New Diver Ready to Buy. Where to begin?

[CavernFrog]

I recently got my open water, advanced open water, enriched air and cavern diver certifications. I am hooked on cavern diving. I cannot wait to get back to Florida and explore some more caverns. I want to purchase my own dive gear and I have so many questions. Keep in mind I want a cavern diving specific rig, I need a BCD which will help me stay flat underwater, price is not really an object, I want the most reliable, easiest breathing, most comfortable, highest quality gear available.

1. Which is the best dive shop in the Florida / Georgia area?
2. Who is the best sales person who will work with me?
3. Is there like a "consumer reports" for dive equipment?
4. Should I buy a package with all components from the same manufacturer?
5. Should I consider any new innovations or stick with the tried and tested tech?
6. What is the best process for me to figure out exactly what I want?
7. What are the top 3 brands in cavern diving gear?

The only things I am pretty sure about are that I want DIN, not YOKE, I want the Suunto EON Core dive watch/computer and I probably want a back inflate or wing type BCD. I would rather use pockets for things than clip them to be dangling and get caught up in stuff underwater. Should I just go all Scuba Pro? What other brands should I consider? What is a top of the line cavern diving rig? Thanks!

 

[tbone1004]

1. I would argue Cave Adventurers is the best, but it will be sidemount oriented vs. backmount. They are one of the only shops that have gear in stock, from a variety of manufacturers, that will let you actually dive it all before you buy it. I am unaware of any other shops in FL or GA that do that. Doesn't mean I don't give business to other shops, I do, and doesn't mean that you may not be better off at another shop, but CA is pretty unique
2. Edd Sorenson who owns Cave Adventurers.
3. no
4. no
5. no real "new" innovations other than WAI, everything else is slight improvements
6. it's all variable on what you want to do.

DIN vs. yoke is good for cavern diving
I would avoid Suunto computers, many discussions on here, but they are very much not the best.
backplate and wing is ideal for backmount
You shouldn't be taking all that much stuff with you to stick in pockets, but there is a happy medium with what goes into pockets vs. what gets clipped off and where
I would not go Scubapro for pretty much anything
There isn't a top of the line cavern diving rig. It's either recreational focused, or technical focused. Either can be used for cavern diving, it is up to you to decide if the caverns are enough *I would argue they aren't*, and then decide if you want/need to go further and what gear you will need to do it.