US Divers/ Aqua-Lung

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Mick

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Messages
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Location
South Australia
I have just made my first Scuba purchase of Fins,Mask,Snorkel,Booties and Gloves.
This stuff isnt cheap :eek: so I was wondering if anyone has good or bad experiences with this brand ??
We thought it better then spending less money and then being unhappy with it after our course and having to buy it all again so we went with (what we hope) is better quality gear :confused:
 
I know what you mean I had to buy my stuff one at a time.Tomorrow I am going to get my fins, so I am going to drop about $90.00 - $120.00 on them. Boy I am in the wrong line of work.

Shane
 
My original regulator was a Conshelf (Aqua Lung). It's over thirty years old and I still use it - on deco bottles, stage bottles etc. Still works like a champ. My main regs are three Micra's (also US Divers), which breath like a dream and have been quite reliable at all depths and in all conditions (I do *not* ice dive, so cannot testify to their reliablilty in extreme cold water - but they work just fine in 50 degree water, which is plenty cold for me, thank you.) I've had these for six years. I also have an Aqua Lung steel 72 that's over thirty and is still my favorite tank for recreational diving.
Rick
 
Brand name is not a factor for your mask and snorkel. Any snorkel that is not too long, has a wide bore and no sharp angles is fine. I buy the cheapest I can find. There's no reason to pay over $30 for a fancy snorkel if you have healthy lungs. Learn to use a snorkel properly, don't become so equipment dependent that you can't use a normal snorkel. The main thing to look for in a mask is fit and comfort. The other factors are tempered glass, a double skirt and low volume. It's been a long time since I've seen a mask without tempered glass and a double skirt, so they have become a non issue. Low volume is nice, but not essential, go for comfort and fit.

Fins are another matter. If you buy plastic fins they will not last terribly long, which is fine if you don't mind replacing fins. Rubber fins will probably out last you. Different people prefer different brands anf designs, you'll have to determine what you like. Personally, I've yet to try any fin that works as well as Scubapro Jet fins.

WWW™
 
Everyone's given you good advice. Equipment isn't cheap, but good equipment is important.
 
Mick, it's true... scuba is NOT an inexpensive sport. Right up there with skiing, mon...

But the fact is that good scuba equipment is built to last. With proper maintenance, you'll have it for many years. Yes, the initial cost may seem high, but when you average it out over years of use, the cost will be minimal.

There are almost as many brand names out there as there are divers. The important thing when making purchases is to do your homework first and find out exactly what kind of diving you'll be doing and how often. That will help considerably in narrowing down the field.

That being said, the brand you bought has been around for quite some time, has a wide range of products, and is common enough that if something goes wrong parts can easily be obtained.

Devils advocate: once you've bought it, isn't it a bit late to be asking for advice? :wink:

Take care, eh?!

~SubMariner~
 
Thank you all for your replies. Kilo, I know how you feel buddy !! One thing I did notice, here in Oz the dive shops that advertise the course's tell you that you must have the basic fins, booties, mask & snorkel before you start your course. Then they go on to tell you that you can purchase this for as little as $99.00. They are not telling fibbies, you can buy it for that much, but as you have all said before, "you get what you pay for".
I have actually done my homework but not on this brand. Thats the real reason I asked, this brand is not the most popular here in Oz and seems to be popular in the USA, very similar to the "Zeagle Ranger BC", you guys talk about it alot but it is not very common here.

Anyway, money is spent, course is booked and I am ready to rock, 10 day's and counting !!!! Yipeeee !!! :bounce:
 
It is true that the good stuff is not cheap but the time that it last is what really counts.I have about 3 weeks before I start my class,like you Mick I can not what. I am glad that I was able to get some of the best stuff.Good luck in your class and have fun.That is what it is all about.

Shane.......
 
kilo, I think we should compare notes after we both do our course and compare thoughts on good and bad points.
Good luck and have fun, like you said, that's what it's all about ! :D
 
Fun Fun Fun that is all I want to do when I dive. I will let you know when I start my classes so that we call compare notes.Have fun stay safe.


Shane.......
 

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