After years away, I'm getting the urge to dive again, looking for general info....

[Mark IV]

Hi guys, new member, 1st time poster, yadda,yadda...
I was an instructor and cave diver in the Yucatan (mostly Cozumel) through the 1990's well into the 2000's, but grew bored with diving and the whole 3rd world/Paradise expat thing, so I cashed in my chips and moved home (it was actually bicycle racing that kept me down there the last couple years,LOL!).
But just lately, I've been missing diving again, and have been casually throwing together some dive gear.
Other than a few spare parts and accessories,the only thing I kept was a Scubapro MK10 G250 reg (that I bought dirt cheap in the late 90's from a local DM that was leaving the island.)
So, I'm surfing the interwebz, and I'm running into brands and retailers I'm not familiar with (Aeris?) , and was hoping for a heads-up on what's-what these days. (Back when my brother and I started diving in Cancun, we hung out daily with lots of experienced working divers, who seemed to consistently recommend, or warn against, certain brands: US Divers and TUSA sucked, except for TUSA's masks, Seaquest BC's and Sherwood regs were simple,reliable and economical, Mares fins were tough to beat,etc.,etc.)
Anyway, I recently scored a mask and fins on closeout from Leisure Pro (who I did, and still do, like alot), and I've already talked with a local Scubapro dealer about a reg rebuild, and I'm currently looking into BC's, wetsuits, as well as a analog depth guage and compass for this reg.
I'm not really looking at any tech-diving gear, or even a compuer, at this point (would you believe I used to own THREE Aladin pros!!)
Any updated manufacturer or retailer recommendations would be helpful. Also, other than ebay, are there any good sources for decent used gear? I'm in no big hurry here, and I am on a budget.
Y'all get the idea, any good advice or info is much appreciated.
Thanks.....M.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm not really looking at any tech-diving gear, or even a compuer, at this point (would you believe I used to own THREE Aladin pros!!)

If you were an instructor who did cave diving in the past, it is hard to believe you will be content to dive long at the basic recreational level. (Were you cave certified, or did you just go into the caves?) You may consequently make some decisions you will soon regret.

You said you are not looking at any tech diving gear, and you wrote earlier that you were looking at BCs. In that case, you may be making a mistake. If you don't get into tech diving, you can use pretty much any BC, although you will be happier with some more than others. If you do decide to go with tech diving, you will need a backplate and wing. Your mistake may be in assuming a backplate and wing is only used for tech diving. It is not. It is not only perfectly fine for recreational diving, many people will argue that it is superior toa jacket BC.

Computers are stunningly cheaper than you remember, and most of the ones used by basic recreational level divers are not all that much different from your old Aladin Pros. Many of the computers used in the 1990s are still in use today, and even new ones will have the same algorithm. If that is what you want, you can pretty much pick any one and be just fine. If, on the other hand, you are thinking of technical diving, you will be truly shocked at the differences compared to your Aladin Pros. Some of the best will blow you away with what they can do, and they cost about the same in total dollars as the top end computers did in the 1990s--meaning they are very much cheaper than those computers when you adjust for inflation. As a tech diver, I wear two great computers that each cost me less (not even accounting for inflation) than I paid for my Suunto Cobra in the late 1990s.

 

[flyboy08]

Check out Deep Six located in Ga for Regs!

 

[rsingler]

Want to dip your toes again? Don't want to spend beaucoup? At your experience level, I'd second the remarks about going with a backplate and wing.
Try Vintagedoublehouse.com for that gear, or maybe Dive Gear Express and of course Leisurepro. Search these threads for endless discussions of backplate/wing setups.

As for regs, get your Mk10/G250 serviced and go for it! Scubapro remains great quality, though their customer responsiveness has dropped. But there's nothing wrong with the Mk10/250. I still dive mine.
Atomic Aquatics is former Scubapro engineers who broke away and have the latest and greatest on the piston front.
Aeris was a second label for Oceanic, which had been bought out by Huish (who owns Atomic). Support is much better from Huish, but don't know about parts availability.
Aqualung, Apeks and Poseidon remain the best for diaphragm gear (though the Scubapro Mk18/19 is fantastic, too).

This is just too big a subject with way too many opinions. Find out what's well supported locally near you and ask again here. We'll be happy to give you our 2 cents.

Welcome back!

(By the way, TUSA is just fine now. It's basic Scubapro gear made under license in Japan. Same tooling, and good quality basic piston regs. Even uses Scubapro service kits.)

 

[Mark IV]

Thanks John, I'm largely just noodling around here, I'm not expecting to jump into any highly active degree of diving, at least not anytime soon. If i did, then yeah, I'd likely get bored quick with flailing around at 40ft with the tourists, LOL, and probably would get back into more interesting stuff.
But, if that were to happen, then I'd still want some redundant gear, for different applications, just like i used to have, so no harm in picking up a basic vest-style BC (which I actually like). I'm sure as hell not about to go blow hunnerds of dollars on a new Dive Rite harness,backplate and dual bladder, just to go wet my feet now and then !
And yeah, I'm full cave certified, through Chuck Jones and German Yanez, in Cozumel (Chuck was then the NACD regional safety officer, and he did my cavern cert, then he and German teamed up and did the Intro and Full Cave for me and a buddy. I recently did an internet search, and couldn't find mention of Chuck, who was a little older and must be retired, but it looks like German is still active, and is now the regional safety officer).
I'd bet I know people here, from my years in Cozumel. After leaving Aqua World in Cancun, I worked for Diana and Miguel Lopez, owners of Scuba Tours and DIMI Dive Shop, then spent a few years at Pro-Dive (more accurately, the dive concession that sold out of Pro-Dive), then spent a few years across the street at Michele's Dive Shop (also a concession that sold from a nice,big retail operation), then moved down the street to Dive Cozumel, and tech-diving operation run by Rolando Montaner-Fontaine, and the whole time doing sporadic of free-lance work for a number of nearby operations (especially on days after big hollidays, when their instructiors were still passed out drunk, and never showed up to work!)
But I digress !!
Anyway, I was just looking for some updated info on solid,economical gear and vendors, or ones to steer clear of. Now that I think about, what computer would you guys say is the current best bang for the buck? My days of trying to beat Brett Gilliam's (then) deep-air record are long past (yeah, I was an idiot,LOL!), so full-blown deco-diving capabilities aren't required.

edit: thanks rsingler, that 'zactly the kind of info I had in mind !

 

[rsingler]

Computer?
Shearwater, hands down.

Value? A used Nitrox-compatible Veo on eBay.

 

[thbcthomas]

Speaking of leisurepro, they have a a gift card sale going now. Buy $250 gift card get an additional $50 for later purchase. Ends today at midnight.