Beginner with some (lots) of questions about equipment

[Ac_ita]

so, just started, not even actually since my seasonal allergy stopped me at the theory..., while waiting im looking at the equipment.
Because of the various "issues" with renting them i guess the first things ill get are wetsuit and regulator: since i plan to dive in Canada, but also warmer waters, i guess i will have to go for two wetsuits (drysuits are not even to be considered for now). I was thinking a full 3/2mm for warm water and a 7 mm for diving in Canada. I have seen that the 7mm have the one piece or the two pieces kind, but i have no idea which one would be best, i think that a two pieces actually becomes 14mm where they overlap so could give more protection? My other option would be getting somethimg for the tropics that i could even wear under a 7mm, to keep a bit warmer, just didnt want something like a shortie because i have been told lots of stories about hitting corals by accident or jellyfish. I cant really decide whats best and makes more sense economically.
For the regulator i guess that since ill be diving in Canada i should look for the cold water kind?
I also gave a look at the BCDs and im really lost there, i guess i will probably rent them to try different kinds but doing that all the time might get expensive. I tend to think that the plate kind is more versatile yet economical, but not sure. I have yet to make up my mind on that i read discussions even in this forum and for sure i dont want to restart a debate.
I have seen that there are travel BCDs, are those worth considering, even since the airlines seem to limit the luggage more and more and make prices for extras higher and higher.
Thanks

Ps: if anyone wants to mention brands that are a good buy, or maybe mention models to avoid... And i am in Canada so i will buy from here, i know: support your dive shop, but for some things i will still look up prices in other places just not sure if shipping and duties could kill a deal if bought from an online store in the states, if someone has any pointers about places where to buy i'd appreciate it.

 

[k ellis]

Well your question has a very broad answer. If you are going to spend the majority of your time diving localy and I mean like 50 or dives per year then invest in a BCD that is more tailored to the local diving. While travel BCDs are great for what they are designed for and thats travel the draw backs tend to be that they are less durable (Most of them) and they are smaller bladders typically.

While in warmer waters smaller bladders are not a problem they can pose concerns for colder water since more weight has to be worn along with sometimes additional equipment.

Youll find if you eventually want to get into cave diving and tech diving there is a general consensus the the BPW are better set ups however you can utilize other types of gear such as a Zeagle Ranger. But not to side track the question you would need reels, flashlights, smbs, and for tech diving that list grows even more considerably. So if you plan on doing these later on then you may want to start with a bcd you can grow into that area with right off the get go.

I do agree the BCD and Regulator are my personal choices for the first pieces of gear to buy as these tend to be life support (Be prepared for the flaming that may follow my statement) and I want to know Im not using some worn out 1980s model thats been used for a half a million dives and maintained minimumly to make money. I have seen some rentals and sheeesh I was scared just looking at them.

look up Leisurepro too and before you commit to online prices be sure to call them and ask if they can give an even better deal because they do sometimes reduce prices further then what you see over the phone! Buy scuba gear, scuba diving and snorkeling equipment, and everything underwater from LeisurePro.com

For the regulator i guess that since ill be diving in Canada i should look for the cold water kind?

YES I would if you plan to do colder water then Id say 50 degrees although thats my personal opinion. Check with the manufactures and ask what they are capable of at the temperature you think youll be diving too!

if anyone wants to mention brands that are a good buy, or maybe mention models to avoid

thats like asking if one should buy Ford or chevy. Every brand will have its loyal fan base. Personaly and only in my opinion I avoid price setting manufacturers such as aqualung and scubapro. They tend to sale to only brick and morter stores and this forces the consumer to often pay extremely high mark up. However if you deal with brands like Oceanic I believe and my personal favorite Zeagle youll find that the internet actually has forced some good deals to be made with these high quality products. Many times even making it affordable to purchase these items.

 

[gcarter]

Welcome aboard. We live in a big country, where are you and where do you plan on diving? That will make a difference in what you need WRT exposure protection.

Cold water regs are a definite.

 

[Doc Harry]

14mm of neoprene is very buoyant. You might need some scrap metal (like a Sherman tank) to get enough weight to sink below the surface.

I would bite the bullet and buy a dry suit before I would consider diving with 14mm of neoprene.

Can you even move or breath while wearing 14mm of neoprene?

 

[Brian Sharpe]

I'm with Doc on the neoprene issue. I've dived with 14mm on and you need a lot of weight to keep you down but if you're determined to buy a heavy wetsuit have a look at Bare, they're affordable, well made and have an excellent range of sizes so most people can get a good fit with off-the-rack gear. For colder water diving a 7mm full suit & 7mm hooded vest will keep you fairly warm and you then are able to ditch the vest (& some weight) when the water is warmer. Before committing to a wetsuit though check out used drysuits, you never know what you may find.

For regs, same advice - get something cold water rated (you can always take it with you to the warm places!).

BCDs? I like Zeagle (purely personal choice) but I dive almost exclusively now with a BP/W (better weight distribution).

I'm not sure where you're located but check out Dan's Dive Shop (dansdiveshop.ca) in St. Catharines - they ship all across Canada and have some great on-line deals.

 

[tacky]

My experience is you will not regret buying a backplqte and wing. Dir Zone is a good and affordable choice.

Consider if there is any possibility shelling out the cash for a dry suit. I feel 5mm neoprene wet suits are way too thick, wouldnt wanna think about 14mm.

 

[spectrum]

Ac_ita,

You have more good answers than questions. Kudos for doing your gear homework.

Yes you are going to have a neoprene wardrobe. A 3mm full suit should serve you well in the tropics. For diving wet at home you will want 7mm with 2X on the core. I'm fond of the full suit with a hooded step-in vest format. Lots more on that here.

Wetsuit and regulator are logical next steps. A regulator set you can have serviced locally is a good idea. Get a cold water model for sure. For warm water diving there are no downsides.

Keep your eye out for used weights in the meantime.

A plate & wing system can be a nice way to go especially across the range of suits you will eventually own, probably including a drysuit and bulky undergarments. A word of caution here.... The ideal plate for home will be a stainless plate (for inherent weight) and a wing of some size. Odds are the wing will cross over for travel but the plate harness may want to be aluminum or even non-metallic to help manage baggage charges. You may want an alternate wing too. For many it can mean going from a ~30 to an ~18. In other words there is no one perfect solution. The plate and wing systems can be reasonably cost effective if you don't adorn them with lot's of stuff like ditchable weights and padding, effectively making it back into a conventional back inflate BC.

If you walk in as an informed consumer you should be able to deal with a good LDS for much of what you need.

Pete

 

[spectrum]

14mm of neoprene is very buoyant. You might need some scrap metal (like a Sherman tank) to get enough weight to sink below the surface.

I would bite the bullet and buy a dry suit before I would consider diving with 14mm of neoprene.

Can you even move or breath while wearing 14mm of neoprene?

Good satire Harry

 

[scubajo007]

I prefer a two piece wet suit set-up. For tropic dives I use a 3/2mm farmerjohn (Typhoon) with a 0.5mm rash guard, its easy to get in and out of, as well as two piece is flexible, you can combine it with a thicker rash guard or dive with the farmerjohn only.
A travel BCD: yes Cressi do have the Cressi travel light, which is the one I have. It is very light about 2.0kg total and so compact that you easily can have it as cabin baggage, it is foldable with straps and supplied with a soft pack bag the size of a small shopping plastic bag, you should even be able to squeeze it in to a laptop computer bag, I would recommend that BCD if you travel a lot, however the minus is that the lifting capacity is less than a standard BCD.
Get a reg. suitable for cold water and use in both cold and warm waters.

 

[TSandM]

I don't know where in Canada you are, but if you are diving in the Pacific, you will definitely want the overlapping, Farmer John type of 7 mil suit. And yes, it is possible to breathe in such an outfit -- we routinely certify students in wetsuits! It does require quite a bit of weight, but honestly, our students don't need as much weight to sink as I do, in my dry suit and heavy undergarments. I do agree that, if you are going to dive wet in cold water, you really need your own suit, because a well-fitted wetsuit has much less water circulation through it, and is therefore quite a bit warmer.

I also agree that, if you are going to dive in cold water, having an environmentally sealed diaphragm regulator is probably a good choice. Freeflows happen! And although they are definitely surviveable, it's stressful and puts a rapid end to your dive, so avoiding them is the best course, especially if you are able to make your original regulator choice with this in mind.

As far as BCs go, you CAN buy a simple single tank BP/W setup and dive it quite well in cold and warm water. I used my original stainless plate and 30 lb wing for local and tropical diving for quite a while (and have gone back to it, since I am now diving dry everywhere). Although a five pound plate sounds like a lot of weight, if you put most traditional BCs on the scale, they will come close to that, and they don't come apart into pieces for packing