Where do you buy used Scuba gear?

[CT-Rich]

The best deals are going to be from people that don’t know what they are selling, or simply want to unload it fast and local. That requires more on the buyer to know what they are looking at. I bought my BCD, regulator set and 2 steel 120s off of Craig’s list and got excellent deals.

There is also a lot of junk that looks okay if you know nothing about it. On ScubaBoard or ebay, lots of knowledgeable buyers and sellers are going to make finding the right thing easier, but more expensive.

I waited more than a year to get my steel tanks but they $250US and the guy threw in a bunch things like a pair of rocket fins, a couple of spare masks, loose weights.

EDIT: Reliability of the gear is on the buyer, not the seller, unless it is a dive shop. You can’t use any dive gear unless you know it is in proper order. That is always on you. Good equipment can last decades, even if the last owner was not particularly careful or nice to his gear. It is on the buyer to make sure the equipment is in working order.

 

[SlugLife]

I just had a student who proudly showed me the great deal they got on some used gear. They loved their "high-end" reg....a Dacor. oops.

Hah, I see so many "US Divers" regulators cluttering craigslist.

We'll sell the gear for the customer after we service it/repair it. We will make sure it works perfect and make sure it is current and in good shape. Sure...you may pay more than on Craig's List...but there is also a guarantee on the work and gear condition!

Someone who works with a dive-shop would recommend a dive-shop of course, hah.

You'll almost certainly need any used-gear to be serviced anyway (unless you have a death-wish). As someone who has bought used-gear, some of it has been super-rough before servicing, and it's hard to tell until you get it. I also service my own gear, so that helps a lot with the cost, and ability to understand what I'm purchasing.

I don't know the price-difference between buying used and paying for service, versus buying from a shop who serviced it, but this is definitely an option that is less risky.

 

[Marie13]

It’s not uncommon for shops to sell former rental gear. I know people who’ve gotten bargains that way.