Buying first equipment, feedback appreciated

[Bento.Box]

Hello,

I'm about to finish my PADI OWD certification and buy my first own equipment. Could someone look over what I have in mind and give me some feedback?

I posted it in the welcome forum, maybe it was wrong:
Rookie Diver from Switzerland

Thanks,
David

 

[runsongas]

it may be a good idea to hold off a bit and try some more types and brands of gear before you commit to buying.

but if you are going to dive lakes locally, try a bpw if you can before you commit to a bc. xdeep, apeks, dive rite should be available locally. you can also find heavier steel plates rather than going with a weighted sta for ballast.

look into apeks regs or maybe a scubapro mk17/g260 set.

perdix ai is a great computer but you could go cheaper with a hollis dg03/deepblu cosmiq to free up funds for a drysuit.

 

[joe10540]

Buy the best gear you can afford even if that means you have to rent pieces as you accumulate the rest of your kit. Buy your drysuit and rent BCDs until you figure out what you like and don't and what you need and don't. Regs are more straightforward either you like the way it breathes or you don't most of the new regs are adequate for OW diving. The most important thing to me when I buy equipment is is it COMFORTABLE because if your not comfortable you'll never enjoy it and if it's not enjoyable you won't do it as much.

 

[stuartv]

For the price of a Hydros, I would absolutely buy, either, a stainless steel back plate and 2 wings (1 for cold water, where you'll need more lift, and 1 for warm water that is smaller and more streamlined), or 2 whole BP/W rigs - one with a stainless plate and bigger wing for cold water and one with a lighter (skeletonized stainless, aluminum, or Kydex) plate and a smaller wing for warm water.

That would give you the best rig for each set of conditions and you could still have a chunk of money left over, compared to the cost of one Hydros BCD.

On a budget, a SS BP plus a wing for cold water could also be used for warm water, so you could just buy one BCD (a BP/W), have a LOT of money left over, have the option to just buy a warm water wing later, and still have it perform better than a Hydros.

You could buy this BP/W for warm water. $299, with a 25# wing:

DGX Custom - DGX Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing Package

And this additional wing, for use in cold water. $149, for a 32# wing:

7 Left!**Special Limited Supply**32lb HOG Wing New Style ****Black/Red Model****

That would give you everything you really need for both warm and cold water diving, for $450. And you could buy a stainless steel BP later, if you wanted, to really optimize the cold water setup.

I use this one for cold water diving. It's on Closeout for $70.

Blue Reef Stainless Steel Back Plate

You could have 2 complete rigs for $520 plus the cost of a harness (some webbing and D-rings). I don't know about Switzerland, but here in the U.S., that would still be way cheaper than buying one Hydros.

 

[OldPhotog]

Rent first, figure out what you like and don't like. Rent different stuff so you learn what feels right for you..

 

[ls1dreams]

How much do you think you'll actually dive?

I'm a new guy, and my plan is to just buy mask and dive computer to start and rent the rest.

For the computer I plan to wait on the Deep6 because it's cheap. If you want something high end, I'd just pick up a used Shearwater Perdix for $500-$600. Mask will be personal, but I plan on trying out some of the minimalist Mako dive masks.

 

[guruboy]

A used Perdix (non-AI) is probably at least $600.

 

[tdallen]

I agree with the suggestion to get a mask first, fins and booties if appropriate, and a dive computer. You can rent the rest of what you need. That said, I've found rental regulators to be the most annoying part of diving that way. A regulator purchase is in my future before my next dive vacation.

 

[BDSC]

While I do not own one, I now know three people who sold their BP/W after trying a Hydros Pro. They said it was that good and better than any BP/W they had tried. If you can afford it, go for it.

 

[Cap335]

My only comment is that I am much more comfortable in a drysuit than a 7mm wetsuit, actually I go from 3mm straight to dry