karolina:
What should I keep in mind when buying the equipment?
I dive with a Sherwood Avid BC and despite the fact that I've used Scuba Pro BC's before, I still like getting into my Sherwood. I have absolutely nothing against Scuba Pro and also own Scuba Pro gear, albeit not my BC. I'd say that to look
only at the manufacturer to make your decision is not always the best way of going about it.
1.
Look at the Manufacturer's reputation - are they reputable in the diving community? Do they provide quick, reliable service on their products should you need it? Ask a few people that own the products you are looking at buying and get an opinion from them about the gear
2.
Look at your budget - gear can be pricey, there's no two ways about that, but try and get yourself the best value for your bux by shopping around and comparing similar gear for the same price class.
3.
Read gear reviews in diving magazines or online. Often magazines publish articles where they evaluate gear and give you the pros and cons to watch out for.
4.
Fit the gear and make very sure that you feel comfortable in the gear.
5.
Test drive the gear you are considering in a pool if the LDS has the same models available as rentals and would allow you to try it out in their pool, if they have one - there's no substitute for diving gear to see if it works for you.
6.
Consider technical benefits of the gear - BCs for example - do you want weight integrated? Do you want rear inflation or not? etc
7.
Go with your gut - once I've shortlisted a few models and pretty much come to a coin toss about which I should choose, I choose to go with whatever gear "speaks" to me - there usually is one choice that just keeps on drawing my attention for some (inexplicable) reason; that's the one I then go for - just because it felt right.
I'm sure there are a lot of other people here that could mention a few more guidelines, these are just my quick off the tips of my fingers ones.
