Brand new to diving- just doing my online PADI stuff. Losing weight- can I only rent equipment?

[Badger7]

Frankly HTCL, I think you're in a good place, and using your own eyes to form your own opinions. You don't need to pick a favorite LDS right now, and if you found a couple masks in the basement that fit will you don't even need those. If not, spend a Saturday revisiting local shops, deal with the interesting cast of characters that staff dive shops, and focus on finding a well-fitting dive mask. Make sure you stop back here after your trip in May and let us know how it went, and you'll have a whole bunch of new questions to ask. If you have full-foot fins that fit you, take those on your trip. If you have scuba booties and want to bring back strap fins instead, half the dive boat will be wearing scubapro go and apeks rk3 fins, you won't stick out. They'll likely want you to dive with a snorkel for reasons that still elude me, so bring them too.

 

[HamTrainChickenLaser]

Frankly HTCL, I think you're in a good place, and using your own eyes to form your own opinions. You don't need to pick a favorite LDS right now, and if you found a couple masks in the basement that fit will you don't even need those. If not, spend a Saturday revisiting local shops, deal with the interesting cast of characters that staff dive shops, and focus on finding a well-fitting dive mask. Make sure you stop back here after your trip in May and let us know how it went, and you'll have a whole bunch of new questions to ask. If you have full-foot fins that fit you, take those on your trip. If you have scuba booties and want to bring back strap fins instead, half the dive boat will be wearing scubapro go and apeks rk3 fins, you won't stick out. They'll likely want you to dive with a snorkel for reasons that still elude me, so bring them too.

Gotcha!! Yes indeed, we found our full foot fins and our masks and snorkels!! My mask was in a tupperware (it's a Scubapro Trinidad) and hers was not so I ordered one for her. Now here is where it gets ugly. I soaked my mask in hot soapy water overnight and then brushed it with a bottle brush and it was all clean and nice. Then as I was drying it with a paper towel, one of the lower (half-frame) magnifying lenses for up-close reading stuff started to SHIFT. Dang!!!! So that hot water and soaking loosened the glue? I moved it back in place- will it dry and bond again or have I ruined it? Yes it is an old prescription but surely it's good enough for now.

Are there legit frugal dive people or is everyone filthy rich and throwing money around like they are a boat-racing drug dealer? No but surely as I meet more people and spend more time in dive shops I will find them.

I didn't know that Apeks RK3 were so popular!! I saw a pair in one of the shops recently that had steel around the area that connects the heel spring to the fin itself. It looks so heavy-duty and industrial- STRONG!!!

 

[HamTrainChickenLaser]

I've used these scuba specific socks, but after losing one, I just use normal, thinish athletic socks. The point is to reduce rubbing/chafing. I actually use them with my booties/open heel fins (after getting open blisters after a week in Cozumel with 4x dives per day).

Full foot fins are fine for boat diving (shore diving not so much), but no one should look at you oddly if you have the RK3s. This type is more effective for frog kicking, which is more efficient if you're not trying to dart from place to place. (Dives will last longer!)

plain thin athletic socks are brilliant- i already have some for running!!!!

 

[HamTrainChickenLaser]

OH OH, that must have been the RK4 since it had the steel connections!!

 

[FreqFlier]

Are there legit frugal dive people or is everyone filthy rich and throwing money around like they are a boat-racing drug dealer?

Haha, that's why I said to wait before spending some ridiculous amounts of $$$ for things that you may and most likely will have to upgrade/change few months later. Big ticket items like computer, regset, BCD and such should get in line and be procured when truly necessary. My "bottom drawer" is probably worth some $7K or so to say at least.

 

[pdwh]

Gotcha!! Yes indeed, we found our full foot fins and our masks and snorkels!! My mask was in a tupperware (it's a Scubapro Trinidad) and hers was not so I ordered one for her. Now here is where it gets ugly. I soaked my mask in hot soapy water overnight and then brushed it with a bottle brush and it was all clean and nice. Then as I was drying it with a paper towel, one of the lower (half-frame) magnifying lenses for up-close reading stuff started to SHIFT. Dang!!!! So that hot water and soaking loosened the glue? I moved it back in place- will it dry and bond again or have I ruined it? Yes it is an old prescription but surely it's good enough for now.

Are there legit frugal dive people or is everyone filthy rich and throwing money around like they are a boat-racing drug dealer? No but surely as I meet more people and spend more time in dive shops I will find them.

I didn't know that Apeks RK3 were so popular!! I saw a pair in one of the shops recently that had steel around the area that connects the heel spring to the fin itself. It looks so heavy-duty and industrial- STRONG!!!

I count myself in the frugal, not rich category. Same for most around me that dive regularly.

 

[Allen-1]

Haha, that's why I said to wait before spending some ridiculous amounts of $$$ for things that you may and most likely will have to upgrade/change few months later. Big ticket items like computer, regset, BCD and such should get in line and be procured when truly necessary. My "bottom drawer" is probably worth some $7K or so to say at least.

I shoot handguns, somewhat competitively. Consequently I have more than a couple, plus rifles and a couple shotguns. Enough firearms and associated equipment that I have a rider on our homeowners policy.

Then there's the motorcycle, the milling machine, the rolling toolchests, yeah, they're on the rider too.

When I came home from my first diving trip my wife asked me if I'd had fun and was I going to do it again. Upon my affirmative response her comment was "oh good, another expensive hobby".

Laying out gear for a trip next week and there's a couple grand on my floor right now...

 

[USdiver1]

I agree with many of the comments on this thread about not buying gear now, and waiting until you finish your class. When it does come time for you to buy a BC, you should absolutely try a BP/W before buying anything.

^^^
This.

You will most probably take your OW class in a standard BCD [poodle jacket] with integrated weight pockets. Many people like this setup, you may as well. Be open to a BCD and also try a BP/W before purchase. You may prefer the BCD to the BP/W. Also agree that a well fitting mask, open heal set of fins, booties and a snorkel should be purchased for your class. These can be used afterwards while diving in open water, so get gear that is good for scuba and not just snorkeling.

PS Welcome to the tribe.

 

[HamTrainChickenLaser]

^^^
This.

You will most probably take your OW class in a standard BCD [poodle jacket] with integrated weight pockets. Many people like this setup, you may as well. Be open to a BCD and also try a BP/W before purchase. You may prefer the BCD to the BP/W. Also agree that a well fitting mask, open heal set of fins, booties and a snorkel should be purchased for your class. These can be used afterwards while diving in open water, so get gear that is good for scuba and not just snorkeling.

PS Welcome to the tribe.

What makes it a "poodle jacket"- is this related to the full-sized poodle dog? Or maybe the toy poodle? What is confusing to me is that I thought PADI used the term "BCD" and rest of the world used the term "BC". I thought this jacket type deal and the BP/W were both BCDs or BCs depending upon which crowd you run with. Do I have this all mixed up?

When I lived in Kona and had freediving fins, those were full foot and I just assumed that was the mark of the "good stuff" since I paid a lot for those fins- so when it came time to buy fins again years later for snorkeling, my wife and I got the Seac F100 pro in the full foot style. It is all I had ever known. Is full-foot considered snorkeling gear for "regular" (not freediving) fins? Is this because you really want to be able to wear thick scuba-style boots so you want open heel fins? It's crazy how much I don't know!!!

Since my Seac fins are 42/43 8/9 does that mean that most other fins that are 42/43 will fit me? That might be wishful thinking on my part and probably I would need to try on any fins that I think about buying. I think that 42/43 is the European size, but what does the 8/9 mean? I wear an 11 in American size so that must not be included in what is stamped on my Seac fins.

 

[USdiver1]

Buoyancy Compensator Devices [BCs or BCDs] come in several types. Originally they were over the head vests, referred to as horse collars, next came the jacket types, [poodle jackets in our vernacular], and more recently, the back plate / wing with a back mounted air bladder [BP/W]. All do the same function, but a bit differently, that is why you need to try several styles to see what you like best.

Open heel fins are much more suited to scuba diving in a variety of aquatic environments, as you can use different sized footwear, booties, dry-suit boots, sea socks to suit water temperature variations and type of diving [boat access, shore, etc].
Always try on the fins, as different manufacturers have slightly different sizeings for their products.