Brand Advice for BCD/Regulators/Tanks?

[formernuke]

I don't know mares at all. Atomic builds a very nice reg I personally prefer apeks or aqualung but that is purely my personal preference


Computer wise, just avoid suunto. I really like Shearwater but I also dive low VIS so a well lite color screens.

BC look for a place that rents bpw, and then back inflate, then jacket. Do several dives with each and then go with most comfortable for you.

 

[Belzelbub]

What is the best way to figure out which reg is best? Do shops let you rent them for a day and try them in a pool? I didn't outright decide I don't want Mares, but if they have some solid and reasonable Atomic I might elect to start with those.

Honestly, post what you are considering here for advice. But, you will have to wade through some bias. Some shops will have different brands in their rental fleet, but I would be hesitant to say that a rental reg will be a good indicator of performance. Rental regs are a bit like rental cars. They won’t likely be top of the line, and abuse is likely.

A rental would be a good indicator for hose routing and comfort, though mouthpiece replacement is simple and cheap.

As long as you go with a well known brand, and look at mid grade or up, you’ll get a good reg. Well known brands may not perform better than smaller brands, but they’ve been around for a while, so they will likely be around for a while longer. That’s important for servicing.

 

[lowwall]

What is the best way to figure out which reg is best? Do shops let you rent them for a day and try them in a pool? I didn't outright decide I don't want Mares, but if they have some solid and reasonable Atomic I might elect to start with those.

That's the big question. And the reason that most divers have a pile of stuff that they were sold when they started diving that they wish they had never bought. I've got a Zeagle Ranger BCD and Mares Volo fins in that pile.

Talk to your shop. Their basic rental stuff is often bottom of the line, but they may have used or staff regs in the models you are thinking about that they would rent to you (and they should apply some or all of the rental price to your eventual purchase). But you want to try them in open water rather than a pool if possible.

You can also ask around, maybe through a local dive meetup or facebook dive group. Or take up @James79 on his offer on page 3.

 

[SubNeo]

Talk to your shop. Their basic rental stuff is often bottom of the line, but they may have used or staff regs in the models you are thinking about that they would rent to you (and they should apply some or all of the rental price to your eventual purchase). But you want to try them in open water rather than a pool if possible.

Going to get my card now, I'll see if I can have a general chat about this with them.

For BCD, I'm going back or wing. I don't like the idea of having a jacket blowing up and blocking chest space. Only thing is I am unsure if I truly want to go wing route, especially as someone who is still new.

For reg, I've heard a lot of good about Atomic (from the shop), but their online lists having Zeagle/Hollis/Oceanic as well. Will be a bit more briefed on this after today.

For tanks, mostly will be based off my chat with them today.

For computer/SPG, I want to at the least have a compass/pressuregauge on the tank. If I have enough left, the Peregrine mentioned looks to be fine.

Regulators (1st & 2nd)

 

[stretchthepenn]

You might want to hold off on buying tanks for a bit. See what kind of diving you want to do, then make the jump. Renting is cheap and easy, whereas if you buy a tank, you'll need to haul it to a shop, either wait for the tank monkey to fill the tank or make a round trip to pick up your filled tank, and pay the fill cost. Ownership may not save you time or money.

Once you get some experience and decide what kind of diving interests you, then you'll be able to make an informed decision about what kind of tank (aluminum vs. steel), what size of tank, and how many tanks you'll want. Plus, you can then get a valve style (yoke vs. DIN) that suits you best.

For example, I got my Open Water certification in 1996 and, for the next fifteen years, I rented AL80 tanks with yoke valves. Only by the early 2010s, when I figured out that I'm into technical diving, did the cost and convenience factor for owning tanks begin to outweigh the value of renting.

Tanks it doesn’t matter. Steels are only made by Faber in Italy. Metal Impact (formerly Lucifer) and maybe Catalina are it for aluminums.

Lucifer? Was the typo intentional?

 

[lowwall]

Regulators (1st & 2nd)

Interesting, so Atomic, Zeagle, Oceanic and Hollis only. No Mares? Or maybe they just don't offer them on their online store. If they don't sell them at all, why do they have them in their rental fleet? But it could explain why they aren't tuned properly, Mares seconds require a higher IP than the other regs they offer.

I don't know enough about Zeagle, Oceanic and Hollis to offer any advice. It would be worth posting a question about your options in the regulator subforum.

 

[lowwall]

If you are determined to buy a BC from that shop - BCDs - instead of a BP/W, I'd go for the Oceanic Biolite.

 

[Marie13]

Lucifer? Was the typo intentional?

Haha. Nope.

 

[James79]

Only thing is I am unsure if I truly want to go wing route, especially as someone who is still new.

BPW is just another type of BCD... doesn't matter if you're new, old, rec, tech, etc.
I still suggest trying one of each major type out (BPW, Jacket, Back inflate) before you make an expensive decision.... My boys and I love BPW, my wife prefers jacket. It's about what works best for YOU.
As for new and BPW.... Below is my youngest on his 3rd dive after certification!

 

[lowwall]

BPW is just another type of BCD... doesn't matter if you're new, old, rec, tech, etc.
I still suggest trying one of each major type out (BPW, Jacket, Back inflate) before you make an expensive decision.... My boys and I love BPW, my wife prefers jacket. It's about what works best for YOU.
As for new and BPW.... Below is my youngest on his 3rd dive after certification!
View attachment 671312

Here's my 12-year-old son sitting next to his gear on our way out to his first dive after certification. 45° air and 78° water off Boynton Beach.