When I register on boats or with shops, I only register as being an AOW diver with nitrox.
Am alternative might be to take the DM course but to never finish it/file the paperwork.
I will just say having done my DM relatively recently, paying for the professional insurance for liability reasons adds up, especially if you don't intend to use it for profit purposes. I learned a lot during the course but having the liability is daunting.
You won't see anything sticking out from under the cover. To be safe, I would take it to the dive shop so that they can open it and pressure test it if necessary.
The contacts on the HRM need to be wet. Sounds silly, but have you remove the little bit of paper that comes between the battery and the contacts in the HRM?
I don't know anything about the BioLite BCD. If you want to dive locally, a travel/warm water BCD will not have the lift required to support cold water diving (typically). I would say buy a cold water BCD that travels well as it will be versatile. That being said, I use and LOVE my Scubapro...
I dive with a lower-profile, gold class ring and have not had any issues. It's a bit difficult to get cold water gloves over it, but it works. I would say that a loosely fitting ring is likely to get lost.
They do fail - either in paring or running out of juice. I always recommend diving a backup computer, especially when traveling, to avoid being blind re NLD and air remaining. I suggest either diving two AI computers (one hosed and one wireless) or an AI computer, a non AI computer and a SPG.
I would say - choose an agency first (e.g., PADI, SSI, BSAC, etc).
- If you're going with PADI, I would suggest going with a shop that's registered as either a 5 Star shop or resort and/or IDC, as these tend to be indicators of high quality shops.
I will also say that I am very attached and biased towards my Scubapro HydrosPro because everything is adjustable and/or replaceable depending on what I need. It also is ideal for travel because it dries almost instantly and is highly pack-able.
As for regulators, it will probably depend on...
As other people have said, fit is the most important factor. Number two, for me, is how comfortable and stretchy the material is. I would go to a shop that has a range of brands and sizes (a lot of brands do tall and short versions) and try stuff on. My only must have is a full body skin...
As a side note, you can do PADI's dive theory at any point, but you will need to repeat it or have completed it within a year of starting DMT or your IDC.
I would say Scubapro's HydrosPro is a great option because it is (a) neutrally buoyant, allowing you to drop weight, and (b) has a lift capacity of 40 lbs in men's.
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