purbeast
Contributor
I'm just wondering when those of you who primarily dive on vacations in warm water, who have bought your own gear, decided it was time to do so. I'm not talking about fins/snorkel/mask/booties but more so BCD and regulator.
I'm still not even OW certified yet (thread on here already about how I got sick on my trip to do so) and I kind of have the itch to buy my own BCD and regulator. Let me first say that I'm just that kind of person that once I get into a hobby, I go all in and I just love buying stuff for that hobby. And I realize that it might not even be worthwhile sometimes but that's just how I am lol, to a flaw.
I already have a nice 3mm wetsuit and a dive computer with a whopping 3 OW cert dives under my belt (and 2 discover SCUBA dives). I'm planning on going back to Grand Cayman to finish my certification and get my AOW while there in March, which will be 6 more dives, possibly 7.
But I find myself looking at Leisure Pro constantly and I have looked for those travel BCD's, but then I catch myself knowing that it's still so early in my hobby that I stop looking. Then like 3-4 days later I find myself browsing again. Like I keep looking at the travel Cressi BCD and want one! I just like new gear!
But I also don't know much about BCD's and I know even less about regulators, so buying them right now would be kind of early for sure and I probably would get the wrong stuff.
When in GC the rate was like $30/day for BCD/reg rentals, so after 3 days of diving that is $90. I'm not sure how that compares to rentals elsewhere around the world when diving but that's my only experience thus far with diving and renting gear.
So I'm just wondering, those who pretty much just travel dive, which is my plan for now, when did you take the plunge and has it been worth it? I know with regs you need to get them serviced at some interval and that costs money too, so that kind of comes into play too.
Obviously if I did the whole $30/day thing, and let's say BCD/reg was like $600 or more, that is 20 days of diving before breaking even. But then you also have to consider traveling with the extra stuff as well, and if it's worth that, but on the positive side, you are very familiar with the gear and it's yours so you know how it has been handled as well. Always the same gear.
I typically travel to places I can and will dive like 3-5 times a year, with my wife and son, but I will be the only one diving so trips aren't geared completely around it. I may end up joining a local club though and doing some weekend trips but as of now I don't really know how that will pan out.
So those of you who are kind of just vacation divers and have your own gear, I'm curious to hear when you purchased and if it was worth it or if you may wish you didn't spend the money on it.
I'm still not even OW certified yet (thread on here already about how I got sick on my trip to do so) and I kind of have the itch to buy my own BCD and regulator. Let me first say that I'm just that kind of person that once I get into a hobby, I go all in and I just love buying stuff for that hobby. And I realize that it might not even be worthwhile sometimes but that's just how I am lol, to a flaw.
I already have a nice 3mm wetsuit and a dive computer with a whopping 3 OW cert dives under my belt (and 2 discover SCUBA dives). I'm planning on going back to Grand Cayman to finish my certification and get my AOW while there in March, which will be 6 more dives, possibly 7.
But I find myself looking at Leisure Pro constantly and I have looked for those travel BCD's, but then I catch myself knowing that it's still so early in my hobby that I stop looking. Then like 3-4 days later I find myself browsing again. Like I keep looking at the travel Cressi BCD and want one! I just like new gear!
But I also don't know much about BCD's and I know even less about regulators, so buying them right now would be kind of early for sure and I probably would get the wrong stuff.
When in GC the rate was like $30/day for BCD/reg rentals, so after 3 days of diving that is $90. I'm not sure how that compares to rentals elsewhere around the world when diving but that's my only experience thus far with diving and renting gear.
So I'm just wondering, those who pretty much just travel dive, which is my plan for now, when did you take the plunge and has it been worth it? I know with regs you need to get them serviced at some interval and that costs money too, so that kind of comes into play too.
Obviously if I did the whole $30/day thing, and let's say BCD/reg was like $600 or more, that is 20 days of diving before breaking even. But then you also have to consider traveling with the extra stuff as well, and if it's worth that, but on the positive side, you are very familiar with the gear and it's yours so you know how it has been handled as well. Always the same gear.
I typically travel to places I can and will dive like 3-5 times a year, with my wife and son, but I will be the only one diving so trips aren't geared completely around it. I may end up joining a local club though and doing some weekend trips but as of now I don't really know how that will pan out.
So those of you who are kind of just vacation divers and have your own gear, I'm curious to hear when you purchased and if it was worth it or if you may wish you didn't spend the money on it.