Supporting my local dive shop(s) is frustrating

[NeilA.]

My intention is not to troll, get too far off topic or get anyone to flip out, but I use an Aqua Lung Airsource integrated octo/inflator. I only dive vacation, warm clear water, guided, less than 90’ and have it serviced regularly.

Can anyone provide evidence of one leading to an accident or failing under these conditions? I can’t find any.

Also, op, buy what you want. Hell, get the best equipment. Buy once cry once. -enjoy!

I have an Aqualung Balance BCD with Airsouce and it works great.

 

[MichaelMc]

I sympathize with the many variables of the BP/W if you start out thinking of the pieces separately. There are many options, but most all of them get you a kit that works just fine. But getting one of the all included packages is the easy way to start. And by that I mean plate, wing, webbing, and harness metal bits all as one kit or pre assembled. If you look at it that way, all the standard packages are just variations on the same theme. Then the only option is what detachable weight pockets you want, and/or a weight belt. This is the fully option 1 version of BP/W. Buy the package from one of several stores, adjust the webbing for you, and go diving. Pick a 30-ish pound wing for the diving you've described and you should be set. A standard package would be the best gateway to an optimized BP/W rig, as you'll have the common foundation: a plate and 2" webbing.

Having said that, one gorgeous version is the Freedom plate. It comes as just the plate, so this is currently more option 2. Though there is a well known set of wings it goes well with and the webbing and hardware bits are easy. A thread of how people have pimped their plates is here:
Freedom Plate Divers Roll Call: show us your rig!.
I believe Eric is all caught up on production, so there should not be a wait on the plate. They are works of art.

 

[MaxTorque]

Regarding BP&W vs BCD this really the best example of "wait a bit till you buy your own"

IMO,it's best to use what ever your instructor / agency is recommending and is most familiar with for your actual certification course. This is just a practical consideration, as your instructor is going to get you bet set up and trimmed in a bcd they are familiar with than something they are not. Yes, the differences aren't that big, but there are differences!

Once you've passed your cert, then by all mean, now go talk to your LDS, talk on here, and yes, you might want to move to a BP&W setup. You wife might or might not feel similar, but until this point i think it's sensible to wait on purchasing this item.

Unless you are going to do cold water or mixed gas multi-cylinder diving, then your choice of regulator set is more straight foward, and a nice hgih quality set will always be useful. Here tbh, your budget probably sets more what you buy than anything else



On Integrated Inflator Secondaries, there is imo,nothing wrong with them when used in a suitable environment. Yes, people get sniffy about them, but they work well enough, and for purely recreational diving, you may never actually have to use it. The main concern is that you do need to make sure the people and buddies you are diving with undertstand the differences in procedures required if you have one of these.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I actually allow my students to try jackets, back inflates, and BPW's. None of our rental gear at the shop where I teach is old, worn out, or junk. It's all serviced regularly and we make recommendations based on the student's needs and interests. Not the shop's bottom line. I can outfit a diver in a good weight integrated jacket BC with a reg I'd have no issue using on any tech dive for under 800 bucks. Basic rugged jacket like I've used in the pool for three years that still looks new. Switch to a back inflate? Add 50 bucks. Go with BPW? Still under 900 with trim pockets and a few other goodies.
Mask? Can spend up to 150 bucks. Or 25 and get the ideal one.
Fins? 50-75 that will last the average diver for a decade or two.
Snorkel 15 bucks
Computer? Depends on what they want but I'd recommend something starting at around 200 unless they wanted to get something like a Shearwater. I would not discourage it if the had the money. I own 3 of them. a Predator and 2 Perdixes.
But we're still under or close to 1500. Nowhere near 5 grand.

 

[formernuke]

My intention is not to troll, get too far off topic or get anyone to flip out, but I use an Aqua Lung Airsource integrated octo/inflator. I only dive vacation, warm clear water, guided, less than 90’ and have it serviced regularly.

Can anyone provide evidence of one leading to an accident or failing under these conditions? I can’t find any.

Also, op, buy what you want. Hell, get the best equipment. Buy once cry once. -enjoy!

I have an Aqualung Balance BCD with Airsouce and it works great.

I have not and will never use one, that being said someone I know used to.

Had a severely panicked OOA diver, the rest of what happened didn't doesn't pertain but he had a hard time getting the gut to actually clear the second stage more than once (won't mention how he did it). Even when the panicked diver had a working working reg he was still panicking.

My friend said trying to control the ascent of both of them was such a f*/#(&$ nightmare, breathing from the same device your using for ascent control while getting someone else up. He stopped on the way home and switched it out.

 

[formernuke]

I will almost certainly end up in group 2. (My wife is a firm group 1.)

Welcome to the rabbit hole.

 

[Bigbella]

10K is just a lot of dead presidents, for any open circuit dive gear. That's what initially took many aback. Even adjusted for inflation, my purchases four decades ago, would have been ten to twelve percent of that -- tops; and that was great stuff.

Putting things into some perspective, a friend of mine and I were recently diving off Carmel, CA; and a couple of youts and their girlfriends approached us, and wondered how heavy and how expensive the gear was; and, later, went on to call us "crazy f**king whities" for going into the cold "sharky" water, in the first place.

My friend noticed the mouthy kid's shoes, which he had been very careful not to get wet, just along the shoreline. He, the honorary Imelda Marcos of sneakers, responded, as to the cost, "well, probably less than what you paid for those Air Jordan 18 Retro Black Sports, if they're real."

The others laughed at his expense; the well-heeled yout was displeased, and stormed off . . .

 

[Mr.337]

Op walks in wearing fancy clothes tells store guy look I want good stuff to show off. Store guy goes...

Hold my beer watch this sale to his coworker lol

 

[TMHeimer]

The amount of diluted shampoo is negligible and I bet lots less impactful than peeing in the wetsuit.

I'm not an expert, and don't worry about baby shampoo or defog on my mask as far as hurting reefs (we have no reefs here anyway), but I think pee is even less harmful-- it is natural and all aquatic life probably do it too.
I've often mentioned I've never had a mask fog up using baby shampoo. Never.

 

[Lostdiver71]

The setup you posted is very good gear if a little pricey for most people. If you have the disposable funds go for it although I do recommend trying out the fins and the various BCD choices before you buy if possible as those are definitely items that need to fit properly. Most of my gear is very expensive but has lasted me many years with proper care and everything you listed will also last a long time if properly cared for. I would consider not buying the knife if you are going to travel outside of the U.S. as you will not be able to bring it most places, look at a pair of shears or another line cutter instead. I would also consider waiting on the camera as you will not be able to use it during your certification dives, that is a violation of standards for all agencies, and their are arguably better camera set ups out there although the SeaLife cameras are decent. I personally am looking to switch to either the Garmin Descent MK2i or a Scubapro dive computer at the end of this year depending on what I decide works best for me as Shearwater only allows 2 transmitters to be used at once and I occasionally need 3.