Buy my own reg or keep renting?

[eelnoraa]

I would say, how much is it to rent just a regulator setup? Compare that to the cost of regulators you are interested in purchasing, and see how many dives on the reg it will cost to pay itself off in terms of rental price... I.E. if it is $20 to rent regulators for a day, or $1000 to purchase a full setup of first stage, second stage, and octo... It would take 50 dives to pay itself off. If you dive often enough that would totally be worth it.

It also seems to me that if you own your own gear, you are more likely to dive more often (assuming you live near enough to water), just like Diver0001 pointed out. So that is something to think about as well.

It will be more like 50 days or weekend of diving, not 50 dives. If you dive every weekend in a year, then you will bring even. It could be 50 dives, or 200 dives

I agree with Diver0001. It is less about the economics, but more about the quality of the rental gear and how easy you have access to them. From economics point of view, it hardly make sense unless you dive a lot. Don't forget the $120 or so annual service if you follow the manufacture recommendation.

 

[dberry]

I started putting together my own gear fairly early in my limited dive career, and am happy about the decision. I think it's a good move, even if you want to spread out the purchases. My first purchase was a wrist PDC. Then I recently bought another PDC for much less $$ as a back-up and for my daughter. Read the thread about this one.
http://2sb.us/507564

If they are still available, it's a fantastic deal for $170 and it performed identically to my pricier PDC when I wore them both for some dives. It even has a decent digital compass. Main drawbacks to this $170 PDC: no USB cable for uploading data (I like uploading for logging and to review my dive profiles - I'm a bit OCD) and no option for air-integration (which is expensive, and lots of experienced folks dislike air integration anyway. I like it, but then I'm not experienced.)

Here's the direct link for the purchase:

https://www.divegearexpress.com/zeagle-n2ition-3-gas-dive-computer

I'd recommend putting in a fresh battery if you get one of these n2ition3 PDCs; mine was flakey at first, but has worked fine since investing the $5 in a new battery. Takes 30seconds and a highly specialized tool (a quarter aka 25cent piece) to change it.


->A possible issue with renting a computer is making sure you have the same unit for every dive during the entire trip (especially if you use more than one dive op.)

I think a regulator makes good sense as the next piece of personal equipment, and there seems to be a very sweet spot between the lowest end and the high end, especially if you look for last year's model after a change or consider buying used (and paying for immediate service.) And don't be afraid to mix and match for the octo and SPG to save $$. An SPG (with or without depth or compass) is close to indestructible compared to a reg, and retail prices can be obscene (IMO). Get a tight fitting cap, rinse your reg promptly, and you no longer have to worry about getting flesh-eating bacterial infections from rental regs. Plus it'll probably work better and you'll know your reg will perform consistently no matter where you travel. Buy a reg bag (I carry my Aqualung reg in $15 surplus Mares Reg bag. The reg doesn't seem to mind.)

BCD? BP/W? Yes, great to have, more expense, more to travel with, and much longer discussion. Glad I bought mine, YMMV.
Have fun!
-Don

 

[Russoft]

My dad bought me regs at age 16 and I've owned them for over 10 years. I've been on only a handful of dives with them and for the cost of shipping them away for servicing, I could've probably just rented since no shop near me can service my regs. Although certainly pricey based on my frequency of diving over the past decade (lots of school and debt), it's nice to dive with equipment I know has been well cared for. Diving in Canada, our LDS took very good care of their regs and I never felt any qualms about letting my wife simply rent regs. Then we went to Mexico. One of the hoses on her rental regs burst while we were on the surface preparing to descend. Had it happened five minutes later, it would've been a lot worse. That sort of event could perhaps be avoided by choosing your vacation dive shop carefully, but sometimes you just go with what's convenient when you're on vacation. If you buy regs, make sure your LDS services them. Back home, our LDS actually sold used rental equipment for deep discounts. The equipment worked like new because they were rebuilt regularly by the shop, though the regs looked beat up from use by lots of student divers.

 

[djdalite]

get a package from dive gear express. best $400 youll spend, great regs too

 

[Oldbear]

I recommend buying a good quality reg (1st stage, 2nd stage and Octo). To me this is the most important piece of equipment. You can have it serviced and maintained by people you know and trust; not some resort employee who doubles as the lawnmower mechanic and buffet chef.

I worked in a remote part of the world for 7 years and it was my mask and reg that I took diving around the world; everything else I rented.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Going2aussie, I'm probably just dogpiling here but like most others, I believe you'll be happier with your own set of regs. Bought my gear new, pretty much right after my certification. I've been through two BCDs but am still breathing the same set of regs. Take care of your gear and it'll take care of you.

You already said you're diving more, there's a very good chance that's not going to change.

By the way, my regs are Sherwood Maximus and 22 years old. I'll support oly50's suggestion of buying the Sherwood package. That said, even though I bought mine new, since my regs breathe as well as the day I bought them, I'm not against you buying used either.

If you can't afford regs, give up something else in your life . . .i dunno, like eating. I'd rather dive my regs than eat at restaurants or wear name brand clothes.

 

[gopbroek]

It depends on your comfort level but I like used gear, I am frugal (which =’s cheap). My current Reg set is a SP Mk25 1^st and an AA T2 2^nd which was picked up off E-Bay a few years back for about $200. It work fine on arrival but I went ahead and had them overhauled ($65) after 50 dives, a couple hundred dives back, just to be on the safe side.

The next most important piece is a computer (IMO), there are lots of good ones out there (new and used) but I feel the important thing is having your own. Each display is a little different in how it displays info, I think that the critical point is that when you really need the computer and are partially narc’d and disorientated having a computer display you are familiar with can be very important. If you go for a used computer one thing I found out recently is that if it is a relatively recent Oceanic model and something malfunctions they have a good repair/exchange program at a fair price for non-warranty units.

 

[jdcook1974]

I was in the same boat as you saving for a BCD first. I have been out with three different diving operations this summer. The first two had well maintained high quality equipment. The third gave me a regulator that made a horrible sound above water, which does happen sometimes when they are dry. Under water it made the same noise and I had to end my dive early because the mouthpiece was not sealed properly. I decided at that point that I would be buying my own regulator before a BCD. I can deal with a BCD that is slightly uncomfortable. I cannot deal with my breathing being uncomfortable. Buoyancy is certainly important, but breathing is your life.

 

[CNYMAD]

If I only owed one piece of equipment - it would be a regulator. I'm a compete know nothing but can take my regulator apart and know what the components should be doing. It's your most important piece of equipment - I think.