Any equipment buying regrets ?

[Griffo]

1. HOG regulators. Had nothing but problems with constant freeflows. The second time I had a major issue with them I threw them in the bin.

2. My first BCD. Put 20 dives on it and bought a BP/W

3. Numerous curly cords, retractor clips, big spools etc recommended by my LDS. All given away or binned.

4. Halcyon HID light. Bought it just as LED can lights took off. I never use it, I should repurpose the battery at least.

5. Dive Alert. Already covered here well by others.

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

1) Immediately buying an AL Dimension I3 BC 2 weeks after completing my OW cert without testing out a bunch of different BCs first. Way too much BC for the type of diving I do. In fairness, I live in cold-water climate, so the local dive shops aren't stocked with gear suited to my preferences.

Lesson learned? When purchasing a BC it's worth going to a diving destination, find a diver's supply warehouse and try on absolutely everything in your size. Then when you find a BC you THINK you like, see if you can test it out in a pool or check-out dive. Online reviews and opinions are like a$$holes, everybody has one. Personal preference is king once you're below the surface.

2) Buying a GoPro. Leaving that thing at home and actually being 'present' during the dive was the best decision I ever made. I've reached the point now that I will only buddy up with divers without a GoPro or camera (professional photographers excepted; those folks are AMAZING! ).

 

[tridacna]

2) Buying a GoPro. Leaving that thing at home and actually being 'present' during the dive was the best decision I ever made. I've reached the point now that I will only buddy up with divers without a GoPro or camera (professional photographers excepted; those folks are AMAZING! ).

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
True true true!

 

[SandyRobinson]

Forgot about my push button Intovas. I had three and after about 2 or 3 years, the push button failed on all three. Eventually, they went into the round file.

 

[Divectionist]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
True true true!

Same for me as well. I brought a new GoPro to one day of diving. I felt like I wasn't even on that dive but fiddling with the device, changing my actions for the benefit of footage, and spending too much time post-dive sifting through it all. All for images and footage I won't look at ever again. I never brought it since.

Presence is the key for what I want to get out of diving. Underwater meditation!

 

[Kharon]

Bought a Hollis 500SE. Love it to death - but I cannot buy parts to reapir it. It is not rocket science - it is actually quite straightforward. I believe Hollis requires you to have service at a LDS solely to get dive shops to promote Hollis regs.

I'm going back to my Cressi XS2. I can buy the service kit and the reg is rock solid. Yeah, it's a bit heavy and not streamlined, but the option to buy a service kit for about $15 instead of sending the Holis out for a $90 (and essentially unnecessary) complete re-build is pretty compelling.

 

[hedonist222]

This is a great thread.

Nothing major. No huge regrets.

Maybe my xDeep DSMB. The strap at the end is too long and just makes handling/stowing it a PIA.
And its firm, so it doesn't fold up well either.

 

[Pressurehead]

I put my "ehhh..." scuba purchases into three categories:

• Just plain duds -- Things that I bought but never used/abandoned quickly.
  • convertible standard/magnetic slate -- Bulky. Never used it once.
  • various snorkels -- They're all terrible for one reason or another.
  • coiled-leash light retainer -- Nice idea, but essentially unnecessary.
  • SEAC tinted mask -- Annoying.

• Didn't work out -- Things that I used for a while but ended up not liking a lot.
  • Mares weight-integrated BCD -- Velcro was not enough to hold the weight pockets in.
  • Force Fins -- The foot pocket is unforgiving, and they don't work well with frog kicks.
  • Aeris Atmos computer -- Hard to figure out, awful documentation.
  • NiteRider backup light -- Tiny, dim.

• OMG this is great -- Things that I wasn't hot on at first but now love.
  • Atlan fleece-lined "boat coat" -- Sooooooo warm on surface intervals in the winter.
  • Hollis SMS 100D -- The Edd mods made all the difference.

That computer.

 

[davecampbell]

The roller bags are a double-edged sword. They make the bag considerably heavier. They also make the bag much more difficult to fit into a suitcase and they usually have some metal components that will eventually rust. One of my buddies switched to a roller bag, but after a few months, she switched right back to a "normal" bag. If you're not flying and you're not doing shore dives, they can be a nice option. Of course there's lots of people who love their roller bags. Different strokes.

Personally, I love the mares cruise mesh deluxe. The mesh is rubber rather than cloth like a lot of bags use. That means it's almost instantly dry. Although I paid almost $100 for my first one, I later found them on amazon for under $40. It doesn't have wheels but it's got padded shoulder straps. It also has handles for carrying it vertically or horizontally.

we also like our Mares cruise mesh deluxe bags. taken them on a few trips and they work well for hauling our gear onto the boat for the day.

 

[hotpocketdeath]

I'll play.

Mares Icon travel BC. Meant to be able to roll up but was far too soft and kept riding up on me. No spot for a crotch strap, so it was gone after a few dives. Had a Zeagle Stilleto for a long time after that, descent BC, but now I've upgraded to BP/W and pretty happy once I got a good one. (1st one had a manufacturing flaw I mentioned on these boards, but DGX replaced it)

Semi-dry Wesuit - Made by Bare. Pricey and extremely difficult to get into. Zipper ran shoulder to shoulder and I needed help to get in an out of it. Still have it, but only have 2 or 3 dives in it. I plan on getting a drysuit soon.

Plastic wrist slate that used a kind of soft plastic on rollers so you could move it.

Various noise makers. They don't do squat to get the attention of people.

Various lights. Most too dim or cheaply made. I have one light atm that is nice, ie aluminum body, triple o-ring. It's a twist style, but it's small and bright and never had to worry about flooding.

Soft sole booties. I stepped off a dock into a stream and cam down on a sharp rock right on the heel of my foot. Extremely painful and even cut the skin. Painful to walk for a couple of weeks. Now all my boots/footware are hard soled.

Retractable lanyards. Have had 2, both failed fairly quickly.

Live and learn. I try to do a lot more research now.