Questions about Dive Gear?

[buster243]

We're South Carolinians (my wife and myself) with a good bit dive experience and are unsure about buying gear. We have done about 300 dives in 20 years, with no complete gear as of yet. (we own mask, fins, computer, etc). We're recreational divers and both PADI Advanced certified. In the past resorts and individual dives provided the dive gear. The great thing for us was never worrying about the weight of luggage and extra cost for bringing gear. We can spot quality gear and easily find it at dive shacks , when diving. We have booked a liveaboard (St. Kitts to St. Maarten) – and we are debating about buying our own gear. We are not worried about what other divers may think as we have our own reasons for not owning gear. One reason is our age, both of us are 67 years old so how many years of diving do we have left. Currently, we are in great shape and have no medical problems to dive. Cost isn't really an issue (well sort of), but timely servicing and reliable dive shops are. We know divers with gear service delays. We do about 50 dives annually, so a delay in gear service could be problematic. .We are seeking other divers insights: owning gear pros and cons, Cressi vs. Mares or others, basic or advanced gear, and whether to buy gear at all. Thanks, Buster.

 

[fred32176]

If you are going to drive to your dive destinations - like regularly drive to Florida to dive, then owning your own gear will save money over the long run and you will be familiar with it.

If you only fly to dive destinations and don't want to worry about extra baggage, you may want to keep doing what you currently do.

 

[rongoodman]

One reason for buying your own gear might be that you’re not happy with typical rental gear and want something different. Perhaps you want wetsuits that only you have worn. I travel to dive and that means I want my stiff fins and SS backplate with me. I can deal with any luggage issues that may arise. I’ve done your upcoming trip a couple of times, you’ll enjoy it. Consider Turks and Caicos for your next one.

 

[Regulated]

Personally, I am fussy about having my own mask, fins, snorkel (not for scuba), regulator/console and computer. I have recently switched to backplate/wing, so there will be no more rental BCs. No diving under 80 degrees F, so no wetsuit.

A lot of good pre-owned gear changes hands here. Maybe go with used?

Carrying a full scuba rig can be a bit of a pain. But knowing your gear, buoyancy and trim: priceless.

 

[buster243]

If you are going to drive to your dive destinations - like regularly drive to Florida to dive, then owning your own gear will save money over the long run and you will be familiar with it.

If you only fly to dive destinations and don't want to worry about extra baggage, you may want to keep doing what you currently do.

We've yet to dive within the States, although it's not entirely dismissed. Our underwater journeys have led us to Tahiti, Cozumel, Cayman, Jamaica, with Mediterranean plans on the horizon. Belize also beckons. Our dives are primarily international, focused on destination exploration.

 

[Jersey1971]

I was in your situation and bought a DGX BP/W setup and their D6 regulator. I like being able to adjust the straps and configure accessories exactly as I like and know I'm diving the same familiar configuration and buoyancy wherever I go. I also like the peace of mind of knowing that my regulators are well cared for and maintained. For the amount you dive, you would recoup the overall price in less than a year through rental savings.

 

[Khoujo1]

My wife and I were in your position as well. We have had fins, masks, snorkels of our own for year and rented dive gear. We debated buying our own other gear for a while, but ultimately took the plunge and bought regs and BCDs. It seems (to us) that being familiar with your own stuff and knowing it’s been serviced and maintained is worth the luggage hassle. On our last trip to Mexico I got stuck with a faulty inflator hose; made the dive that day less enjoyable. The issue was not discovered until we were on the boat and thee was no spare. What we hope to avoid is spending money on trips and then having a suboptimal time due to equipment we have no control over.

 

[bearmedic]

If you go with the product line your favorite local dive shop offers, that should cut down on any service delays. You'll always have your gear ready to go for any adventure. I'm beginning to enjoy more travel diving and believe having my own kit I trust will save me worry about what to expect when I arrive at the destination. Safe travels!

 

[captain209]

We're South Carolinians (my wife and myself) with a good bit dive experience and are unsure about buying gear. We have done about 300 dives in 20 years, with no complete gear as of yet. (we own mask, fins, computer, etc). We're recreational divers and both PADI Advanced certified. In the past resorts and individual dives provided the dive gear. The great thing for us was never worrying about the weight of luggage and extra cost for bringing gear. We can spot quality gear and easily find it at dive shacks , when diving. We have booked a liveaboard (St. Kitts to St. Maarten) – and we are debating about buying our own gear. We are not worried about what other divers may think as we have our own reasons for not owning gear. One reason is our age, both of us are 67 years old so how many years of diving do we have left. Currently, we are in great shape and have no medical problems to dive. Cost isn't really an issue (well sort of), but timely servicing and reliable dive shops are. We know divers with gear service delays. We do about 50 dives annually, so a delay in gear service could be problematic. .We are seeking other divers insights: owning gear pros and cons, Cressi vs. Mares or others, basic or advanced gear, and whether to buy gear at all. Thanks, Buster.

What gear you should get Cressi vs. Mares or others: what you need to think about is the gear is well made (China made/cheaper materials vs well known quality materials that last), reliable ( I've seen some gear that got dropped once and broke a reg in half from sliding off the bench on a boat), what gear your local shop even services, service intervals to stay in warranty (most are 1-2 years or 100 dives whatever comes first), where and what type of diving you will be doing (cold water vs warm, piston vs diaphragm). I rented a few times and wasn't truly impressed (most resorts rent gear use and abuse for 1-2 years than sell it and get more), most are the basic lineup nothing special in features. But the use of my own regulators and sizing of gear makes diving that much more enjoyable.

 

[travisfull]

We're South Carolinians (my wife and myself) with a good bit dive experience and are unsure about buying gear. We have done about 300 dives in 20 years, with no complete gear as of yet. (we own mask, fins, computer, etc). We're recreational divers and both PADI Advanced certified. In the past resorts and individual dives provided the dive gear. The great thing for us was never worrying about the weight of luggage and extra cost for bringing gear. We can spot quality gear and easily find it at dive shacks , when diving. We have booked a liveaboard (St. Kitts to St. Maarten) – and we are debating about buying our own gear. We are not worried about what other divers may think as we have our own reasons for not owning gear. One reason is our age, both of us are 67 years old so how many years of diving do we have left. Currently, we are in great shape and have no medical problems to dive. Cost isn't really an issue (well sort of), but timely servicing and reliable dive shops are. We know divers with gear service delays. We do about 50 dives annually, so a delay in gear service could be problematic. .We are seeking other divers insights: owning gear pros and cons, Cressi vs. Mares or others, basic or advanced gear, and whether to buy gear at all. Thanks, Buster.

Well first of all congrats to you and your wife: scuba diving together is a wonderful think.
50 dives per year is not at all a small number of dives and I dont know the rental price in your area but at this point it would probably be equal to a good set of regs and bcd (which is what u need if I understood well, you have the rest).

I would not bring your age into this kind of evaluation: you are young enough (and healthy) to scuba dives for several years (and I wish you to).
To sum up: if you have a good economic situation (this extra cost is not an issue for your family) I would go for it.