Should I buy gear or take more classes?

[359]

I struggled with the same question when I started diving. Here is what I have learnt:

Classes should never be taken consecutively. In other words, after getting an OW certification, I would do at least 20 dives before taking the Advanced Open Water. The material learnt in a class should be followed by a lot of individual hands on before something new can be added. Skills taught in a lot of courses like peak performance buoyancy, boat diving etc can be learnt simply by more diving. Advanced courses then can be reserved for what needs to be learnt under supervision such as Drysuit and Ice diving, drift diving, underwater photography etc. Those are REAL courses in my opinion and not an attempt to pull cash out of a new over enthusiastic diver by teaching him what he should know after an OW course or what he is bound to pick up from experience anyway.

As for gear, I do not believe in buying most gear right in the beginning. If anything is to be purchased it should be wetsuit mask and fins as fit is important in those. All else should be rented and tried out before one realizes what type of gear they prefer.

All the best my friend!

Very logical advice. I always wondered why they had a "'perfect' buoyancy" class, and I would rather get something a little more tangible if I'm shoving boatloads of money at them.

 

[359]

If your shop is hitting you with $100/day rental fees on top of class fees then it sounds like you should get gear. Think about it. 10 days of rentals, or own everything you need with some good deals and careful shopping...

That's pretty stiff by the way. I lived in ABQ for several years and I know the three shops down there. What made you choose the one you are at? Just out of curiosity...

I chose New Mexico Scuba Center because it came highly recommended, and it seems to me like they actually know what they are talking about. Plus they have a wealth of instructors and don't seem quite as commercial as the PADI dive shops around town. The people also seemed really nice, except one of them was very quiet... almost unnervingly so. Also, they don't charge for gear on top of classes, I just accidentally made it sound that way. Gear is included with the class price.

 

[359]

I have been at that juncture a few month ago.

Let me ask you what your goals are. Where do you want to go with your diving?

Recreational local diving, tropical vacations, wrecks, caves?

In all cases (maybe with the exception of vacation diving) having your own gear is the best route after you know what you want/need. Buy used, shop around, and also haggle with your LDS. They rotate their rental gear too. Like others said, a computer is a nice to have whereas exposure protection, BP/W or BC and reliable regulators are a must.

If you are interested in overhead environments like wrecks and caves I would get serious about training soon. What keeps you alive there is not your gear or the glossy specialty books or the number of local shore dives but solid skills and attitudes developed in 'ball busting' reality-based training. Check out an introductory example here

Ask around about GUE or UTD instructors or someone those guys would recommend. I got my certs from SSI just to get on the local boats but their training material stinks as much as PADI's. What is in those 'modules' is not wrong it is just superficial and insufficient to be able to deal with critical situations. That is a consequence of the fun-based philosophy.

The other school of though is that you need to get serious once you stick your head under water and the fun will follow through mastering the necessary skills. While that may not appeal to everyone, I can guarantee you that just from standing in 15 foot distance of a GUE instructor for half a day and observing you will learn more than from all those glitzy specialties.

On top of that, meet the water as often as you can and enjoy.

I definitely intend to got into some sort of not "fun based" diving. I want to learn all about dive physics and skills and all sorts of technical stuff, as well as being able to apply it. I want the abilities and skills so that I can do what I want to, even if I don't. To be honest, I can't quite comprehend why anybody would shy away from the extremely cold, low vis. stuff. That seems funnest to me, to go where nobody is likely to go and see/feel what they won't. That being said, I don't know much about getting into technical diving, or GUE (I don't think I could find a GUE instructor in this area), and I think that I'm going to get at least 100 dives before I even consider tec diving.

 

[fnfalman]

I chose New Mexico Scuba Center because it came highly recommended, and it seems to me like they actually know what they are talking about. Plus they have a wealth of instructors and don't seem quite as commercial as the PADI dive shops around town. The people also seemed really nice, except one of them was very quiet... almost unnervingly so. Also, they don't charge for gear on top of classes, I just accidentally made it sound that way. Gear is included with the class price.

I have stopped by NMSC several times and got some knick knacks from them. I like those guys a lot more than the other shops. Though they're not an Atomic Aquatics dealer:shocked2: The owner (can't remember his name) is an old SoCal diver.

There is an instructor there (also don't remember his name) who goes diving every weekend and he didn't seem to mind tag-along. The dude might even be a tech instructor too. Their winter training course sales is awesome: $200/person. I bought two slots for my best friend & his wife for their 50th anniversary wedding present.

 

[359]

I have stopped by NMSC several times and got some knick knacks from them. I like those guys a lot more than the other shops. Though they're not an Atomic Aquatics dealer:shocked2: The owner (can't remember his name) is an old SoCal diver.

There is an instructor there (also don't remember his name) who goes diving every weekend and he didn't seem to mind tag-along. The dude might even be a tech instructor too. Their winter training course sales is awesome: $200/person. I bought two slots for my best friend & his wife for their 50th anniversary wedding present.

Hey! I didn't think there would be any Albuquerque divers around on this forum. I did not know about the winter training courses, so thanks for telling me. Would you ever buy expensive gear from them? You mentioned just knick-knacks, so I'm wondering if it's a bad idea.