Newly Certified !!! New Member !!! Newbie friendly !!!

[Chet_Chet]

This is Chet. I just got certified at Monterey last week. I am stoked :cool2:
I need you guys point me in the right direction. Appreciate any helpful inputs.
Please post your favorite brand/model/and why you like it.


1- Tank: I head it's expensive to maintain.
2- BC : I want disintegrated weight system.
3- Pressure guage + Compass : I want a small console.
4- Computer : Can be used a Scuba + Freedive
5- Regulator : Something durable, easy to use. mid-range price.

 

[jcaplins]

Welcome!

What location/beach did you do your checkout dives in monterey?

What kind of diving do plan to do?

1- Tank: I head it's expensive to maintain.
Maint cost and interval is pretty much the same no matter what type is.

I have HP steel 100's. I use them as singles now, but can make them doubles if/when I want to.

2- BC : I want disintegrated weight system.

Zeagle scout - light, simple, not weight integrated (it does have trim pockets on the tank straps), couple d-rings but not loaded with em. good for all round use and travel. It was was on closeout so it was quite inexpensiveness as far as BC's go.

Al and steel backplate + wing - BP/W and harness system is quite versatile and good for any type of diving and especially for technical diving: doubles, sling tanks, etc... (this is becoming my primary BC system)

I personally like to use a weight belt to make me neutral, then add weight to the trim pockets if more weight is needed.

3- Pressure guage + Compass : I want a small console.

see #4

4- Computer : Can be used a Scuba + Freedive

(i don't freedive)

Atmos aeries ai w/compass - very nice, all around, nitrox, air integrated computer. Works flawlessly and does(did) everything I needed.

Liquvision X1 - for more technical diving

5- Regulator : Something durable, easy to use. mid-range price.

Atomic Z2 - awesome-sauce.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

A new Monterey diver eh?
Congratulations!

Tank: E7 Steel 100 - 3442 psi (best all around tank for shore and boat)
BC - Back Plate & Wing (I'll probably get shot for saying so but I don't care)
Get a plain simple single round glass and brass pressure gauge that clips off on your left hip D-ring (on your BP/W harness)
Get a simple wrist mount compass that will strap onto your left wrist.
Get a simple puck style wrist mount computer with nitrox capability and gauge mode and user replacable batteries that will go on your right wrist.
Regulator set, that's wide open.
I picked Scubapro in the beginning because that's what my dive shop told me was the best and that's what they sold.
Looking back I should have gotten probably an Aqualung conshelf because they are good solid regs and great for cold water being they are diaphragm design. It would have been cheaper too, and now that I do my own service I can get parts for them.
If you want a new reg at a great value look into Hog. I have one and I like it. Best part is I can legitimately buy service kits for it and save a bundle on service costs over the life of the reg.
Hogs are sealed diaphragm design and you can also get them with an added cold water kit.
You can get a Hog reg set with an octo and pressure gauge and all the hoses complete ready to dive for somewhere around $450. Look at diverightinscuba.com you will see them there.
If you want top end and want to buy from a local dive shop look into Atomic. They are expensive but really nice and if you take care of them by not getting any sea water into the first stage you could go a few years between services.
Atomics are piston style but they will work great in Monterey temps.

 

[TSandM]

Tanks would be the last thing I bought -- it often costs very little more to rent a tank than to fill one.

I'm not sure what you mean by "disintegrated weight" (visions of weights coming apart into small pieces fill my mind). But I'll join the chorus, and say that for diving in cold water -- and Monterey can be COLD -- you will benefit from a BC with the minimum amount of padding, and the maximum weight moved up onto your back. A system with a steel backplate does that, and I think you'll find there are a lot of folks in the Monterey area who use them. Backplate setups require some kind of addition to manage weights, either a belt, a harness, or pockets put on the waistband.

I'm not sure why you want a console with a pressure gauge and compass, if you are going to use a wrist computer that you can also use freediving. I would just go with a simple pressure gauge, and either put a compass on a retractor that you can clip to a d-ring, or put the compass on the wrist opposite your computer. For a wrist computer, the Suunto Zoop is a good entry-level choice, but I'm unsure whether you can put it in gauge mode, which is what you would want to do for freediving.

As far as regulators go, there really are few bad choices in new gear. Be careful with used regulators, because some makes are no longer supported by their manufacturers, and cannot be serviced (Dacor, for example).

 

[DeputyDan]

If you are dry suit diving I would definitely look at a wing set up as opposed to a jacket BC.

Rent a few different set ups - try them out and see what works for you.

 

[Mutt BW]

I am relatively new also. Got my Open Water Cert on 6/25. Dertified in Lake George, New York where temps are just downright cold sometimes. Went diveing last weekend and the temp under the second thermocline was a brisk 52 degrees. Have passed the Night diving, Navigation and Deep Diving. I purchased a Hollis backplate and bladder and Zeagle Flathead and Octo-Z. Using an Atom 3.0 Dive Computer. Going up to a DUI drysuit demo this coming weekend in the Saint Lawrence River ( between New York and Canada). I have only made dives in Lake George in Upstate New York in the Adirondacks. Have a 7 mm wetsuit and Lava Core. Buoyancy is pretty good , I would say I am "right" about 90% of the time. That is where I am. I am looking for some insight into diving in Cozumel and Honduras. I am taking a cruise in early January , 2014. I am taking my gear, but what weight suit/protection do I need? I have searched a number of sites and it seems to steer me towards a 3mm wetsuit. Can I get away with the Lave Core? I am thinking not, since it states it is equivalent to to 1.5-2 mm. Also what is the differential in the change of going from freshwater to saltwater? I have been told by a couple of sources that all things being equal , you would add 6 lbs.. Is that reasonable? Then I would have to calculate the difference in the buoyancy in the suit that is being worn. Thanks in advance.

 

[Chet_Chet]

Wow...Thanks guys. Great points right here.
There is plenty to choose from. That make it more difficult.

I plan to freedive, and I will be using rubber weight belt. I am going to use Mako freedive wetsuit for Scuba. Untimately, I will be spearing with Scuba and Freediving depend on condition and logistics.
I never knew there is such thing as "Back Plate & Wing " LOL really, I am clueless about that. I am getting this instead of jacket BC. I don't think a boatload of SB is wrong about it.
jcaplins: I did it at Breakwater. I am going to spearfish. Will take Advanced Class. I don't know if I should do several dives first, or just go straight to the class....
DeputyDan: That's would be smart also to rent tank for now. $10/tank here is not bad. I am doing that.
TSandM: I'll buy a small compass separately and clip it then.
Eric Sedletzky : That Atomic is awesome, but the price is killing me.


-- Which model do you like Back Plate & Wing ? I don't want to go cheap nor sexy. I just want something easy to use, and keep my bank healthy. Links ?
-- Hogs regular. Which model ?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I got the Hog D1 with cold water seal (red rubber cover on the end)
I got it with only one second stage. I have other second stages around to use as an octo and an extra SPG so I put together my own rig.
However in your case you'll want the whole setup.
Here is the deal I mentioned earlier.
http://www.diverightinscuba.com/cat...ear-d1singlesregulatorpackagewspg-p-2950.html

And here is a great BP/W package:
http://www.diverightinscuba.com/catalog/techequipmentpackages-hoggear-bpwfullsetsingle-p-2095.html

I wouldn't use the freedive suit for scuba, you'll ruin it. That material is too soft for prolonged crushing.
Get a separate two piece wetsuit for scuba.

 

[Chet_Chet]

I got the Hog D1 with cold water seal (red rubber cover on the end)
I got it with only one second stage. I have other second stages around to use as an octo and an extra SPG so I put together my own rig.
However in your case you'll want the whole setup.
Here is the deal I mentioned earlier.
HOG Gear D1 Singles Regulator Package w/ SPG | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

And here is a great BP/W package:
HOG Gear BP/W Full Set - Single | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

I wouldn't use the freedive suit for scuba, you'll ruin it. That material is too soft for prolonged crushing.
Get a separate two piece wetsuit for scuba.