NorthWoodsDiver
Contributor
I dive in minnesota, usually large lakes or mine pits and sometimes lake superior but regardless the water temps in the winter are 36-39 degrees (F) and in the summer the temp below 30 or 40 ft is usually 41-43 degrees (F).
I have played around with tons of gear configurations and utilized items from nearly every currently available major brand of scuba gear. I have had good and bad experiences with most every company I have dealt with and good and bad service from every online or local dealer that I have dealt with too.
I have settled on a list of companies for whom I will and whom I will not buy gear and some companies for which make a great product but I may not like one particular product line. A good example of that is Scubapro, they make great regulators for the most part and their service is great even years after you buy something but its simple to see they really care about the quality of their regs and bcd's and wetsuits but they sell lots of other misc gear that is nothing special like reels and surface markers and gear bags. BTW I dont care for scubapro's wetsuit line either.
I did the Jacket bcd for a while then moved onto a back inflate which for single tank recreational diving is not a bad setup but I settled on a back plate and wing with hog setup. A BP/W is more durable, more modular, fits a wider variety of people, grows with your diving needs, take lead off your belt, helps with trim, and really attracts the ladies
If you want a BCD dont ask me who I like best, I owned scubapro's Knighthawk and also dove a couple different dacor and mares bcds. Scubapros were the nicest then but nothing compares to a BP/W.
if you want a good backplate there are lots of places to get one, I happen to prefer:
OMS (Ocean Management Systems)
DSS (Deep Sea Supply)
Hammerhead
Salvo
Hollis
Fred T
but in the end I own 2 stainless plates from Fred T that weight in at 9lbs each.
Dont really know why but I just never cared for the dive rite, oxycheq, or zeagle plates, they are a bit different shape and pattern but in reality a plate is a plate. The big issue is to pick stainless or aluminum and which weight you would need.
Wings are a bit more complex, lots of companies make good ones and it comes down to capacity and looks.
I own a larry green 45lb wing for double smaller steel cylinders like hp 100's or for double al 80's with stage/deco bottles. I have a OMS 32lb for single tanks or for double al 80's with no stage/deco bottles. For heavier doubles and use of more than 2 al80's for stage I would upgrade to something in the 50-55LB range I think.
I have also been using the OMS 32lb wing successfully for sidemount diving in open water with a back plate.
Same as for plates, many companies make good wings like:
OMS
DSS
Oxycheq
Dive Rite
and others but I have no experience with zeagle or scubapro or the other wing manufactures, I think Salvo makes wings now and I'm sure they are high quality as well.
Regulators can be argued over endlessly but in the end I have dove many and settled on 1.5 regs I like. for everyday diving in any water temp or condition I use the scubapro mk17 first stage coupled with the scubapro S600 second stage, the exception to this is my 100% and 40% oxygen deco bottles which have mk2+ and S600's on them. All my regs are DIN, thats all you should ever get in my opinion as they will work anywhere in the world.
The only other life support equipment I trust is the Interspiro Divator MKII (aga) mask. I got one for PSD use and like it although equalizing is difficult at best.
I refuse to send anyone towards lower end companies for regulators. places like Mares, Tusa, Oceanic, Genesis, Aeris, Dacor, and similar brands.
Some places are rummered to make a quality reg but I cant testify to most so I wont even chime in on that. Examples are Zeagle, Salvo, Sherwood, Atomic, Poseidon, OMS, and Dive rite (which I do have some experience with, very nice regs but I still prefer SP).
And remember you dont need an octo, they are a complete waste of money. If you have a freeflow there isn't an octo on the planet that can help you and if that octo is dragging on the bottom its not gonna help the buddy who is out of air either.
Invest in a pony bottle or dive doubles its that simple.
I dive a Luxfer aluminum 19 for all dives deeper than 30ft down to 60 or 75 ft depending on viz. that 19 is back mounted with a quick draw pony bracket. Otherwise for depths down to 150' on a single tank and with good viz I sling an aluminum 40.
***Note that I dont say its ok to dive to 150' just because you have a pony bottle, diving deeper than 100' has far more risk involved and you need to be very comfortable and be aware of the risk involved with deeper diving especially on single tanks which in and of itself is regarded and foolish.
All my pony bottle and stage bottle regs are mk17/S600's from scubapro and all my sling bottle kits are dive rite or home made but exact copies of what dive rite sells.
Computers are a whole other monster. If you need one there is a problem but if you take one along just to record your dive which provides you with some interesting information to review than go for it.
I have for years dove a suunto cobra, I owned 3 for a while and like them alot. However if I was a new diver picking out a computer for the first time I would do one of 3 things:
-dual bottom timers or computers in gauge mode, models of choice either the Suunto Vytec or Nitek Duo and sporting a data recorder. maybe leave 1 out of gauge mode depending on dive plan
-VR3, 1 bottom timer or computer in gauge mode, and sporting a data recorder
- Cobra, 1 bottom timer or computer in gauge mode, and data recorder
of those 3 options the first is the only that makes good sense for a new diver. A VR3 is generally way out of peoples price range hence why I dont already own one and having a cobra and a bottom timer only provides the benefit of having a digital pressure gauge.
the point to all this is I would rather have a computer for those days when I dont want to properly plan a dive cause its in good vis and shallow depths and in a familiar place but for all other days planning a dive is required which involves utilizing tables so why carry a computer unless its for backup in which case then you might as well carry another timer.
my needs change daily with each dive so its nice to own all the toys so I can pick and choose what suits best for each dive.
The worst mistake I ever made was buying a wetsuit, the first piece of gear I tell people to get now is a drysuit. A drysuit can be used virtually anywhere in the world no matter the water temp. being warm and dry is worth the cost.
Drysuits come in lots of styles but I own a Fusion from whites (thanks to mike at dive rite in scuba). I wouldn't trade it for any other drysuit thats currently available.
however whites is not the top of the line, DUI is said to be the highest quality but you really pay for it.
Dive Rite
DUI
Whites
Pinnical
and others make great drysuits but the key is finding the one that fits and offers what you are looking for. I pick a bag suit over a neoprene but also out there are vulcanized rubber suits from amron and viking and DUI which are great too.
Tanks are as personalized an item as anything else with scuba. Most every rental place will have aluminm 80's so I own 10 setup for single tank diving with convertable valves. my favorite tanks are steel 72's but I only have 2 and they are for sidemount diving. I own aluminum 40's for deco and pony use and aluminum 80's for deco/stage use and aluminum 80's for doubles.
If I could afford to I would dive all steel tanks for backgas and just have aluminum tanks for stage/deco/slinging.
Around here you want enough gas to meet your needs at which ever depth you plan to dive. Some say you should have doubles for over 100' and if you are a heavy breather that may mean double 104's. you have to determine this for yourself.
Lights can be had from a variety of places but I own pelican lights at the moment until I can drop $2k on a Solus or Salvo. Dive rite also makes great lights.
It doesn't matter brand, I stick with LED and for around here and just about everywhere else it sure is nice having that light on your waist. the added weight of the battery takes more off your belt.
By the time you add steel tanks, metal back plate, and canister light you dont usually need to carry any lead.
I own over $20K in dive gear and dive different variations all the time so this is the best I can do.
I have played around with tons of gear configurations and utilized items from nearly every currently available major brand of scuba gear. I have had good and bad experiences with most every company I have dealt with and good and bad service from every online or local dealer that I have dealt with too.
I have settled on a list of companies for whom I will and whom I will not buy gear and some companies for which make a great product but I may not like one particular product line. A good example of that is Scubapro, they make great regulators for the most part and their service is great even years after you buy something but its simple to see they really care about the quality of their regs and bcd's and wetsuits but they sell lots of other misc gear that is nothing special like reels and surface markers and gear bags. BTW I dont care for scubapro's wetsuit line either.
I did the Jacket bcd for a while then moved onto a back inflate which for single tank recreational diving is not a bad setup but I settled on a back plate and wing with hog setup. A BP/W is more durable, more modular, fits a wider variety of people, grows with your diving needs, take lead off your belt, helps with trim, and really attracts the ladies
If you want a BCD dont ask me who I like best, I owned scubapro's Knighthawk and also dove a couple different dacor and mares bcds. Scubapros were the nicest then but nothing compares to a BP/W.
if you want a good backplate there are lots of places to get one, I happen to prefer:
OMS (Ocean Management Systems)
DSS (Deep Sea Supply)
Hammerhead
Salvo
Hollis
Fred T
but in the end I own 2 stainless plates from Fred T that weight in at 9lbs each.
Dont really know why but I just never cared for the dive rite, oxycheq, or zeagle plates, they are a bit different shape and pattern but in reality a plate is a plate. The big issue is to pick stainless or aluminum and which weight you would need.
Wings are a bit more complex, lots of companies make good ones and it comes down to capacity and looks.
I own a larry green 45lb wing for double smaller steel cylinders like hp 100's or for double al 80's with stage/deco bottles. I have a OMS 32lb for single tanks or for double al 80's with no stage/deco bottles. For heavier doubles and use of more than 2 al80's for stage I would upgrade to something in the 50-55LB range I think.
I have also been using the OMS 32lb wing successfully for sidemount diving in open water with a back plate.
Same as for plates, many companies make good wings like:
OMS
DSS
Oxycheq
Dive Rite
and others but I have no experience with zeagle or scubapro or the other wing manufactures, I think Salvo makes wings now and I'm sure they are high quality as well.
Regulators can be argued over endlessly but in the end I have dove many and settled on 1.5 regs I like. for everyday diving in any water temp or condition I use the scubapro mk17 first stage coupled with the scubapro S600 second stage, the exception to this is my 100% and 40% oxygen deco bottles which have mk2+ and S600's on them. All my regs are DIN, thats all you should ever get in my opinion as they will work anywhere in the world.
The only other life support equipment I trust is the Interspiro Divator MKII (aga) mask. I got one for PSD use and like it although equalizing is difficult at best.
I refuse to send anyone towards lower end companies for regulators. places like Mares, Tusa, Oceanic, Genesis, Aeris, Dacor, and similar brands.
Some places are rummered to make a quality reg but I cant testify to most so I wont even chime in on that. Examples are Zeagle, Salvo, Sherwood, Atomic, Poseidon, OMS, and Dive rite (which I do have some experience with, very nice regs but I still prefer SP).
And remember you dont need an octo, they are a complete waste of money. If you have a freeflow there isn't an octo on the planet that can help you and if that octo is dragging on the bottom its not gonna help the buddy who is out of air either.
Invest in a pony bottle or dive doubles its that simple.
I dive a Luxfer aluminum 19 for all dives deeper than 30ft down to 60 or 75 ft depending on viz. that 19 is back mounted with a quick draw pony bracket. Otherwise for depths down to 150' on a single tank and with good viz I sling an aluminum 40.
***Note that I dont say its ok to dive to 150' just because you have a pony bottle, diving deeper than 100' has far more risk involved and you need to be very comfortable and be aware of the risk involved with deeper diving especially on single tanks which in and of itself is regarded and foolish.
All my pony bottle and stage bottle regs are mk17/S600's from scubapro and all my sling bottle kits are dive rite or home made but exact copies of what dive rite sells.
Computers are a whole other monster. If you need one there is a problem but if you take one along just to record your dive which provides you with some interesting information to review than go for it.
I have for years dove a suunto cobra, I owned 3 for a while and like them alot. However if I was a new diver picking out a computer for the first time I would do one of 3 things:
-dual bottom timers or computers in gauge mode, models of choice either the Suunto Vytec or Nitek Duo and sporting a data recorder. maybe leave 1 out of gauge mode depending on dive plan
-VR3, 1 bottom timer or computer in gauge mode, and sporting a data recorder
- Cobra, 1 bottom timer or computer in gauge mode, and data recorder
of those 3 options the first is the only that makes good sense for a new diver. A VR3 is generally way out of peoples price range hence why I dont already own one and having a cobra and a bottom timer only provides the benefit of having a digital pressure gauge.
the point to all this is I would rather have a computer for those days when I dont want to properly plan a dive cause its in good vis and shallow depths and in a familiar place but for all other days planning a dive is required which involves utilizing tables so why carry a computer unless its for backup in which case then you might as well carry another timer.
my needs change daily with each dive so its nice to own all the toys so I can pick and choose what suits best for each dive.
The worst mistake I ever made was buying a wetsuit, the first piece of gear I tell people to get now is a drysuit. A drysuit can be used virtually anywhere in the world no matter the water temp. being warm and dry is worth the cost.
Drysuits come in lots of styles but I own a Fusion from whites (thanks to mike at dive rite in scuba). I wouldn't trade it for any other drysuit thats currently available.
however whites is not the top of the line, DUI is said to be the highest quality but you really pay for it.
Dive Rite
DUI
Whites
Pinnical
and others make great drysuits but the key is finding the one that fits and offers what you are looking for. I pick a bag suit over a neoprene but also out there are vulcanized rubber suits from amron and viking and DUI which are great too.
Tanks are as personalized an item as anything else with scuba. Most every rental place will have aluminm 80's so I own 10 setup for single tank diving with convertable valves. my favorite tanks are steel 72's but I only have 2 and they are for sidemount diving. I own aluminum 40's for deco and pony use and aluminum 80's for deco/stage use and aluminum 80's for doubles.
If I could afford to I would dive all steel tanks for backgas and just have aluminum tanks for stage/deco/slinging.
Around here you want enough gas to meet your needs at which ever depth you plan to dive. Some say you should have doubles for over 100' and if you are a heavy breather that may mean double 104's. you have to determine this for yourself.
Lights can be had from a variety of places but I own pelican lights at the moment until I can drop $2k on a Solus or Salvo. Dive rite also makes great lights.
It doesn't matter brand, I stick with LED and for around here and just about everywhere else it sure is nice having that light on your waist. the added weight of the battery takes more off your belt.
By the time you add steel tanks, metal back plate, and canister light you dont usually need to carry any lead.
I own over $20K in dive gear and dive different variations all the time so this is the best I can do.
.
