What item of equipment was a waste of money?

[CBulla]

buff once bubbled...
Worse than the knife is the useless AL80 tank. And I bought two of them. All I use them for is to check if the LDS is vigilant on annual inspection and hydro testing.......they are, and I pay for it. I never use the tanks. If I dive locally it's easier to rent tanks-closer to the dive sites. And if I dive on a trip I don't go lugging my AL80s on a plane. So they sit in the basement, waiting to explode.

I have plenty of use for more tanks... Infact, ship them here and any time your in FL you'll have free use and access to 8 tanks as they would expand my collection!

Hmm.. OH! While its been useful, it needs some serious mod. My wife and I purchased mesh bags for carrying gear to and from the sandy beaches for dives. These bags had seperate pockets for fins (nice right?) that the zippers broke on. Also, the "backpack" straps are a great idea, but set up for an 8 year olds shoulders. I cannot comfortably carry the bag in any position.

WVMike - Seal style is like ranger style, etc.. upside down on the shoulder strap with the handle in the down position for easier and safer draw from the crossing hand. One would not want to try and pull a knife out and then down in front of their face when in position of needing it.

 

[blackice]

Well it seems by the number of post that the dive industry has produced a lot of sub standard gear and much that we don't really need underwater. But as most companies are focused on profit and to obtain profit one generally has to increase sales, to do this one use marketing and advertising. Now it's amazing how cool the new gadget can look when it designed right, it become a must have , a want now, can't wait need need item.

I think that it's good practise to wait, have a cooling off period before any purchase and do research, ask questions and imagine if where it will sit underwater, is it a good idea? do other divers like it use it need it?

 

[CBulla]

blackice once bubbled...
I think that it's good practise to wait, have a cooling off period before any purchase and do research, ask questions and imagine if where it will sit underwater, is it a good idea? do other divers like it use it need it?

I practice the watch or borrow, and the can I make it theories. If I see someone with a tool or gadget that I don't know about, I ask and hope to see it demonstrated. If demonstrated I ask if I could give it a try. From that point, if I like it I try to determine "can I make it or is it a buy item?" So far, I have a pretty lean rig..

 

[VTernovski]

Halcyon Gaitors (Gators) - at $77 a pair - an absolute waste of money. I still can't belive I actually paid for them... luckily I was able to exchange them for a haclyon spool and an alert marker instead by paying the difference.

 

[ew1usnr]

What ARE "Halcyon Gaitors"?
Is that a wet suit sock? Are they DIR?

 

[DivingGal]

Here's a bit of info

 

[hantzu701]

before I knew better:

scubapro console with uwatec computer and compass.

I don't mind the computer as it works as it should; however, the scubapro compass is tiny and spins freely. It's useless for any sort of UW navigation. It's almost like one of those tin compasses that you can get in a Jack-in-a-Box!

hantzu

 

[nwdiver2]

Who pulls out thier PDA to plan a dive????? I log the reusts in a PDA dive log but the $10 planner was a waste, I thought it has a dive log when I bought it.

 

[mgdive]

Gigantic rubber enclosed psg/computer/compass console.

I just ripped it off, put a bolt snap on the naked spg, a wrist strap on the computer, and some bungee wrist loops on the compass. No more coral killing rock snagging ridiculous looking dangling consoles!!

 

[crpntr133]

So far I have been lucky, but I know that my day is coming. Just hope that it is something that costs $20 instead of $200. Almost made the mistake of the BFK but thought to myself...self why in the hell do you need a knife as big as you?