BCD or Reg First?

[MorneScuba]

I would definitely buy the BC first and then set it up to fit comfortably. It is amazing how an improperly fitted BC can affect your trim in the water which then affects your buoyancy, air consumption and general enjoyment of the dive. I also agree with what diversteve says in his comments regarding knowing where his knife,shears and clips are located.

 

[Rhenry]

When I started to buy my own gear the first thing I bought was the BC. Why the BC? my reasoning was simple, the first thing I was taught in dive class was safety safety safety, the BC is my safety device, I need to know it inside and out, I need to know where everything is at without thought. When it hits the fan you react on instinct and training. If you are unfamiliar with your safety equipment, that can kill you. The regulator is important, but the BC will save your life.
My choice is the BC it is the most important safety device you have, and it is the one you have to trust with your life.

 

[alexher78]

My Husband and I are planning on buying some gear for mutual holiday presents. We don't have enough to fully invest and were wondering if we should buy a BC or Reg first? We have about 45 dives each, are in our early 40's and mostly dive in the Caribbean but would consider more local California diving if we had our own gear so we'd like things to be versatile.
For the record I've been thinking about SCUBAPRO MK25/S600 for the Reg.
Thoughts?

I would recommend BCD first afterwards regulator. It´s true that a regulator is very personal peace but if you trust the dive center you trust the gear, you could buy those trident mouth piece and ask to place them on when you rent. But if you are starting the best thing you need to learn is a good buoyancy and muscle memory on where all your stuff is in any situation and you obtain that buy having your on bcd, every bcd has a different bladder so the air inside is distributed in different ways so it will affect your buoyancy, the same goes on where you attaché your tools, sec lamp, line cutter, etc. if all is always in the same place you develop muscle memory on where everything is.

In any way you decided, I recommend for the regulator the Dive Rite RG3100 with an additional second stage as an octopus with a Dive Rite Compact SPG/Depth Gauge. It is a very resilient regulator set, it is used on technical diving so it is made to last and handle any circumstances, and you can buy it with the frost kit. It is easy to make on-side repair cause is not so sophisticated and the best part it is not that expensive. For BCD, I would go for a transpac harness and a wing or for a voyager or travelpack, these are gear that are used or are made from technical diving. They are tough, very versatile and can be adjusted or costumed to any type of diving or personal preferences, you can add weight pockets, extra tool pockets, etc. etc. and they help you keep horizontal and that´s the best way to dive.

In any case I recommend, checking out dive rite. I you never know where you are going to end in the diving world, when I started I thought I would never get far and I had to sell my gear and buy new one cause now I´m a technical diver and technical cave and an teklite instructor. If you go dive rite and get to a technical level, you won´t have to change gear and if you stay in recreational diving, you still have the most resilient trusting gear on the market, because if it is made for technical diving, it´s made to last under any circumstances, and it´s cheaper than the more commercial gear.

PS: sorry for the long text. check out diverite.com or divegearexpress.com for the gear i mentioned.