Buying my gear...need opinion

[MichaelG]

Hey all,

I'm ready to start buying my equipment. So far, I only have 6 open water dives under my belt so I don't have alot of experience dealing with different equipment. I have done some research and came up with what I think is a good selection. Most of my future diving will be off the coast of NJ so cold water will be a factor. Please post your ideas.

REG: Apeks ATX-100
OCTO: Apeks ATX-50

BC: SeaQuest Black Diamond

CON: Suunto Cobra

--MichaelG

 

[Uncle Pug]

what do you have in mind for:
tank?
exposure suit?

 

[NJdiver85]

Hi MichaelG!

Welcome. I started diving NJ wrecks last year and I'm hooked. You'll really enjoy it.

On to your questions. I basically have the same setup as your thinking of buying, except that I have 1 ATX-50 and 1 TX-50. Apeks makes excellent regs. You could save some money by just getting two ATX-50's. From what I understand, there's no noticable difference in breathability. The Black Diamond is an excellent BC - very sturdy, great weight pockets, strong. It won't do doubles, but it is perfect for single tank + pony. I'm also very happy with my Cobra, although Suunto just came out with the wrist mounted air-integrated Vytec which looks pretty sweet.

Send me a private message. I'm interested to hear what shop your're going through, or if your going mail order and what prices you've been quoted. The price differences on Apeks and Suunto are pretty significant. Best of luck.

 

[MichaelG]

I have not really priced everything out yet, but I have been using diveinn.com as a baseline. I still need to research pricing from different sources.

DiveInn Prices:

Apeks ATX-100 & ATX-40 = $514.00

SeaQuest (Aqualung) BlackDiamond = $427.00

Suunto Cobra w/Compass = $449.00

---

I have not thought about a tank or wetsuit yet. Since it was mentioned that the BD does not support doubles, would it be better to just get a BC that does? What about pricing from DiveInn, I have heard good things about their service so I was leaning heavily toward them.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by MichaelG
I have not thought about a tank or wetsuit yet. Since it was mentioned that the BD does not support doubles, would it be better to just get a BC that does? What about pricing from DiveInn, I have heard good things about their service so I was leaning heavily toward them.

...is because those factor into the rest of the equipment equation.

Since you mention wetsuit.... the tank will probably be an AL and don't worry about using doubles at this point... a BC isn't suitable for doubles IMO anyway.

I haven't ordered anything from DiveInn so can't comment.

Now to open the box a bit....

You are just beginning but that is no reason not to give the backplate/harness/wing a consideration... many new divers are able to make use of them right away and later when and if you do go with doubles and technical diving you will already have the foundation pieces of gear. (btw the regs are a good choice.)

You should also consider a drysuit but this may be way out of your budget range at the moment... but it is something to think about for the future... and if you do then you should also consider steel tanks (preferably low pressure.) Again these are foundational items.

Personally I would not recommend a console... a simple SPG is enough and the computer is best wrist mounted on the right. When you are ascending and using your left hand to dump air from your BC your right wrist can position you computer/depth gauge right there in front of your face. This is not as easy to do with a console mounted on the left (traditional) unless it has a longish hose... and then there is the dangling issue to deal with.

These are just my preferences and recommendations.

 

[Zept]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug
Personally I would not recommend a console... a simple SPG is enough and the computer is best wrist mounted on the right.

What about a depth gauge? Would you carry it separately, or rely on the computer?

Gonna be difficult for Michael to wrist-mount a Cobra...

Zept

 

[JamieZ]

Halcyon 27 lbs.Pioneer Wing $278 stainless steel backplate $188

Uwatec/OMS Bottom timer $120.

Dont bother with so called TEC Bc's like the Diamond.

This setup with the Apeks Regs will last you a long time. No need to upgrade when or if you advance. Meaning you wont have to Ebay that big bulky Black Damond for a BP when you decide to dive doubles.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by Zept
What about a depth gauge? Would you carry it separately, or rely on the computer?

Gonna be difficult for Michael to wrist-mount a Cobra...

And use it as a depth gauge.

 

[Se7en]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug
Since you mention wetsuit.... the tank will probably be an AL

UP... why do you persist in this faulty logic?

In any wetsuit, the vast majority of divers will need weight in addition to a steel tank. Even with no wetsuit, I still need a weightbelt with a 12 litre steel tank.

** Suit compression is the only loss of boyancy that occurs during a dive - and is independant of tank type or number. **

Air consumed is the only increase in boyancy, - and is independant of tank type.

Using an Ali tank you will have to carry more weight due to the positive boyancy of the tank to be neutral at the surface post dive with an empty tank.

So - when diving steel, you carry enough weight to sink your exposure suit. When diving ali you carry enough weight to sink your exposure suit plus the positive boyancy of an empty ali.

Either way, if you are correctly weighted, the negative boyancy you have to swim up is equal to the compression of your exposure suit - Ali or Steel makes NO difference at all.

If you decide to ditch a weightbelt, you will be more positive with Ali than steel tanks - which I assume you agree is a bad thing as far as ascent rates are concerned.

Bottom line - as long as the total negative boyancy of all your tanks does not exceed the positive boyancy of your exposure suit at the surface, then the only boyancy decrease is due to suit compression. Therefore it is equally as easy to swim up a single ali 88 as it is to swim up doubled steels.
The only advantage of using Ali tanks is you get to try a polaris ascent if you ever lose your weight belt. Not sure why DIR considers this is a good thing, but each to their own

Oh - complete and abject apologies for the above rant if you were inferring that someone who can only afford a wetsuit would also only afford an Ali tank - they cost the same here, so I often forget that cost could be an issue.

BTW - I also think that Apeks are a good thing, I'm about buy my second TX100 so I only have one sort of reg when diving doubles. Also use a wrist mounted computer (although on my left wrist, as I tend to use a right side shoulder dump on ascent, and this way I can see my depth / time at the same time as I dump air, and have my right hand completely free.)

Mike

 

[MichaelG]

I appreciate all the responses and advice. I now know this much, the Apeks regs are a given and is something I will definitely buy. But now I am confused regarding BCD or BP/Wing. I am still leaning toward the SQ BD over a BP/Wing.

My hesitation toward a BP/Wing is probably due to my experience, or lack of... I dont mind spending money now on a BCD and then buying a BP/Wing later on. With that in mind, would it not be better to go with a full BCD until I gain some more experience??

As for the Suunto Cobra or simple SPG. I was also thinking a Cobra would be overkill over a standard SPG, but wrist mounts I have been looking at (mainly Uwatec) seem pretty expensive for something that is decent. My wife gave me a Citizen HyperAqualand watch when I got my OW cert. Would a Cobra along with the HyperAqualand be a good combination. I figure I could use the Cobra as a high-end SPG and the CHA for depth monitoring during ascents. If this is a poor idea, what is a good wrist mount (future Nitrox too).

--MichaelG