I am looking for some advise on what gear I need to purchase to dive. I have the mask, snorkle, boots, fins, gloves and hood. I know that I need a BC, reg, wet / dry suit ect, ect but the real question here is what is necessary to go enjoy a dive and what can wait? I would like to eventually get into all aspects of diving and one day teach others. With that said I do not want to waste my money on something to find out it needs to be replaced to move forward with different types of diving. Hope this makes sense.
What gear do I need & what is recommended?
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SDiggy
Contributor
With as many types of gear that are out there, you'll probably get that many answers.
But one piece of advice that comes up regularly is "try before you buy". That is, before you lock yourself into a considerable investment, see if you can borrow or rent a couple of different options for different catagories (i.e. jacket vs. back inflate vs. BP/W for BC).
Another common response is another question: What kind of diving are you planning on doing in the near future? Wetsuits are a big "fit" type item to provide thermal protection. This is may not be something you'll be able to (easily) rent/borrow dependant on your body size and build.
But one piece of advice that comes up regularly is "try before you buy". That is, before you lock yourself into a considerable investment, see if you can borrow or rent a couple of different options for different catagories (i.e. jacket vs. back inflate vs. BP/W for BC).
Another common response is another question: What kind of diving are you planning on doing in the near future? Wetsuits are a big "fit" type item to provide thermal protection. This is may not be something you'll be able to (easily) rent/borrow dependant on your body size and build.
For right now I plan on 10-60 foot dives get my skills down and practice practice practice. From there i would like to do it all. One might ask why all and I will reply why not. There can never be enough knowledge. I may take the cave course but then find out it is not for me or it doesnt interest me, I may take the deep diver course and find out that deeper is better. All in all my main reason for asking this question is because I do not want some cheap setup that once I want to further my training I have to dump it and but something else. If I need to spend the money I will spend it now and be done with it. I know there is not one right answer to this question but I am also looking for people who say get a dive computer to where other people say dont waste your money .
Well, in order to dive, in general you need a mask, a regulator, a BC (some would argue this), a tank, some kind of exposure protection (not always necessary, depending on where you dive) and fins. If you are asking in what order one should purchase these things, you will get a number of answers.
Mine is that the things that have to FIT are things you need to buy early. Exposure protection is very fit-critical. A poorly fitting wetsuit doesn't insulate, and a poorly fitting drysuit may be difficult to vent, or impair mobility significantly. Being cold or uncomfortable will lead to diving less, and diving more is what builds your skill and makes diving more fun.
A BC that doesn't fit is either uncomfortable or even can make diving harder to do, if the BC is too big and sloppy around the diver.
If you have a reasonable source for a rental regulator that is of decent quality and well-maintained (we have quite a few of these in the Seattle area) then a regulator can be put further down the list. Tanks can be put off for a long time, particularly if you live somewhere where diving has to be done as well-planned trips. In a place like where I live, owning one's own tanks makes a spur-of-the-moment evening dive a lot easier to do.
Unless your rental regulator comes with one, you will need a depth gauge/timer. You do not need a computer right away, especially if you are doing relatively shallow local dives. Computers become much more useful if you are doing dive travel, but really only then if your gas consumption is low enough that NDLs are limiting your dives, rather than gas supply. People dove tables for many years!
Like said above, try out several different brands before you buy, if you can. Probably, one of the most important pieces of equipment you can work on will be your regulator set. That is your primary life support underwater. Things to look for in a regulator is comfort, ease of breathing & ease of servicing (as this needs to be done once a year). Try to get a regulator that you can grow with a bit. You don't necessarily have to get the absolute best or most expensive, but don't immediately go for the cheapest either. I made that mistake & within a year or so, found myself replacing it for one that better suited the diving I was doing (deep, cold water). Just my $.02.
rstofer
Contributor
The big elephant in the living room is the choice between spending 'something' on a wetsuit and a 'ton' on a drysuit. There is no question you will eventually want a dry suit but the cost is more than a top-of-the-line BC and regulator combined.
So, maybe that 7 mm Farmer John for $150 (Edge) or $300 (Henderson) will do just fine until the rest of the gear is in the bag. Assuming you are diving cold water.
For cold water my sequence would be:
Wetsuit...................(because rental suits are no longer effective)
Regulator/Console...(this is THE most important piece of equipment)
BC or BP/W............(my choice would be the DSS BP/W)
Computer................(you can use a watch and the dive tables for a while)
Drysuit
As to the regulator: all of the major brands are overpriced. Look around and see if you can find the Edge regulator and octo combo for $300. For another $30 the repair shop (usually the dealer) can install an environmental kit for cold water diving.
Richard
So, maybe that 7 mm Farmer John for $150 (Edge) or $300 (Henderson) will do just fine until the rest of the gear is in the bag. Assuming you are diving cold water.
For cold water my sequence would be:
Wetsuit...................(because rental suits are no longer effective)
Regulator/Console...(this is THE most important piece of equipment)
BC or BP/W............(my choice would be the DSS BP/W)
Computer................(you can use a watch and the dive tables for a while)
Drysuit
As to the regulator: all of the major brands are overpriced. Look around and see if you can find the Edge regulator and octo combo for $300. For another $30 the repair shop (usually the dealer) can install an environmental kit for cold water diving.
Richard
My advice, for a BC is a BP/W. I started with a backinflate jacket, but it was too lose with a wetsuit, and really tight with my drysuit. Bought a backplate, fits nice and can be upgraded if you ever get into tech diving. It also makes staying horizontal much easier. I even took it to Bonaire.
Regs don't go cheap. Most important thing you will buy to start. If you buy cheap you will just end up replacing it. Only thing I would say is buy a din fitting with a yoke adapter so you can use any type of tank, rent from shop, or borrow buddies.
My .02 on my experiences.
Regs don't go cheap. Most important thing you will buy to start. If you buy cheap you will just end up replacing it. Only thing I would say is buy a din fitting with a yoke adapter so you can use any type of tank, rent from shop, or borrow buddies.
My .02 on my experiences.
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Four items you may consider. One is the Apollo "Bio Tank Lock". Your tank will never slip. Then there's the spring loaded fin straps--Never again struggle ANYWHERE putting fins on & off. Next, shoulder straps for weights or suspenders for the weight belt (you & buddy must know how to release weights)--never again have to squeeze your innards just to keep that belt on! And possibly the "Dive Alert" --a horn basically in case you are unable to be seen- these are $90 (also, a signal "sausage" when lost at the surface).
Randy43068
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There is an awful lot to chose from. I went with the jacket style BC with all of the hoopty plastic snaps and gizmos. Like many who take this sport seriously, I changed all my recreational gear over to a backplate and wing setup. I almost gave SCUBA up because it was so difficult maintain good trim and moving through the water with the conventional and typical jacket type of gear was so difficult.
So that's what I recommend, the back plate and wing setup. Also I chose a one piece harness. It's what's typically called a HOG setup for a single.
There are quite a few divers who went through the same purchasing process as I did, and as I hope you avoid. Every diver I know wishes someone would have offered this info when we first bought our set of gear.
I also don't know of even one diver who is sorry he or she went with a back plate and wing for their rig setup.
Keep it simple and basic, you'll never be sorry.
Deep-Thief
Contributor
The first thing I would buy is a drysuit. I see you live in E. PA. I used to live in MD and dove Bainbridge quarry all the time. Its cold and not very comfortable. East coast wrecks, cold. If you are cold and uncomfortable while diving, what are the chances you will keep diving. I dive a drysuit for anything except the Carribbean. This includes N Florida caves.
A drysuit is a fit item. Most of the other items are not so much of a fit. You can rent others and be just fine. A good backplate and wings setup for your BC and you can't go wrong. There is no upgrading from that, you are pretty much at the top there. As for a reg, pretty much any would be ok, keep it balanced and at a worst case it becomes a backup. Apeks would be a great choice you won't regret later. There really are so many to choose from and each will have their diehards touting them. I dive with a Poseidon Odin/Jetstream. Buy it all if you can, you will sooner or later anyway.
Just my .02 worth.
A drysuit is a fit item. Most of the other items are not so much of a fit. You can rent others and be just fine. A good backplate and wings setup for your BC and you can't go wrong. There is no upgrading from that, you are pretty much at the top there. As for a reg, pretty much any would be ok, keep it balanced and at a worst case it becomes a backup. Apeks would be a great choice you won't regret later. There really are so many to choose from and each will have their diehards touting them. I dive with a Poseidon Odin/Jetstream. Buy it all if you can, you will sooner or later anyway.
Just my .02 worth.Similar threads
