once heard it said that "the bitterness of poor quality lasts far longer than the sweet rush of a good deal".

 

[gndpdr]

you know ..after reading the thread ..i guess it just hit me iv'e been diving for a long time ..over time you get to prefer certin types/name of the gear you use ..but at the end of the day i just tell folks..my life depends on the quality of gear i buy...if it looks and feels like junk...it most likely is research any piece of gear in detail before you buy it ....i use a oceanic data mask hud but i still have a old mares brass spg/compass/depth ...i guess i'm old school i like redundant systems

 

[Arik434]

Thanks to everyone for all of the good responses. I ended up going with a 7mm jumpsuit type wetsuit. I am also going to probably end up getting a 3mm suit at some point to use for the little time that the water is warm here in Buffalo, NY and to take with me on vacation dives.

I've been spending a lot of time at a couple local dive shops recently, and I am starting to agree that purchasing a good regulator is the smart choice. I'd rather spend a little more up front than regret buying something after a few dives. I've been watching ebay, but it seems that the deals arent quite as good once you factor in the servicing costs. Our LDS seem to have a lot of gear on sale since it is getting to be the end of the season, and most seem to be offering better deals when purchased as packages. The only problem is that I will still need to shell out at least another 1300-1800 for a BC/regs/tank and computer. Seems like a lot of money until I think about how much I've got invested in my skiing gear! Then it seems a lot more reasonable....

I am still looking and listening to everyone I can so that I can decide what to do. I'm not in a huge hurry to buy, buy I'd rather buy sooner than later.

 

[herman]

If it make you feel any better about the price, quality scuba gear will last pretty much a lifetime if it's given reasonable care. The BCs will start to get faded and the regs will get scratches but if cared for will keep on going. My "newest" reg is over 10 years old, the oldest (and still diving) is over 50 years old (1958 USD Aquamaster double hose) and I have plenty in between. There are a lot of steel tanks from the 50's and 60's that are still in service. You might get tired of quality gear but it's unlikely you can actually wear it out.

 

[Garrobo]

A good place to buy your regs is LeisurePro. They usually have a new first and second stage for around $125-150. I bought a couple Scubapro sets off of them the last two years for around $150 and sold the year-olds on Ebay. That way I've had new regs and no service costs. Originally I bought three different BCD's off of Ebay till I found one that fit. Sold the others on Ebay for more than I paid for them. Same with wetsuits. I've bought about a half dozen of them, kept three of different types and thickness and sold the others. Look around and get familiar with gear before you buy anything. If you are an occasional, recreational diver it doesn't make a lot of sense to lay out a lot of bucks for expensive gear. Like new cars they depreciate rapidly first time you use them. Many new divers get caught up in the sport and go overboard on purchases and shortly give it up. That's where the bargains come in.

 

[bsumner]

If one's orientation is technical diving, I agree about air integration. For many divers, air integrated computers are extremely useful. I dove without one for a while, then decided to go AI and do not regret it.

About the computer my advice is not to go for air integrated, IMHO it is not worth the price and it is a potential failure point. In my case I not even use a computer, I use just a botton timer and depth gauge and plan my dive, but nothing agaisnt computer, just my choice (and luckly, although not usual, this is a much cheaper option...). For your reference I use the Uwatec digital botton timer.

If you plan to advance later to doubles, or even for singles, you may try bapckplate/wing setup, it is modular and let you adjust your trim, remove a lot (or all) weight from the belt, and help adjust your trim, try to borrow one to see if you fell confortable with.

 

[bowtieman427]

Great idea..... getting used gear. I did the same thing bought everything used accept dive computer. I would shop around ebay, this forum, and CL. I found most things local on CL.
Life Support items is where you have to use some discretion and caution when buying used. I would make sure all life support items get check out, by a Dive shop and MAKE SURE you can get them serviced and parts are availiable. Go with reputible companies and not off brands, get them back under warrentee (if seller has not kept them up) and service them once a year.
If the seller has not had kept the service up try to work with them to get it checked out before you buy it. You will save a lot of $$ in the long run.
Side note if you are looking at a reg or BC you like try to take it to a LDS that is authorised to services and even sells that brand. If you get lucky and find it local you can take it back to the original place of purhase for service.
Buying used to me is the only way to go. You will save a lot of $$$.

PM sent

 

[RonFrank]

I've purchased a lot of used gear.

Keep in mind the cost of servicing a used reg and calculate that into the total price. If you pay $200 for a used 1st/2nd/Octo, and then pay $100 for service, and you could have paid $350 for a similar setup new, you did not save much, and you took a risk. I purchased my reg (Zeagle 50DX) new off ebay on the cheap.

Smelly stuff like Wetsuits/Booties I prefer to have new. First they wear out, and a *deal* will be less so if the Neo is compressed/crushed, and no longer very warm. Fit can also be a problem, and if you purchase used with no return policy, you may end up having to sell a product that you can not use, and potentially taking a loss.

BC's used are great. About the only thing to go wrong is a punctured bladder, or broken inflator hose. The later is a cheap fix, but unless you can remove the bladder, fixing that is a problem, and could be expensive. If you have questions about fit, post to SB, and you will get some advice from those that use them. Zeagle for example makes BC's that fit a HUGE range of folks. So a Medium can fit something like 140lbs~210lbs.

Fins last forever, and it's NP getting those used.

Computers can be had on the cheap used. Just make sure you understand if the battery is user replaceable, and if you want Nitrox, make sure what you get meets that need.

Masks are all about fit. If you have a *standard* face, than you may have good luck with most masks. If you know what fits, buy used, or new...

Buying Scuba Gear is going to be expensive, so don't make the mistake of having to buy twice if at all possible. IOW's buying a used BC for $150, and then replacing it six months later is NOT saving any $$$. Do some research, and buy ONCE when possible.

 

[Fairfax22032]

$1300-1800? Ouch! Everyone's tipping point is different, but unless I knew that I was going to dive at least 5-10 times every year I would look at the alternatives suggested here such as LP, eBay and CL. I am also a skier with several sets of equipment hanging in my garage along with bins of accessories, but I ski patrol and get most of this on pro deal which cuts the cost by 35-60%. Even then, if I was not going to be on the hill 30+ days per season I would seriously rethink these purchases.

I guess that prices vary, but I would swear that you could get an AL Titan + octo, Seaquest Balance BCD and basic computer for around $1000 at my LDS with some of the incentives currently available.

 

[Arik434]

$1300-1800?

I guess that prices vary, but I would swear that you could get an AL Titan + octo, Seaquest Balance BCD and basic computer for around $1000 at my LDS with some of the incentives currently available.

True..The prices I mentioned included 600-700 AI computers though...that would probably the price difference.

Honestly, I'm a little surprised that I'm not finding very good deals online through places like LP, etc.... Most of their prices are the same as what our dive shops advertise.

My latest idea was to buy new regs (was looking at Oceanic Delta 4/ Aqua Lung Legend LX) and find a good used BC and tank. The only problem is that the dive shops give you much better prices when you bundle the equipment, that it almost doesnt make sense to buy the used stuff....unless you are able to find some smoking deal of course.

Arik