Travel Regulator

[yle]

I have already a dive computer and a good mask and snorkel.

You, sir, are all set. Whether you buy the reg or rent on your next trip... have some great dives!

 

[Snoweman]

I don't get more than 15 dive days per and I own everything but the tanks and weights. If cost is not an issue, go for it. But, if it means giving up DAN (or equivalent), I would keep renting. I have the Mikron. I have not been good about the annual servicing. I just pay for the parts and don't worry about it. I'm probably going to get flamed for that remark.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I have not been good about the annual servicing. I just pay for the parts and don't worry about it. I'm probably going to get flamed for that remark.

I don’t think it makes sense to maintain their schedule to ensure you get PFL if you don’t dive enough to warrant inspection/servicing it at their schedule. It’s basically spending extra money frequently (based on your diving) just to get PFL. Cost-benefit there for you doesn’t make sense. I agree with you and am not flaming.

I have been diving enough since I got my AL regs to warrant keeping up the maintenance (~100+ dives a year) so I continue it for now. If that changes, I would likely stop.

For the OP, I went to Coz on my first real dive trip post certification and I remember renting gear and thinking how much money I spent on it before I realized that I was in it for the long run. Over 12 tanks, it was $256 in gear rental, sans computer, boots, mask, fins. BC, reg, wetsuit only. That was after renting for a long weekend in Catalina. My intentions at the time were not to service the gear unless I hit the dive count needed for a service but to also be able to save on rentals in the long run and owning. An addiction to dive travel has since lit that plan into flames but perhaps this is something you can do, too. Another benefit was I would always know how my gear worked and how much weight I would need and where. Consistency was important, especially since I wasn’t diving that often initially. I didn’t have the luxury of time or most of my vacation dives scheduled to figure it out. I wanted to spend the time enjoying the dives and not focusing on figuring out weight issues, fit, and swapping out gear until it kind of worked.

 

[Snoweman]

My primary dive buddy is one to think that I am an idiot for having all my own gear. He rents everything. Not too long ago, we were on a dive trip in CZM with his (fairly) newly certified daughter. He had a rented depth gauge that said he was at about 100'. His daughter was about 20' below him and there were people below her. He went down to drag her up, and looked at her gauge. She was at about 80'. His gauge was off. Now, he's says he's going to get a dive computer. He wants it to be AI, so I'm think that means he will get a reg. We will see.

Nothing like malfunctioning rental equipment to make you want to get your own.

 

[Neal Yang]

Hey guys I plan to dive no more than 20 days a year (I usually dive at least twice a day, so that's 40 dives a year) as I live in the UK and I don’t like to be in the cold.

I am planning to buy a BCD and maybe a regulator that I could carry when travelling.

Also for someone like me who will only do 20 days maximum of diving a year, is it worth it to buy my own regulator ?

EDIT1:
I own already my own mask, dive computer, 5mm wetsuit, and a few gadgets like a light, knife and DSMB+reel.

First of all:To answer your question, not financially, but since you mention it is not much an issue...

Sounds like fins should be next though. When I did my OW, the instructor told me to remember ABC if I ended up enjoying diving enough to buy my own equipment. A = Fins; B = Mask; C = Snorkel or Computer(if you have the budget). Since these are the things that are easiest to carry and make a huge difference to your diving experience.

As for my own experience going down the dive gear purchasing rabbit hole...

The order of my purchase was Mask > Snorkel > Computer > Fin > BC > Reg. Finally bought the BC and reg on the constant pushing by my buddies (mostly pro divers). While I live in/around the coral triangle, I am in the urban area, so any diving is a flight away, making me a vacation diver. So does it make sense financially? I did the calculation, and I would have to have 5 dive trips per year for 10 years to make it financially equivalent (inclusive of initial investment and servicing) to renting regulators. Part of it was because I realized the difference between a good regulator and a rental one when I had to share my buddy's air during a safety stop (I had 50 bar at the safety stop and he had around 100, he shared air with me so that I would have some air left in my tank in case of unexpected emergencies). Part of it was peer pressure (in a good way). Part of it is because I enjoy diving so much, I joined an online forum called Scubaboard , (though I did so to get advice from people who are not peer-pressuring me on which regulator to buy).

About not diving in the UK I may change my mind later,

Famous last words?

Mine was, "I am not gonna buy any piece of equipment larger than a mask or more expensive than a basic computer."