Opinions on buying new vs. used equipment?

[TSandM]

Chances of me buying a BPW used is slim to none. I don't want ragged out wings or bladders. I don't want ragged out harnesses.

This made me smile. I bought my singles rig used, from NW Grateful Diver (which means WELL used) five years and probably 600 dives ago. I replaced the harness shortly after I got it, not because it was worn out, but because I prefer other webbing. That harness is still on the rig! The cordura cover on the wing is a little fuzzy, I admit, but otherwise the gear has performed without flaw for five years. That poor little plate and wing probably have close to a thousand dives on them now . . .

I think the only "experienced" diver I know who seems to buy everything new is Bob. But then, he turns over his used stuff to help defray the costs of the current toy acquisition

 

[kanonfodr]

Chances of me buying a BPW used is slim to none. I don't want ragged out wings or bladders. I don't want ragged out harnesses.

Seriously, dood? Out of all my wings, I've only bought one new: my first. Since then, the only wing I've had die on me committed suicide in my dive bag when it impaled itself on my shears. And I kept using it for about 15-20 dives after that until I got my "new" used wing. If it's from a good manufacturer (DSS, Oxycheq, Brand H, DR, etc) you can expect that wing to take a while to die from natural causes.

As for a harness....$15 bucks gets me a brand new one unless I want all-new hardware as well.

Peace,
Greg

 

[redacted]

The only problem I have with used wings is finding what I want. Because they are so hard to find, they also bring higher relative prices than most scuba gear.

Used regulators are probably the best bargain. They are a lot like firearms. They have not changed much over the last 30 years and, with good care, they will last damn near forever.

 

[Beeracuda]

I bought my mask, fins, snorkel, booties and wetsuit new. I also just bought a new octo to match the Cressi regulator set I bought here. I've also got another used reg set for a back-up. I bought a used BC and two dive lights off the forum. I bought 2 tanks and 3 dive lights that were used locally.

The dive lights I bought locally may not have been the best deal. I paid $5.00 for all 3. One of them was DOA and the other 2 needed batteries. I also traded out the bulb on the UK for a LED.

All in all, I have about $750.00 in everything I need and have spares to boot. My combination of new and used gear works for me!

 

[hyoctane]

Thanks for all of the great information and insight! I appreciate your opinions. Please continue with your discussions -- I'm learning with each post.

Since my dive instructor had all of the equipment, I didn't have to purchase anything to get my certification. Now that I've completed all of my dives, I'm looking to accumulate my gear.

So far, I have a used (recently serviced) Sherwood Magnum 2nd stage and 1st stage that was given to me, which I'm going to use as my secondary. I have found a $300 new-in-box Atomic B2 reg and 1st stage that I'm picking up as my primary. I'm going to buy all of my personal gear that my dive instructor let me borrow for my certification (mask, snorkel, etc.) as it was new. As for my BC and computer/gauges, I'm still on the fence.

I'd like to buy new BC, but I'm not against to buying used (in great shape). As for a dive computer, I'm not too sure... Is it even worth the money compared to gauges? I used gauges on my cert dives, but a computer seems to make life easier.

Ideas?

 

[fnfalman]

This made me smile. I bought my singles rig used, from NW Grateful Diver (which means WELL used) five years and probably 600 dives ago. I replaced the harness shortly after I got it, not because it was worn out, but because I prefer other webbing. That harness is still on the rig! The cordura cover on the wing is a little fuzzy, I admit, but otherwise the gear has performed without flaw for five years. That poor little plate and wing probably have close to a thousand dives on them now . . .

I think the only "experienced" diver I know who seems to buy everything new is Bob. But then, he turns over his used stuff to help defray the costs of the current toy acquisition

I'm not "experienced" so I like to buy my BC new

Seriously, dood? Out of all my wings, I've only bought one new: my first. Since then, the only wing I've had die on me committed suicide in my dive bag when it impaled itself on my shears. And I kept using it for about 15-20 dives after that until I got my "new" used wing. If it's from a good manufacturer (DSS, Oxycheq, Brand H, DR, etc) you can expect that wing to take a while to die from natural causes.

As for a harness....$15 bucks gets me a brand new one unless I want all-new hardware as well.

Peace,
Greg

Seriously, dood, it's my money and it's my equipment. If I were to want to buy something new, then that's what I'll do.

$15 will get you a harness but I like mine adjustable. Last I checked, I ain't DIR.

 

[Troutmaster]

If you know what you are looking at and can guage condition, used gear can save you a ton of money.

When I started tech diving I shopped arround and picked up what I wanted used.

DSS plate, paid $160, new $240
It came with a harness, I reused the hardware and bought new webbing, saving another $40

Oxycheq single tank wing, looked brand new, about $100, saved another $150.
My doubles wing I bought new because my class was starting and I needed one.

All my tanks are used. I got 2, 100cf AL and an 80cf for $200, plus $50 each for the VIP and hydro. A new 100cf Al tank is arround $300. AL 40 with stage rigging for $120.

I bought a bunch of stuff with set of HP 120s, sold what I did not need, all said and done the tanks cost me $40, plus $170 for VIP, hydro and O2 cleaning. New is about $900 plus the O2 clean.
Got 2 bottom timers that are $270 each new, one for $80 and one for $110.

Long story short, there is alot of good gear out there cheap, IF you know what you are looking at. If you are going to buy used SHOP ARROUND. Often used gear is listed here for more than you can get is at LP for new.

Welcome to the greatest sport on earth, dive safe.

 

[fjpatrum]

Buy used. Especially as a new diver, buying used gear (after a decent amount of research) is, in my opinion, the only good option.

I've bought all my gear used except for my light and a couple of minor accessories. Well, wetsuits I will never buy used but that's not part of what I think of because my wetsuits are all multi-purpose and not "dive-only" equipment.

As others have mentioned, if you buy used regs, get them serviced. If you buy used tanks, make sure they have hydro and viz or get them done when you buy the tank. Other than that, most gear can be visually inspected for quality pretty easily, in my limited experience.

Buying used means you can buy more things to get outfitted and still have money for some diving trips. If you blow all your money on gear and can't afford to go diving, what's the point of the gear?

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

If you know what you are looking at and can guage condition, used gear can save you a ton of money.

When I started tech diving I shopped arround and picked up what I wanted used.

DSS plate, paid $160, new $240
It came with a harness, I reused the hardware and bought new webbing, saving another $40

Oxycheq single tank wing, looked brand new, about $100, saved another $150.
My doubles wing I bought new because my class was starting and I needed one.

All my tanks are used. I got 2, 100cf AL and an 80cf for $200, plus $50 each for the VIP and hydro. A new 100cf Al tank is arround $300. AL 40 with stage rigging for $120.

I bought a bunch of stuff with set of HP 120s, sold what I did not need, all said and done the tanks cost me $40, plus $170 for VIP, hydro and O2 cleaning. New is about $900 plus the O2 clean.
Got 2 bottom timers that are $270 each new, one for $80 and one for $110.

Long story short, there is alot of good gear out there cheap, IF you know what you are looking at. If you are going to buy used SHOP ARROUND. Often used gear is listed here for more than you can get is at LP for new.

Welcome to the greatest sport on earth, dive safe.

+ 1 Troutmaster. Lots of my gear is used, and I've saved an absolute fortune as a result. It's taken me a while to accumulate the items I wanted, but if you know what you want and are willing to be patient, you'll be amply rewarded. Trawl the boards for a while so you can get a feel for what constitutes a good 'used' price for a specific piece of gear. As soon as an item you want pops up and looks like it's priced fairly, make an offer. Don't be afraid to negotiate, either. I'm only just starting to get a feel for gauging condition and stuff - lucky I have a SO who's a really good gear technician to guide me.

- Oxycheq 18 lb singles wing. Got it for $100 off recommended retail price. I switched out the inflator to a Golem Gear stainless steel job, and it was ready to go. (Hey, is anyone throwing out a DSS 38 or 42-lb doubles wing?!)

- DR 10 W HID light - $175. Didn't need a lick of repairs, either. I'm still levitating with joy over that.

- Atomic B2 reg - free. Some fool traded it in because a dive shop had a trade-in event. You know: "Trade in any reg for Amazing Brand X!". My mate's a instructor/technician at the shop, so he overhauled it and gave it to me for my birthday. Rock.

- Steel Worthington 100s with bands/manifolds. All in hydro/VIP, for about $500, I think. Granted, we had to drive from NY to VT to get 'em, but we turned it into a jolly roadtrip, so it was worth it.

So, yeah, there's lots of deals to be had. Thank heaven for divers (and dive shops) that periodically need to thin out their inventory in order to make room for new gear, I say. Keep upgrading and keep chucking, guys and gals!

 

[fjpatrum]

Confession is good for the soul!

Here's the booge in my eyes: Commitment to the sport implies spending money. All my evidence is anecdotal gathered from the hundreds (thousands?) of divers I have come in contact with on ScubaBoard.

New gear is

• Way easier to find
• Does not need to be vetted for functionality
• Under warranty
• Usually not that much more expensive than new
• Almost a Slam Dunk that it will perform to your expectations
• Precisely what you want (not just close)

Other than saving a few pennies, why would you want to take a chance and settle for something only close to what you wanted?
My pleasure. If you just turned on your signature, it won't appear on any of your previous posts. However, once used, they will all change when you edit them.

I'm confused why you think you can't get exactly what you want used? If you know what you want, that is. Certainly if you want cutting edge equipment, it's going to be more difficult to find used, but if you just want a BC or wing from a couple years ago, it's not that difficult at all. If you want lights from any time frame, or I suspect cameras, it's also not that difficult to find used. It certainly takes more work, and the warranty issue may be one to consider if you're looking for "late model" gear, but looking for used gear most certainly does not mean you have to "settle" for "something close" to what you want.