New to the business

[mrshawt]

Hello everyone. As this is my first post as a member (I was a lurker for a little bit), I can say this looks like a great place to be after getting certified. Like any other newbie, I have questions. Of course most of them are about gear. I understand it's kind of a judgment call based on your own ambitions whether or not to rent or buy your own gear out of OW cert. Personally, I feel far more comfortable with my own stuff, I remember constantly fiddling with the rental gear during the confined and open dives. I feel there's a whole lot more of trust with gear you are familiar with rather than loose fitting stuff some other new diver has already marked their territory in.

So, I am hoping to get some gear for myself this summer, but I don't want to break the bank so much. I have my own fins, mask, snorkel, boots, and wetsuit so far. From what I can tell, that's a good start. My eyes have turned on BCs, regs and a computer. I have done some research here and elsewhere about the Sea Quest ProQD with the i3 business, and I'm impressed. It's an expensive jacket, but I like the simplistic idea of adding/removing air from it. My LDS has them, so I may ask to try one out for size.

But that's as far as I've gotten with gear. I don't know much about different regs and computers. Aqua Lung is doing some rebate on regs, which could help. My LDS has plenty of them and some other brands. What I'm looking for is something good for recreational dives. Also, with the computer, I am lost. Someone here recommended the Suunto Gekko for an entry level comp. Is this good? Or is there something better for a different price?

All other accessories I think I am going to hold off on for now. I figure I can rent a tank whenever for pretty cheap. I also want to dabble with some underwater film (I built a housing for my camera from a neat design. Not sure how well it holds up underwater yet, however.) But, this will come in time.

And finally, here's my last problem. My family is planning on moving soon (hopefully in the next couple of months) from MA to SC. Big change, but I am happy as the water should be warmer. Do you think that this move will change my gear requirements too much, or should they be the same? Also, if I get my gear up here, will any hopes of repair in the future be impossible under the warranty (will the new LDS work with the warranty)?

I think that's all I have for now in terms of questions. I will be grateful if anyone has any answers, but I'm sure they'll all be case by case. I'm pretty excited about starting in all this, but I want to make sure I have money left to do it in the future, too!

 

[mrshawt]

Crap, I also forgot to mention I am planning on taking the AOW cert this summer as well. I took my OW in MD where I go to school, so I was going to do it there again (an excuse to visit my girlfriend haha). I found out that you can take the class online through PADI. Is that better, or should I just take it with the LDS? I guess it also depends on the price of each.

I'm guessing having my gear for the AOW dives at the end of the summer could be beneficial, too. If I get it, I'll have to do some practice dives to get comfortable.

 

[Jupiter31]

Welcome!

There are many recent threads about this question - use the search key and get a lot of info about this topic - many new divers find themselves asking this question and its a very good and valid one.

Basically, my philosophy, based on diving over 30 years and purchasing lots of gear I ended up replacing, is to wait, rent eq and talk to many divers about their gear - as well as doing research on your own.

You have lots of options to purchase gear in addition to your LDS - on line, used - but be especially careful w/ used gear, especially when you cannot personally inspect it. Regardless where you buy, its a major purchase and you want to buy the right gear for you, the best way is to try differnt types via renting.

You mentioned AL eq - my wife dives w this and likes it however you have lots of options to choose from which is why its better to rent and try different eq before you buy.

Unless you are doing ice diving, for example, your reg, computer, and BC will not matter - get what you feel comfortable with and make sure when you buy a computer it is NITROX compatable as you will want this cert eventually.

Re your AOW I think you can take some portion on line; assume you know there are like 4 dives you do under the supervision of your instructor.

 

[diversteve]

I think fit is important so before you decide on a BC, you should try it on. And several others. I went to my dealer a few years ago convinced I was buying a ScubaPro Knighthawk - I walked out with a Zeagle Ranger. Among other reasons, it just felt better. I dive only warm water w/o a wetsuit so that was a big factor in my decision. It's likely that your wetsuit thickness requirements will substantially diminish when you move to SC so be sure whatever you get has the expandability you need. fwiw, when we dove the wrecks off Myrtle Beach in the summer, the water was about 85'.

Also since you're relocating, you may want to buy gear that can be serviced locally in both locations as needed. Most of the mfr's have dealer locaters on their website so you can verify this easily. Any authorized dealer will do work under the warranty in your new location as long as it's purchased from one and registered with the manufacturer.

As far as regulators, most will work just fine. The more expensive ones will likely breathe better also. Atomic Aquatics is one exception to this rule, their entire line breathes functionally the same, the difference is in the materials. Regs from Atomic, Scubapro, Aqualung, Mares, Zeagle or Aeris are pretty common options. The last 3 are sold online at a discount but understand that you need to buy from an authorized online re-seller to maintain the warranty. Scubatoys is one, they're mentioned here often. LeisurePro is the largest online retailer but they provide their own, matching, warranty for most of their discounted lines. They're also an authorized dealer for several brands but you'll likely be able to match those prices locally.

When I looked for a reg, beyond performance, comfort was a factor for me. I bought an Atomic since they have a lighter weight second stage. I've since bought another one with a 2nd stage swivel, that makes a big difference if you're diving a standard length primary hose.

I have a Gekko. I find it easy to read and understand. It is slightly bigger than some of the other wrist models but it's also very uncluttered and legible while in dive mode. And I can actually hear the alarms underwater. Two things I really like are that it visually shows your ascent rate and goes into a 3 min safety stop countdown once you break 19'. I was able to access all the functions I needed a few weeks ago without having to refer to the manual - after not using it for 10 mos.

It does do Nitrox if you decide to do that later also.

It's not factory downloadable but there is a way to do that, there's a thread here about that here somewhere. It does not have a backlight but you can "charge" it with your divelight and it will glow for several hours. Although I find it easier to just shine my light on it in dark/low-light situations.

 

[donniermiller]

i dont know what part of sc you are talking about bot i live in the north west corner and have three dive shops within 15 miles.and equ. is good names and fit good.remember you are betting your life on it!

 

[WVMike]

Take some time and search around scubaboard to see what others say about gear. You might want to wait till you move and see what the shops in your area use and carry.

I feel it is important to have local service, repair and parts available. Plus fit is very important. Many shops can rent you gear or even have demos to try. If you can try before you buy.

With computers it is nice to buy one from someone who can also help you learn how to use it.

The PADI AOW class consists of 5 dives, and reading the appropriate chapters in the manual for those dives. You need to work this out with the instructor you will do the class with. Talk to your instructor about the online stuff.

 

[vladimir]

remember you are betting your life on it!

If you are betting your life on your equipment you are not properly trained. If your regulator fails, you and your buddy should be able to get you to the surface safely. Don't let people talk you into paying too much for equipment by playing the "life support" card. A pacemaker is life support equipment, a regulator is not. And a cheap regulator can be every bit as adequate to the job as an expensive one.

 

[vladimir]

With computers it is nice to buy one from someone who can also help you learn how to use it.

Based on his first two posts, the OP appears to be literate, in which case the manual should be quite sufficient.

 

[don Francisco]

I'm with Vladimir here. Your main life support system is between your ears. You've been trained to prepare for and manage contingencies, and should buy equipment suited to your needs and budget rather than being pressured by the "why skimp on life support" argument.

The Gekko is a fine computer well suited for recreational diving, has all the necessary functions, including Nitrox, without lots of fluff. BTW, on night dives, I find the Gekko's glowback preferable to many of the backlit models whose light drains the battery.

If you have the dough, Aqualung isn't the only one doing deals right now, so it might be a good time to shop regs. Also when shopping for BC's make sure that the sizing can accomodate a variety of wetsuit thicknesses, as well as possibly a drysuit later on.

Lastly, not to pan the newest and most expensive stuff out there, but it should be noted that todays basic and mid-level equipment is easily as good as what was considered top-of-the-line only a few years ago.

 

[deborahdelamar]

As Don Francisco said, make sure your BC can accommodate a wide range of wetsuits. I live most of the year in Cozumel where the water is warm. Now I'm acclimated to warm and over the course of a year, I wear 2mm, 3mm and 5mm suits and sometimes need the 5 plus a 5mm jacket.

There's no reason to rush into buying a BC. There are too many good ones out there! Check out the market. Try on for size & comfort. Think about your diving: How will you attach and carry things? How intuitive is the inflater? Visualize using it if your LDS doesn't allow pool tryouts or you want to mail order. Do you need a BC that's easy to pack for travel? List the features you need, the features you want, and the extras that would be nice to have if their cost is reasonable. Take the list with you when you shop so you won't forget anything.

I also endorse the Gekko wrist mount computer.

Above all, enjoy your dives!