Gear & Training Priorities for broke college student

[onepointfivethumbs]

Like the title says, I'm a broke college student with an inconsistent income and expense schedule.
I did PADI OWD two years ago and bought all my skin diving stuff from my LDS. I was close to pulling the trigger on a Suunto Zoop Novo that the owner was really hot to sell me but I decided to hold off and evaluate other options.

I talked with my LDS about doing either EANx or AOW this past summer, but my budget caught up with me and I ended up not being able to commit.

From a 30,000 foot view, I think I ultimately want to get into tec diving, especially deep wrecks. I also know I have time to get there, and with time comes greater income flexibility. I probably won't be diving the Doria anytime soon but I want to start taking the steps to get there.

What should my priorities be in terms of training? AOW and EANx obviously, Night, Deep, Nav, PPB, Wreck, Drysuit, Rescue...I understand the need for a very strong foundation in fundamental skills before I start doing tec courses, but what is the cost-benefit per annum of doing 100 30ft platform dives in a quarry versus 4-5 NDL wreck dives in Lake Huron? Should I be going on those $50 pond dives or should I be saving up for a drysuit?

What should my priorities be in terms of gear? I can't go out and buy a Shearwater yet but at the same time I don't want to buy a whole bunch of redundant gear that will end up in the closet. Should I even bother with a computer at all or just dive tables? Should I get singles regs or just rent them until I get onto doubles-whenever that may be?

And how do these interact with each other-is it better to do a bunch of dives <60FFW but with a new computer, or go down to 140 and get a deep card but on tables? How much use is an AOW card if you don't dive on it the rest of the year, and so on?

 

[Marie13]

Diving at Gilboa is good training for the Great Lakes.

Few people use only tables these days. For tech, you need two watches/depth gauges. Depth gauges aren’t cheap. The Shearwater Peregrine would work through Adv Nitrox/Deco Procedures. $450 for that computer and you can use a cheaper computer in gauge mode for your backup with tables.

BP/W for single tank diving. Probably 30-35lb wing. When you move to doubles, you just get a different wing.

Others can talk about regs.

If you want to dive locally, you need a drysuit. Depending on your size, you might be able to find a deal on something used. Otherwise, you a semi dry would work for the time being, unless you’re a weenie about cold.

You need AOW, Nitrox, and drysuit (you can rent occasionally if needed). The rest can wait. Get some diving under your belt. Do a bunch of quarry/inland lake diving interspersed with Lake Huron.

Added: I’m a cold water only diver on the other side of Lake Michigan from you.

 

[Marie13]

Where in the Mitten are you? I’m a Downriver Detroit native and EMU is my alma mater.

 

[onepointfivethumbs]

Where in the Mitten are you? I’m a Downriver Detroit native and EMU is my alma mater.

I'm originally from Farmington Hills/Novi but currently in Kalamazoo for school

 

[tmassey]

Welcome!

IMHO, your first two focuses should be to go diving, and to find capable mentors who can help you to gain solid and valuable experience.

There are a fair few divers here in SE Michigan who dive regularly in local lakes — and do so for free. Some of us (like, for example, me) have enough gear to outfit any four random divers. Try to sponge off us for a while. Buying gear can — and I think *should* — wait for some more experience.

The first gear item you should buy should be a computer. A used Oceanic Veo or such would be fine. Don’t spend more than $150, probably not even $100, otherwise you should have bought a Peregrine — or some other gear as well. But until you can do more than 45 minutes at 60 feet, you *wont* be limited by not having the computer. Work on diving.

The only class you might worry about right now would be Nitrox, so you can use it when you do deeper dives. And then you’ll need Advanced to dive deeper, too. But not today. Work on diving, not classes.

If you can find someone to buddy with with extra gear, you can probably get dive time in with a few bucks for their gas (car and breathing) and maybe a beer or two. And that’s what you need to focus on right now: go diving!

if you’re in SE Michigan, pm me and I can give you some specific thoughts.

ETA: Kalamazoo is a little far to borrow my gear...

 

[formernuke]

I would do nitrox and then just work on diving.

Equipment is a very personal preference thing.

 

[ofg-1]

Well, from a 30,000 foot perspective, I suggest that you finish college, become a plastic surgeon, lift a butt here and there, tuck a chin or two, shave a couple of schnozes and you can afford any type of dive gear you want. And a big boat to put it on.

 

[DogDiver]

Your very best choice today is to travel to Battle Creek and talk to Rick Sass at Sub Aquatics Sales and Service. Forget all the cheep inter web advice and especially on this forum from arm chair internet divers.

 

[MichaelMc]

Solid fundamentals, pool or quarry, before deep.

You need you improving skills underwater. There are many skills that can be done in 8' of water.
Mask remove and replace in skin gear in the school pool.
Hover, frog, and reverse kicks in skin gear in the school pool using a light weight belt tuned for 10' depth.
There are skills you can improve in 4' of water on the surface: reverse frog on your back looking up.

Nitrox, basic BP/W. basic computer.
Single works fine.
Deep6 regs are great tech regs. Vintage Scubapro regs are great basic regs, though ultimately they would have higher work of breathing at depth.
For a student: Watch YouTube videos and try to emulate their good tech form.
Lots of time in the water: pool or quarry. Note that things like GUE fundamentals focus on solid diving not depth.

Singles regs are one-half of doubles regs. Buying a turret reg will give you the most flexibility later.

 

[James79]

To add to this:

For a student: Watch YouTube videos and try to emulate their good tech form.

Have whoever you dive with take footage of you, for self critique later. You will be amazed what you don't notice about yourself at the time, that you can see on video (sculling hands, trim not being what you thought, silt 5 feet behind you, etc.).

Dive safe,

James