How long did you wait before ...

[ScubaAddictedLisa]

Wow, I guess I was lucky that I didn't have to purchase anything but the course itself when I got certified. I did "rent" the equipment. I got certified at a resort that offers full certification courses. I guess they need to be able to rent the equipment, because people go there and sign up at the spur of the moment to learn to dive.

I am also holding off on buying the BC. I want to see how the diving in NY is before I do that. If I end up only diving in locations outside of NY then I'd need to pack the BC and reg in my luggage every time I'm going diving! That becomes expensive and heavy.

I was thinking of getting a regulator, but I want to learn more about the different types, and if I need to worry about whether the one I get may not work with a rental BC that I may use. There's a lot to look into.

I think I'd buy a dive computer before the other two things, though. Because I can easily rent the BC and the regulator. But I'm not ready for a dive computer yet. I want to be fully versed in dive planning/logging by hand first!

 

[fppf]

I would suggest getting your own set of regs first. That is your life support, every have an uncontroled free flow at a 100 feet? Also the maintance that most rentals get can be, well lacking.

Following that I would get your own BC. You will be much more comfortable with a proper fitting BC that you get use to using. Also, they again need service, ever have a power inflator stick at 100 feet?

Following that I would get a dive computer. It will greatly extend your dive times by calculating multi level diving.

Then I would get your exsposre protection.

 

[igotag!]

I would suggest getting your own set of regs first. That is your life support, every have an uncontroled free flow at a 100 feet? Also the maintance that most rentals get can be, well lacking.

Following that I would get your own BC. You will be much more comfortable with a proper fitting BC that you get use to using. Also, they again need service, ever have a power inflator stick at 100 feet?

Following that I would get a dive computer. It will greatly extend your dive times by calculating multi level diving.

Then I would get your exsposre protection.

I agree, the reg setup is definatly the best place to start. If your going to be diving cold water a lot I highly recommend a good dry suit. Wet suits aren't bad till you get out of it, then have to get back into in the same day, way worse than a wet bathing suit!

 

[danclem]

For another two cents worth of advice . . .

If you are going to continue diving, purchase your own gear, especially if you plan to travel. Using the same equipment: BC, regulator, computer, is one of the best safety investments you can make. We travel all over the world with dive and underwater DSLR equipment and manage to stay well below the weight requirements and hernia levels.

There are a lot of very fine dive operators, and there are some that are not as good. I am always amazed at some of the rental equipment folks will dive with. Having your own gear, knowing how to use it, and using it repeatedly is good insurance.

Have fun!

Dan

 

[CamG]

Lisa it is great to hear about your continuing dive gear collection. My wife and I shared the same experience with rental gear but were hesitant to make the initial investiment before we knew scuba was for us! After the 1st open water dive we went to Divers Supply in Indy and the rest is history. From that point on there have been numerous purchases and continued diving education which has led me to this conclusion, " Diving is a very expensive hobby! ". What diving was and has become for me is a way of life! Sounds crazy I know that is what I thought when I started my journey. It is different for everyone but personally for me it was the continuation of my diving education and in particular the mentoring relationship with my instructor. I found that diving was the one thing in life I needed bad enough to get serious and commit time and $$ to evolve into a better person. Best advice I ever got was don't sweet the small stuff just dive every chance you can! If gear is a problem find a dive club that promotes new divers and get involved. I would gladly loan gear to new divers and dive with them. It means alot to me to see new people find the life that took me 38 years to discover. It is the reason I am a divemaster candidate with hopes of one day being a instructor. For all starting divers the cost of gear can be a obstacle to overcome but take heart and don't give up! There are other gear-a-holics out there that share a passion for seeing new divers evolve! I am one that believes! Sorry for the ramblings, dive and dive some more find a awesome mentor! Good luck and if your in my neck of the woods, " Lets go dive!" CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[diver 85]

The day we finished our 2nd day of OW dives, I bought for 3--- wife, daughter & self.........

 

[2905luvsbubbles]

We bought gear (regs and BC) during our course, as our LDS offered free wetsuit and air for a year with the purchase. I would strongly recomend getting a good reg first as it is your life support. Yes, they need serviced, but if it is yours, you know how it has been cared for. The next purchase I would make would be a BC. I would try several to find what fits you best and that matches your tiype of diving. I would recomend buying the best gear you can afford, and then buying the next reg up. I have since sold my original reg and purchased a better reg. It does breathe easier, and I don't have to worry about it at depth or cold water. Yes it is a expensive hobby, my wife hates it when I go to our local LDS, but the owner sure likes it when I come in.

 

[donkey]

I had to get the basics (mask, snorkel, fins) for my dive course. I got booties as well because I did my training (and first few dives) in cold water and didn't see a good reason to get two sets of fins. Regs, neoprene hood + gloves came next (since I wanted my own (trusted) regs, it wasn't hard to convince myself that some of the cheaper exposure protection was worth getting) My own (used) wetsuit came about a season later, but without any dives in-between. I got a old rental BC for pretty cheap, and it works (for now, I plan to upgrade soon). Then I piled on the accessories (lights, camera housing, knife, safety sausage, computer) and a tropical wetsuit. I'm starting to think about a drysuit now, but I want to make sure that I really get into the diving up here first.

 

[RAWalker]

I started investigating what I wanted right after my discovery scuba dive. (Bora Bora)Except for a 7.6.5 hyperstretch wetsuit I purchased just before my OW cert dives, I used rental gear through m first 2 dives after my open water certification.
My first 2 dives after cert were in Aruba and during the first dive the inflator hose broke away from the inflator assembly and the release valve cable came apart from the inflator the only thing that kept the inflator from getting lost was the low pressure hose. This was at 42' and thankfully I was able to safely abort the dive. At the surface I got lucky and came up within easy reach of another boat that helped me aboard. Since the hose wasn't connected I had no way to establish bouyancy.
After returning from that vacation I spent about another 3 weeks researching and then purchased my own equipment. Before making another dive. My next dives were with my new gear during my advanced OW dives. By the time my weekend was over I logged 6 dives all boat dives, a night dive, a nav dive, a deep dive and 2 digital underwater photography dives for my Advanced.
After that trip I was comfortable with my gear and much more comfortable as a diver.
The reason I got my own gear was to feel safer in the fact that my gear will be well maintained. The result of that is you get more familiar with the gear and can be a more relaxed diver. Being more relaxed should have a significant effect on your air consumption and possibly allow you more bottom time.

 

[TSandM]

We bought all of our gear (drysuit, BC, regs) immediately out of OW.

Then, six months later, I bought almost all of it over again, because by then I knew what I wanted.

I really don't regret doing it that way. If I hadn't bought the gear in the first place, I wouldn't have been out diving every chance I got, and I wouldn't have found the people I found and gotten the training I did that taught me what kind of gear I really wanted.