Best First Piece of Gear

[Dryglove]

I would say go with either a reg or a wetsuit mostly for sanitary reasons.On equipment such as wetsuits and regulators you have no idea who have used them and how well they have been cleaned.As you may know people have a tendency to pee in their wetsuits.

The very first thing me and my wife purchased were wetsuits then we purchased our regs.After that we purchased our bc's.

By the way welcome to the wonderful world of diving!!

 

[dvleemin]

Computer . . .
Provides that extra bit of safety to your dive plan.

Plus, you can first get some dives under your belt and figure out what equipment you want. How many here have bought equipment very early in their diving 'career' and ended up regretting the purchase and selling it after.

Darryl

 

[jrtonkin]

Although a reg is a close second. But I feel reasonably safe trusting my LDS to maintain their gear, and with a wetsuit fit is all-important.

Not that I'm an oddball size or anything. But the water around here tends to be in the 40's and 50's, so if you can't afford a drysuit, you do want the best-fitting wetsuit you can get. Which means taking the time to shop around a bit, and not just grab something quickly so that you can get to the boat on time.

Also, I can use the suit for other watersports... Canoeing, sailing, etc. And it's probably cheaper than either of the next pieces of gear I'd be inclined to buy (reg or BC)

Personally, I'd hold off on the computer for a while, but that's a product of the diving I'm doing; pretty straightforwards down-look-up. So
the tables work quite well for me.

If I was travelling more, especially to places
where the quality of maintenance might be a bit more questionable, then a reg would suddenly jump in importance to first place.

Jamie

 

[Marlinspike]

Totally start with a wetsuit that fits you well and has a good seal around your neck, wrists and ankles.

Take some time with the BCD and regulator purchase and do some research. There are certain models you cant go wrong with but what you choose is a personal issue. Trying something before you buy it really helps. With wetsuits, fit is the most important thing. I had an ill fittting wetsuit for my first couple of dives and after invesing in a really nice one that fit me like a glove, my diving got much better because I was more comfortable and could concentrate on stuff other than how cold I was.

~Marlinspike

 

[MSilvia]

Since diving with tables tends to give you a much more conservative dive profile than diving with a computer, I'm not sure that I agree that a computer makes you safer. Since I work with computers (quality assurance) all day, and have seen them fail regularly, I'd be more inclined to trust the reliability of a watch, depth gauge, and table than a computer. I've had my dive computer fail on me too, and I now make a point of planning by table before diving with my computer... just in case.

It's easier to use a computer, and might let you stay down longer, but safer? Convince me Darryl.

Originally posted by dvleemin
Computer . . .
Provides that extra bit of safety to your dive plan.
Darryl

 

[MikeS]

I think that using a dive computer is inherently safer, assuming you follow a few simple rules.

Comparing business computers to dive computers is like comparing apples to oranges. Why not compare a dive computer to the computers on the space shuttle? To date there is not a single documented U. S. space program injury based on computer failure. Or how about the old Timex watch, I have one that’s 15 years old (it’s actually a Casio), it takes a lick’n and keeps on tick’n.

To my mind, the probability of simple human math error using tables far outweighs the possibility of a computer failure. Not to mention that to be fair, the odds of a computer failure must be compared to the odds of either your SPG, bottom timer, or pressure gauge failing.

So anyway here are the rules:

1. The rules apply only to no decompression, no overhead diving. If you go into either of those situations you should have redundant computers.

2. Your buddy must also have a computer or tables, SPG, bottom timer, and pressure gauge.

3. Dive the more conservative of the two.

4. If either fails use the other to surface safely.

That’s my opinion anyway. I work with computers all day too. We could not accomplish what we do without computers unless we added ten time as many people.

Mike

 

[tholt576]

this is what I did.

0) before OW class-- Mask, fins, snorkle (got a really cheap walmart snorkel good choice, I never use it.)

1) BC -- I had a friend who was upgrading and offered me a really good deal on his. He takes meticulous care of his stuff.

2) Reg/Computer--I knew I wanted a computer and so I got it when I got my reg because I wanted a console mount.

3) Wetsuit--this investment probably pays for itself in rental fees fastest, plus its nice to have one that you know fits.

sprinkled all around was loads of other fun stuff that I couldn't live without like a laser pointer, dive knife, Shears, some surface signaling devices, lights and what not.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

To each his own. However after I bought my mask, booties, fins and snorkel for the OW class, the first investment I made was in a wetsuit.

Despite what you may think about diving in Florida, after three hours in 83° pool water you still get cold, let alone the lower temps in the ocean. And the old smelly and compressed suits from the DLS weren't cutting it.

It wasn't long after though I got the ol' credit card smoking and outfitted two of us in one fell swoop - BC, regulator, console and bags to hold it all. We did our OW sessions with all our own equipment.

My new computer should be arriving today.