OldNSalty
Contributor
A boat...at least that is what I keep telling my wife...no boat yet 
What Is The Most Important Piece Of Gear You Can Buy?
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This depends on many factors.
First off, assuming you can rent most everything but until you buy all of your gear the below is based.
Factor in your physical size, shape and other limitations.
If you can't use an off-the shelf exposure suit, get one made first.
If you need glasses to see, get a prescription mask.
If you can't rent a BC that fits properly, get a hog or other well fitting system.
After that, I'd recommend a downloadable computer so you can evaluate your dives.
Followed by a regulator setup.
First off, assuming you can rent most everything but until you buy all of your gear the below is based.
Factor in your physical size, shape and other limitations.
If you can't use an off-the shelf exposure suit, get one made first.
If you need glasses to see, get a prescription mask.
If you can't rent a BC that fits properly, get a hog or other well fitting system.
After that, I'd recommend a downloadable computer so you can evaluate your dives.
Followed by a regulator setup.
Gerbs
Contributor
Might as well add my €0,014...
If not Already bought, fins, mask & snorkel. Get spring straps.
1. Exposure protection first. Needs to fit, needs to suit the conditions. (if Speedos are OK, move straight to number 2)
2. Instruments - Dive Computer or Gauges. You need to know your depth and your dive time. You don't go far wrong with Suunto, usually.
3. BCD. Regs your life depends on, so most dive centres will make sure you return alive. A well fitting BCD makes you more comfortable, and no one takes the risks of a malfunctioning BCD seriously anyway, so the abused rental BCD get serviced sometime after the regs. BP/W, ADV or stab jacket to taste. Horse collars ("toilet seats" in German) are Old Skool and no longer current, only buy for the vintage feel.
4. Regs. Buy an expensive pair of regs for a good price. Two 1st stages for cold water, otherwise the classical octopus rig. Buy something that is used by others doing similar or harder diving, not necessarily what the LDS is trying to sell you. Make sure it can be serviced locally. Do consider long hose / necklaced secondary.
5. Good Light. You are going to start with diving during the day time anyway. If you're starting in murky water, you will have bought a (small, cheap) light with item 2 anyway.
The OP probably already has everything the LDS is trying to foist on him, so this is probably late advice, but it might help someone else planning their spending.
Gerbs
If not Already bought, fins, mask & snorkel. Get spring straps.
1. Exposure protection first. Needs to fit, needs to suit the conditions. (if Speedos are OK, move straight to number 2)
2. Instruments - Dive Computer or Gauges. You need to know your depth and your dive time. You don't go far wrong with Suunto, usually.
3. BCD. Regs your life depends on, so most dive centres will make sure you return alive. A well fitting BCD makes you more comfortable, and no one takes the risks of a malfunctioning BCD seriously anyway, so the abused rental BCD get serviced sometime after the regs. BP/W, ADV or stab jacket to taste. Horse collars ("toilet seats" in German) are Old Skool and no longer current, only buy for the vintage feel.
4. Regs. Buy an expensive pair of regs for a good price
. Two 1st stages for cold water, otherwise the classical octopus rig. Buy something that is used by others doing similar or harder diving, not necessarily what the LDS is trying to sell you. Make sure it can be serviced locally. Do consider long hose / necklaced secondary.5. Good Light. You are going to start with diving during the day time anyway. If you're starting in murky water, you will have bought a (small, cheap) light with item 2 anyway.
The OP probably already has everything the LDS is trying to foist on him, so this is probably late advice, but it might help someone else planning their spending.
Gerbs
imwright1985
Contributor
A regulator, you cant breath under water without it.
now if you are asking Gear to buy after your OW certified and want a list with order you should buy it, my list and logic goes:
BC- gotta make sure your familiar with it as your dives get more intensive and you may run into a problem so better be familiar with it
Reg/octo/gauges or comp- Nice to have so your familiar with the maintnance of it and would save you having to rent, if your slowly peicing everything together i would go with a wrist comp first unless you want AI or gauge mount then get that once like a year after you get your reg/ octo and analog gauges or at the same time if you can afford it. You could keep the analog gauges incase you have a comp failure too.
If your diving cold waters Thermal protection would go to the top of the list, south florida just take a few months off from diving and you can get thermals once you get some exp and extra cash.
now if you are asking Gear to buy after your OW certified and want a list with order you should buy it, my list and logic goes:
BC- gotta make sure your familiar with it as your dives get more intensive and you may run into a problem so better be familiar with it
Reg/octo/gauges or comp- Nice to have so your familiar with the maintnance of it and would save you having to rent, if your slowly peicing everything together i would go with a wrist comp first unless you want AI or gauge mount then get that once like a year after you get your reg/ octo and analog gauges or at the same time if you can afford it. You could keep the analog gauges incase you have a comp failure too.
If your diving cold waters Thermal protection would go to the top of the list, south florida just take a few months off from diving and you can get thermals once you get some exp and extra cash.
Rhenry
Contributor
I know you have a lot of answers but let me add this:
Yes you can rent most everything you need and yes a wetsuit is nice but all said I would have to say a BC.
Let me say why:
1: Your first priority is safety. So your first purchase should be with this in mind.
2: all the gear you buy has different features and you have to become familiar with it before use.
3: If you are not sure how it works 50 feet down, you can be a victim of your own demise.
With that all said, the biggest safety device we have is the BC, you need to know it inside and out and have to know where all the valves and inflators etc. are located. Most have an integrated weight system, so you have a two for one deal. When i dive I need to be able to instinctively go to the inflator, or weights of whatever. I can not take time to think about it, I need to have that down pat before I go down. You own BC reduces the chance you will make a mistake in times of need. In short it is the biggest safety device we have, and therefore should be your first purchase.
Ron
:shocked2:
Yes you can rent most everything you need and yes a wetsuit is nice but all said I would have to say a BC.
Let me say why:
1: Your first priority is safety. So your first purchase should be with this in mind.
2: all the gear you buy has different features and you have to become familiar with it before use.
3: If you are not sure how it works 50 feet down, you can be a victim of your own demise.
With that all said, the biggest safety device we have is the BC, you need to know it inside and out and have to know where all the valves and inflators etc. are located. Most have an integrated weight system, so you have a two for one deal. When i dive I need to be able to instinctively go to the inflator, or weights of whatever. I can not take time to think about it, I need to have that down pat before I go down. You own BC reduces the chance you will make a mistake in times of need. In short it is the biggest safety device we have, and therefore should be your first purchase.
Ron
:shocked2:
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
1) mask and snorkel
2) fins
3) wetsuit/drysuit
4) Regulator
5) BC unit and weight system
6) Computer, unless you decide to use tables for a while
7) other gadgets like compass, lights, etc.
2) fins
3) wetsuit/drysuit
4) Regulator
5) BC unit and weight system
6) Computer, unless you decide to use tables for a while
7) other gadgets like compass, lights, etc.
MSilvia
Contributor
On the other hand, people were diving in relative safety for many years before the first BC hit the market. That they are common now does not make them essential. In my mind, as a diver in the cold waters of the northeast, good exposure protection is a much more important safety concern than being able to maintain neutral buoyancy at depth.
BlueKnight
Guest
For me I got my BDC first. Being less than the average size it was a struggle to find one to fit but once I did it was a whole lot easier to dive and a lot more comfortable. Drysuit goes without question here in the UK
1_T_Submariner
Contributor
Regulator - I like it when the "breathy thing" works well on every dive.
Edit: Oppps I assume you already have Mask. You can dive without it but not very pleasent.
Edit: Oppps I assume you already have Mask. You can dive without it but not very pleasent.
1. Exposure protection first. Needs to fit, needs to suit the conditions. (if Speedos are OK, move straight to number 2)
2. Instruments - Dive Computer or Gauges. You need to know your depth and your dive time. You don't go far wrong with Suunto, usually.
3. BCD. Regs your life depends on, . A well fitting BCD makes you more comfortable, and no one takes the risks of a malfunctioning BCD seriously anyway,
4. Regs. Buy an expensive pair of regs for a good price
5. Good Light.
We just completely kitted up and I agree the above is about what I'm finding after all is done....
Regs and suit (fit) and computer are primary and don't be stingy - get the best reg, a good computer and the suit has to fit your body (everyone is shaped different, so different manufacturers will match different body types - you have to find your match - like ski boots)
BC - most anything will do, I just went with the type my scuba friends use, and then shopped around for a nice one at the best bargain
Light - just good to have, bright, cheap, maybe get an extra
everything else is just a lot of fun to research and pick out (bags, compass, fins, mask, etc items,.....)
seems to me, most all the gear is pretty decent, so branding isn't so important as feature sets, etc. fit for fins and masks, etc seems important.
but I'm new at this, so likely to have another opinion in a few months, and then again in a few years.......
Oh - the camera case was hard to find, might start early on that and use these forums for advice. Scuba camera types are pretty obsessive, so lots of great advice here.
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