Basic Equipment Purchase for Certification Course

[redacted]

Here is a list of what I currently dive, and naturally, I think that you should dive it too.

Atomic ST1
Halcyon Eclipse 30# ss BP/w
Jet fins
SP Frameless
Pinnacle Seal 3mm when its warm
DUI TLS 350 when its cold

Happy Memorial Day and happy diving!

Atomic is great stuff if you have the $$$ to burn.

If a truck with a big blue "H" turns over in your front yard, you might as well dive it. Otherwise there are much better ways to spend your $$$.

Jet fins are good. But I find the foot pocket uncomfortable.

SP frameless is not a bad $60 mask and a great $30 mask. I have never seen a mask worth $120.

Pinnacle suits look pretty good. Price them a Leisurepro and buy them from scubatoys.

Drysuits -- If you must. You got to love TEXAS where 50 is cold.

 

[spectrum]

snoballz,

The salesperson certainly didn't sell you down. There is a world of discount / mail order gear out there and at the same time there can be big value in a new diver shopping at a full service local shop. There is a weekly thread on that topic, enough said.

You happen to count LeisurePro as one of your local dive shop. For most it's an online provider. I have made my share of LP purchases but you don't want to be shopping there for any critical items without understanding the potential of gray market goods. This is another frequent thread topic.

In a perfect world you would have become a ScubaBoard junkie 6 months before your first class and would be on your way to being dive gear savvy. Becoming knowledgeable about dive gear is more challenging than getting certified in most cases. But you are where you are and let's move on.

You bought the right items. Except for the snorkel they are fit critical and will need to be right for your pool and open water work. You got good stuff and if the fit is right any over buying or higher prices will soon be eclipsed by the cash that will be gushing from your bank account as you gear up.:11:

As a rule of thumb a new diver buying gear locally can expect to pay something like this:
Mask $65
Snorkel $25.
Booties $40.
Fins $100.

So for about $230. before taxes you can get perfectly good solid stuff that will serve you well for hundreds of dives. Premium items can drive this up another $150. Or if you're savvy and shop around you may shave $75 from the total. It's water over the dam now but I wanted to outline this for the many lurkers that will read this as dive season gets into gear.

Before you go exchanging things please consider the morality involved here. You went to a shop and let them invest time in serving you. It is unfortunate that you did not feel the service was top shelf. It may be that you were very well fit by a confident person that just didn't go the extra mile to help you understand things. Think about this before returning things and running around to save a few $$. If you really feel like you were taken than return the stuff and start over elsewhere.

Pete

 

[oly5050user]

snoballz,

The salesperson certainly didn't sell you down. There is a world of discount / mail order gear out there and at the same time there can be big value in a new diver shopping at a full service local shop. There is a weekly thread on that topic, enough said.

You happen to count LeisurePro as one of your local dive shop. For most it's an online provider. I have made my share of LP purchases but you don't want to be shopping there for any critical items without understanding the potential of gray market goods. This is another frequent thread topic.

In a perfect world you would have become a ScubaBoard junkie 6 months before your first class and would be on your way to being dive gear savvy. Becoming knowledgeable about dive gear is more challenging than getting certified in most cases. But you are where you are and let's move on.

You bought the right items. Except for the snorkel they are fit critical and will need to be right for your pool and open water work. You got good stuff and if the fit is right any over buying or higher prices will soon be eclipsed by the cash that will be gushing from your bank account as you gear up.:11:

As a rule of thumb a new diver buying gear locally can expect to pay something like this:
Mask $65
Snorkel $25.
Booties $40.
Fins $100.

So for about $230. before taxes you can get perfectly good solid stuff that will serve you well for hundreds of dives. Premium items can drive this up another $150. Or if you're savvy and shop around you may shave $75 from the total. It's water over the dam now but I wanted to outline this for the many lurkers that will read this as dive season gets into gear.

Before you go exchanging things please consider the morality involved here. You went to a shop and let them invest time in serving you. It is unfortunate that you did not feel the service was top shelf. It may be that you were very well fit by a confident person that just didn't go the extra mile to help you understand things. Think about this before returning things and running around to save a few $$. If you really feel like you were taken than return the stuff and start over elsewhere.

Pete

Pete has the price quote right where average costs of mask/fins/snkl/boots for an ow course can be..Some people spend more , some less , within $100.
You need this gear first night of class. DO NOT start with the LDS vs Leisure pro thing .If the stuff fits and you are happy with it, use it.
There are benefits gained from purchasing from the lds that is instructing you.
You trust them to teach you,why not when it comes to purchasing gear? If you have a problem with it you can exchange it immediately.
People at the facility I teach at may use gear at our pool during a course and if they do not like the performance they can exchange /upgrade on the spot,dripping wet from the pool, and jump back in immediately with new product.
As to returning gear purchased and then using store credit to pay for ow training dives,and then show up with identical gear from LP, that just hits me wrong.
I know that if someone disrespected me like that I would refund them their course fees and tell them to let leisure pro teach them.Did it in the past and would do it again in the future.

 

[Hank658]

Pete has the price quote right where average costs of mask/fins/snkl/boots for an ow course can be..Some people spend more , some less , within $100.
You need this gear first night of class. DO NOT start with the LDS vs Leisure pro thing .If the stuff fits and you are happy with it, use it.
There are benefits gained from purchasing from the lds that is instructing you.
You trust them to teach you,why not when it comes to purchasing gear? If you have a problem with it you can exchange it immediately.
People at the facility I teach at may use gear at our pool during a course and if they do not like the performance they can exchange /upgrade on the spot,dripping wet from the pool, and jump back in immediately with new product.
As to returning gear purchased and then using store credit to pay for ow training dives,and then show up with identical gear from LP, that just hits me wrong.
I know that if someone disrespected me like that I would refund them their course fees and tell them to let leisure pro teach them.Did it in the past and would do it again in the future.

I agree with this and also with what Pete mentioned. Pan Aqua has some really good Instructors and is active in local diving. The items you listed will serve you well in class and in open water. As you gain more experience you will come to find what works best for you in terms of gear selection. This is normal. Most divers I know have a (insert item here) that they bought thinking it do this or that only to find out that it really doesn't work for their particular form of diving.
You have what you need for class. You can rent the other items for the training dives. After that you can then really start to learn what reg, BC, and other equipment will be right for you. Try as many styles/brands in the pool as possible before buying.
Right now, enjoy your classes. Enjoy the OW training dives. After you become certified then dive as you are able. The rest will just come along with the experience.

 

[snoballz]

Yeah, thanks folks. I'm going to stick with what I purchased at Pan Aqua. As Scubakevdm alluded to, I thought Leisure Pro was a LDS since they are located very close to me.

You guys are very helpful and I truly appreciate the insights/opinions/experiences. I hope to give back as I've learned a lot in just a few short days hanging around here.

Thanks again!!!
-luke
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