Advanced Beginner Gear Grab - Helpful for others too?

[LFMarm]

Regulators + SMB Why an SMB here? For diving in places like Florida where you need a flag?

apologies, I meant “+SPG”

 

[The Cosmicist]

Good list.

I picked up a Nitrox Analyzer after our course but now rarely use it. The Sensor only lasts about 5 years I believe. Our local shop always lets us pick up and analyze the tanks and any time we've had tanks on the boat, they've passed around an analyzer just like ours. I retested with my own a few times but we rarely pushing any limits and we've settled back to using the shops analyzer. For us this was not money well spent.

I also ended up buying Steel HP 80s which we absolutely love. Need little to no weight, light, small... really appreciate having our own tanks too.

Also like those pocket shorts, for extra pockets. We keep a roll-up snorkel in there among other things (like a DRYFOB for my car keys .. haha, ok .. a small plug for my wife's invention)

You might also consider a flashlight.

Just wait until you get into underwater photography ... and all this will seem cheap.

And ... you should also consider a PLB in case you really are going to be at those coordinates in your tag line

HA that is funny! I was just bitc...complaining to my wife about having to hide car keys or leave them with other people. I'll look into the DRYFOB more.

I'm getting a consensus from everyone here that the O2 analyzer isn't that important because boats and shops all have them for you. Unless I get a CO analyzer, I think I should put that money towards the pony, steel cylinder, or light. I did leave a light off of the list, and that's important I think. Thanks for that.

I have a land PLB from solo motorcycle camping trips, but that thing wouldn't last in the water. If I ever go looking for R'lyeh, you're right that I'll need it hahaha.

 

[The Cosmicist]

apologies, I meant “+SPG”

Ahh, gotcha. Yeah for sure.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

-BP/W:[/U] Need help with this. Dammit, DGX, you're out of stock! I really like the idea of their singles wing package, but I think SubGravity or OMS would be good too. I really like the idea of the OMS backpad with weights so I can adjust for fresh/salt water, etc.

I really like the Sub Gravity system, it's good quality gear and you have lot of options. Their single tank package includes 2 trim weight pockets and a backplate pad that holds a SMB. Paragon Single Tank Package - Subgravity You can also get backplate trim pockets. Backplate Trim Weight Pockets (pair) - Subgravity You don't need a single tank adapter with their wings

I just got their 3mm aluminum backplate, 26 lb. wing and adjustable harness for down south diving and am looking at getting their 6mm stainless steel backplate & 37 lb wing for drysuit diving up here at home.

 

[MIT]

That interesting, thanks for that. Is this necessary when diving mostly in the US? I don't know if shops are required to have regular governmental inspections of their compressors. Do you know of a good analyzer that does both O2 and CO? If dive shops/boats always have O2 analyzers, I can see why you'd recommend a CO analyzer only.

Unfortunately, I do think there is an AIO solution, they are all sold separately. BUT to my understanding, there is DOT standard for scuba compressed air, which includes air quality control. The standard practice is to have a CO sensor on the air fill line in the dive shops when filling.
I personally do not know anyone with a CO sensor (other than Tec level). If you wonder if you LDS has a CO sensor, feel free to ask them, i don't think they would mind showing you or talk you through the measurements they have in place and the quality they can deliver.

 

[The Cosmicist]

That's something I didn't know. I'll ask my local shops what they have in place and see if they have CO sensors. Makes sense that they would!

 

[The Cosmicist]

I really like the Sub Gravity system, it's good quality gear and you have lot of options. Their single tank package includes 2 trim weight pockets and a backplate pad that holds a SMB. Paragon Single Tank Package - Subgravity You can also get backplate trim pockets. Backplate Trim Weight Pockets (pair) - Subgravity You don't need a single tank adapter with their wings

I just got their 3mm aluminum backplate, 26 lb. wing and adjustable harness for down south diving and am looking at getting their 6mm stainless steel backplate & 37 lb wing for drysuit diving up here at home.

Yeah that system looks fantastic. I just bought the wing and a bunch of other stuff. I'll update the thread later today.

 

[The Cosmicist]

Ok, so I went on a spree and, thanks to payment plans, am almost where I want to be. For any other new divers coming here from the future, hopefully this will be helpful to you. Also, is half the world under water in your time? For those of us that are still living, is the diving good? Anyways...

• Wetsuit: Bought. Yay, I'm a real boy.
  
• O2 Analyzer: I decided to hold off based on what everyone said. I will also generally be diving in the US for now where DOT and other standards are hopefully followed, so I felt the CO analyzer could wait as well. I'll make sure to badger dive shops and charters about using the O2 analyzer at minimum.
• Full Redundancy: Working on this. Another member is going to sell me their Dive Rite deco reg set (I hope). It's a bit old, but is great for ponying (?) after servicing. Working on the cylinder. If anyone wants to sell an AL40 or knows someone that does, please point them my way.
• Regulator: Bought the DGX Dive Rite Long Hose package.
• BP/W: Bought the Pirahna Dive Shop SS backplate and harness package and the SubGravity 30lb wing. EDIT: OMS 32 lb Mono Wing. SubGravity couldn't be shipped in any reasonable amount of time.
  
• Computer: I reconsidered this and bought a Shearwater Peregrine. It seems to fit my needs perfectly and is half the cost of a Perdix. I will still carry cheat sheets and tables with me, but the benefits of a computer for safety are just too numerous to ignore. It's up to me to not use it as a crutch!
  
• "Tech" shorts: For the pocketses, my precious.
  
• Light: Bought a Dive Rite CX2 and elastic handmount.
  
• Compass: DGX
  
• Cylinder: Patience, Yago. Not yet.

And some bolt snaps and such. Thank you to everyone who gave their advice and suggestions. After I finish tracking down the AL40 and some rigging, I should be set for quite a long time. If anyone has any other suggestions or advice, I'm all ears!

 

[Belzelbub]

You wrote a lot in that 1st post. I’m not even going to try to quote that, but here are some thoughts.

Computer. As long as the price of the Perdix AI doesn’t scare you off, then you’ve made a good choice.

Wetsuit. 5mm sounds a bit thick to me, but I guess it would depend on where you dive. I have a 5mm in my closet, but really don’t use it. I normally use a 3mm at the most. I’ve only gotten cold with it once on a lazy spring dive. The next dive I added a rash guard with 1mm torso under it and I was fine. But, in those same springs, I’ve seen other divers wear 7mm 2 piece and even drysuits, so it’s all about personal tolerance.

O2 analyzer. Without a doubt, this is good to have, but you may be able to hold off for a bit. If renting Nitrox tanks from a shop, they should have one available. Just make sure it’s calibrated by reading air first, and you should be good using the shop’s analyzer. If they don’t have one available, rent elsewhere. If the dive op is providing the tanks and don’t have an analyzer available, that’s where you’ll need one, or just use air.

As far as order goes. I hear you on wetsuit. That’s a good first purchase.

I also hear you on the computer, but might put that one second in line. You know what you want and the computer does a good job of logging dives. I never liked logging the dives on paper, as it was useless to me. Once I got a computer with logging capabilities (and the cable or Bluetooth to download) I got a lot better at maintaining a log. My kids each have their own computers (and full gear), and I started them with their Subsurface electronic log from their first checkout dives.

I’d rent regulator and BC until ready to purchase. Try different styles if possible, and then get what you like best. Though, I think from another post you’ve already purchased the reg.

 

[The Cosmicist]

Thanks for the input, @Belzelbub. I must have posted just before you because I updated the thread with what I purchased. I got most everything in one go.