Akona Adventure Travel Set

[lindseyb]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post.
I hope someone can help. My boyfriend is going to take his Into to scuba class and the dive shop is selling the Akona Adventure Travel Set with mask, snorkel and fins. The cost is really good but not sure of the quality of this set. He will be using it for his first open water class but probably won't be more than a 2 or 3 time a year diver. Is it worth it in terms of lasting more than a year or should he buy a better set?
Thanks for any help.

 

[Damselfish]

The quality is probably fine but that looks like a set intended for snorkeling, not diving. (Is the shop actually suggesting this - which I'd be really surprised - or did you just happen to see it there?) The fins look a bit short and I wonder how low the volume of the mask is with side windows.

As I'm sure you know, the most important thing is that the mask fits well and doesn't leak. And that the fins are comfortable/not blister-inducing, and provide sufficient propulsion. (Even though there's usually no need to race anywhere, pushing a person in scuba gear is different than pushing a snorkeler, and sometimes you do find yourself in a situation where you need decent propulsion.)

I don't think sets are usually a good idea unless maybe you get lucky and at least a couple of the pieces work out well enough to give you a good deal, and you don't mind replacing whatever doesn't. Really much better for him to go try on lots of masks and fins and buy stuff that fits.