advice needed- gear and reading

[Nailer99]

Hi, everyone- I'm very new to diving. I just got my OW cert 3 weeks ago, and did....well, half my AOW Saturday- I was supposed to do the second half today, actually, but, there's only one other student in my class, and her and our instructor both came down with colds after our two dives yesterday. So, we're rescheduling the rest of the class. But, wow- the 2 dives yesterday were mind-blowing for me. We did a deep dive (94 feet) and a night dive, from a boat on hood canal- many thanks to Don and Diane at Pacific Adventures for a really great time! Anyway, I think I'm hooked. And I'm starting to take a hard look at the *gulp* cost of my new obsession. I'm sure you all can relate. But I'm relizing that I don't even know WHAT I need to buy. I see people with some pretty trick looking gear, but I feel lost. I'm fine buying expensive stuff, I understand about getting what you pay for and all, but I'm scared about realizing 4 months after I buy something that I should have bought a different brand, or something. I'm OK with the sketchy rental gear from the dive shop for now, but I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy diving even more with my own stuff. ( At least my own reg and BC- probably need to knock over a few more liquor stores before I can think about a dry suit.....) Anyway, if anyone has any pointers thay wanna share, and particularly any reading they'd reccomend, I'd love to hear about it. (The Padi text books are kinda uninspiring- I love to read, and would love to hear what books about diving any of you liked- I've read "Shadow Divers," and will be starting "the last dive" as soon as the copy I ordered shows up....)

 

[jumbo]

As far as gear goes, the best advice I can give is just buy the gear that will best suit your diving needs.

Get your Mask and fins first make sure you love them,

keep your eyes open for an inexpensive unbalenced first and second stage regulator. It will work great for everything a new diver will do and if you choose to step up in the diving world you will find a use for it. One of the great things about dive gear is that they typically last forever, so I would not shy away from buying used gear but be sure to get it serviced by a pro befor using it of course.

The best advice I have for BC's is just to try them all out before you buy, the majority of divers use a back inflated bc, but get what you feel good with. For new divers I really like the idea of intergrated 2nd stages for the backup reg, but you will get just as many divers who will say absolutly stay away from an intergrated 2nd stage.

A wet suit will work fine for a while, especially if you are an average size male under 50. Once you become relaxed under water and quit flailing about you will notice the chill quite a bit more, but I know guys who dive nothing but wetsuits, even after years of diving.

Tanks would be the last thing I would buy, and you can find them really cheap if you shop around. If you find yourself diving close to 70 dives a year it is time to drop some loot on that nice steel cylinder youve been looking at.

As far as reading goes try the NOAA diving manual, basicly a condensed Navy diver manual and alot easier to get, and you could spend a year reading it.

Just my two cents,

JUMBO

 

[scubamickey]

Go to the DAN (Divers Alert Network) website and look under Medical Research. The completed studies are the ones you want as they have results and conclusions. Also look under Diving Medicine for more articles. They have some great reading there that is based on research and science. There is a boat load of information there for you.

I especially enjoyed reading the research on deep stops for decompression www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/download/marronifinal1888acapcoraut.pdf

and the Flying after Diving workshop proceedings paper http://diversalertnetwork.org/research/projects/fad/index.asp

There is enough there for a few days of reading and it's all good stuff.

 

[Cold_H2O]

Nailer ~ Your local.. get out and dive with the rest of us. We dive different configs.
Many of us will even be willing to let you "test dive" some of our stuff.

We are all willing to answer questions and offer advice. We might even explain what we love or don't about our set up. Many of us have bought and replaced gear over the years.

You are asking the right questions.. Now get out and DIVE DIVE DIVE and while your diving TALK TALK TALK.. best way to figure out what will work best for you.

Most of my buddies and I manage to dive on Sunday and sneak in a dive mid week after work either Wed or Thurs at Alki.
New divers are always welcome to join us.
PM me if you are interested.

 

[Nailer99]

Hey, Thanks, Cold H20! I'll send you a PM a little later, but thanks a million for the invitation; I'll definitely take you up on the offer!

 

[sandman98007]

Cold 2o hit the nail on the head Nailer..(Pardon the Pun).. I have had the pleasure of diving with her and i continue to dive with her to this day. She is a wealth of info and great person to talk to. I have learned a great many things diving with her and ScubaK.

I got into this much the same as you. After OW, I was hooked like a crack addict. Ask Cold and ScubaK sometime. Anywho... the best thing I did was to buy a top of the line regulator and 2nd stage. Scubapro MK 25 and S600. You can build up from there. I initially bought a jacket style BCD and was happy intil I tried a back inflator. Man... it is a sensation to lay of you belly suspended in the water collum and with just a little effort travel with a slight kick. I upgraded to a BP and Wing configuration and I tell you, I am hooked.

In your post you stated that money was not a huge issue. I had a little stash saved up and I went to a local shop (UWS Bellevue...talk to Doug), and told them I was going to plop down a wad of cash. They made me some good deals.

Cold and Jumbo had a great point, many of us will let you try our gear before you buy. The one thing you cannot try is the reg and 2nd stage. Don't skimp there, because if you are like me, the next step will be deep, then cold, then tech, then photography...Doubles, then wreck diving... So a great reg is a good initial start.

Finally, the group of folks in this forum are a wonderful resourse and I have learned a bunch from simply reading here. No one here has steered me wrong and I am grateful for the education and companionship these people freely offer. I have to give a special thank you to ScubaK and Cold H2o for everything they have done for me. I will be hard pressed to show them the amount of appreciation they deserve.

 

[Cold_H2O]

Sandman ~ Now your gonna make me blush..:10:

 

[Nomad]

Here is a link to my favorite dive book. This is actually a waterproof version that you can read during safety stops.
The story employs a very distinctive story-telling style. Additionally, there is some good information for general charactaristics to identify various aquatic creatures.

I have read it literally dozens of times, and I find myself captivated each time I pick it up again.

 

[Nailer99]

Here is a link to my favorite dive book. This is actually a waterproof version that you can read during safety stops.
The story employs a very distinctive story-telling style. Additionally, there is some good information for general charactaristics to identify various aquatic creatures.

I have read it literally dozens of times, and I find myself captivated each time I pick it up again.

Yeah, thanks for the tip on the reading material, there, Nomad! I see you're reading at a more advanced level than most other Texans......


(just kidding, I love Texans, but they are fun to rip on, you gotta admit...)

 

[brihno]

try Dive Training magazine There are a lot of intersting articles there, also just for fun read Deep Descent and Dark Descent bot books arew by Kevin F. McMurray