Thanks for the advice everyone.
I'll keep looking.
As for used vs new. I do want a brand new regulator. No question about that. How much do you recommend I spend on a new regulator? Again, I want easy breathing and reliable. The guy at the dive shop was trying to sell me an $875 one because it was lighter and easier to travel with, carry on your gear, etc. I don't care about that really. That's a lot of money to spend for my first reg....
I'll search dive shops and online on Craigslist for used dive computers. Maybe ask if I can buy one of the Suunto Zoop Novo2 computers I rent from my LDS. I like that one and know how to use it. It's simple and I like that.
What do I look for in a BCD? Good fit and comfortable? Even the cheap rental one in Catalina worked fine and was comfortable. I use the Aqualung Axiom from my LDS when diving SD, and absolutely love it. It's comfortable, fits me great, and is easy to use. That's a $600 BCD. Would a $400 BCD be that much of a step down?
I recommend not being so hung up about price. Price is not always an indication of something being better, especially when it comes down to how well something fits such as BCs, masks, fins, boots, wetsuits, etc. You could buy the most expensive BC on the market but it isn't going to do you any favors if it doesn't fit you well and you are fighting it the entire time. Imagine a mask leaking!
For your regulator, I would think about the type of diving you will want to be doing - cold and silty, warm and clear, or a combination of both, and think about what your budget is. You don't have to break the bank to get a good regulator. Contrary to what someone else said, you do
not need to spend $1000 to get a good regulator. I would think about where you live or dive and what is serviceable in your area. I have no intention of ever servicing my own regulator and want to ensure it can be serviced around me at home and abroad, so I wanted to either go with Aqua Lung or Scubapro given their extensive dealer and service networks. You can find well-breathing regulators for way less than $875. Plenty of us have and dive with them regularly. Will it breathe as nicely in Scubalab tests as something double that price? Maybe not, but you probably wouldn't notice a significant difference if someone didn't tell you what it was and some of their testing is beyond recreational diving.
There is a decent second hand market for Suunto computers. You can find them here in classifieds or on Facebook's Scuba Swap and Shop. I bought my backup Zoop with 7 dives on it for $125 last year! You may or may not be able to find a Novo as well; there are some 3 or 4 button older Zoops still out there that work very well for a fraction of the price. The menu and user layouts are all still the same. I would not pass up buying one second hand, especially if it is newer and has relatively few dives on it. If you are keen on buying new, you may be able to have a LDS package this computer in for you once you choose a reg and BC if they are open to you choosing your own package.
For your BC, there are a few styles...Jackets, back inflate, backplate and wing....Go with what fits you the best. My only strong personal feelings are that I am not a fan of Aqua Lung's integrated weight system. I assist with many classes and I have seen so many issues with weights coming out on accident and lost weights that I can't wholeheartedly recommend it just based on this. This issue is either not being able to easily get a confirmed "snap" that it's locked in so it falls out. This can either be through user error but also because it's a design that makes it difficult to do, especially when you put in a lot of weight). In the many times I've been able to get a confirmation that it is secure, the system doesn't support the weight very well when in it and it can become unlocked during the dive from the weight itself. I would also suggest not purchasing the i3 inflation system, though convenient, due to serviceability. It's best to go with something that can easily be repaired when you are away from your home dive shop or while traveling.
Other BCs with integrated weights, such as Scubapro, have a much better design with a large male and female clip. Inserting and removing weights are a very purposeful event and I have not experienced or witnessed someone losing their weights or pockets because of this.
Go try a few on, see what fits you best, and then step back and decide. If you end up loving an Aqua Lung i3 integrated weight BC the best, so be it..!
