Buying Scuba Gear

[Banks1978]

I'm new to Scuba diving, and I will soon have completed my PADI Open Water course. I am thinking of buying my own kit and I wondered what is the best way to do this, what the essentials are, what I can leave 'til later on in my 'career' and most of all how to get value for money on a tight budget (even secondhand gear - is it worth it?).

Where would people recommend I buy kit from in England, new or secondhand?

 

[aquagirl]

When I took the PADI Open water course it was required that we have our own basic gear which included full wet suit, boots, gloves, fins, mask, snorkel and knife. And I think this would be the basic minimum. Wet suit should always be new. You can look around this forum and you will hear time and time again about used suits likely to have been pissed in. Fins, I think, is another good investment. The rest you can probably get used and/or cheap unless your a woman then mask is also a good investment. This is because it's sometimes hard to find a mask that fits properly on a woman. Best of luck and welcome!

 

[DeputyDan]

No one ever told me this and it would have changed my purchases.

Buy bright colors.

You can see bright yellow or green much easier in murky or low visibility that you can navy blue or black.


Think about dropping a fin. Whis would be easier to spot - black or yellow.


I purchased all my equipment by picking out what I wanted and then watching for sales.

My BC is an LDS demo - its one year old and ScubaPro's top line and I got for 1/2 price and I know it was well maintained.

 

[MISFIT DIVER]

Most classes will require you to have the basics. If you are diving in England I would have to think the water would be cold. Maybe a little early to think about it but I would say that a dry suit should be soon on your list. Nothing more miserable then tring to dive cold. As for the rest of your gear, if you are going to buy used I would say know for a fact what your getting and who you got it from. A lot of this is life support you are wearing and you do not want to trust it to something you do not know. Most stores sell packages at good prices. Some stores will sell you their rental gear if they are updating. I am firm beliver of not buing the "big" stuff on line. In most cases it is cheaper but when my life depends on it, I want to know for sure what I am getting. Yellow is a good reccomendation. Most shops will work out payment options for you if needed. If you come to love this sport like most people, you will buy something everytime you have an extra dollar, or pound . Good luck

 

[FSUgly]

Welcome to the boards. The one thing I would say is SHOP, SHOP, SHOP! Try on everything, and several different manufacturers too. The shop you're getting certified at may only sell Scubapro for instance, so you should go to other shops, if available, and try on other brands. When you're new, it's VERY easy to jump on the first thing that you see, or that is recommended by your dive shop operator. Just be patient.
One more thing; I am a firm believer of buying the life support pieces brand new. When your life depends on it, you want to make sure you know where your gear came from,

Hope this helps,
Tom

 

[Banks1978]

Thanks everyone! Looking at a few things I have definitely decided to buy the 'life critical' stuff new. One of my instructors suggested that one of the important things to get first off is a computer, as most places don't rent them out? Is it really that critical for a newbie to have one? Anyway, thanks for the advice - I'm not going to rush into anything!

 

[Warren_L]

I think that just about everything you use at depth would be life critical to some degree. It's probably more important that you are familiar with and know how to use your equipment, whether new or used, and that it is serviced and maintained properly. Dive safe!

 

[FSUgly]

About the computer being the first thing to buy. I, personally, don't think it is NECESSARY. Did you train with one? Unless something has changed recently, I dont think PADI has that training as a requirement in their OW manuals. In my opinion, as to what to buy first, is your regulator (that is if you were only going to buy one thing at a time).

Tom

 

[diverbrian]

Very first in my opinion, would be a regulator and BC. Try to find a rental BC that fits *when you want it* and you will see what I mean.

Think long and hard about exposure suits as you may wish to go to a dry suit sooner than you think and I have a two piece top of the line wetsuit going to waste because I didn't wait until I could afford my drysuit, which I bought about four months after I certified.

Peoples opinions vary on computers, so use your own judgement on that based upon weighing what you hear. I bought mine right from the start and am happy that I did. But, I am single, no kids, not many other expenses. If my initial budget were more limited, I may have done it differently.

 

[MISFIT DIVER]

It would be my opion to say that a computer is not the first thing to buy. Computers make it easy. i would suggest that you have 50 or so dives in on the tables before you worry about a computer. learn the tables. If you are not good with the tables and the computer fails, then what. The tables will not go bad on ya
I bought all my first stuff in a package. I really could not tell ya what would be the first thing i would buy, proably thermal protection. I like to know what i have against me and not who else has been in it. Maybe the BC. Guess it just depends on what you want first. Like ugly says, try to get what you trained with until you get some more experiance and become comfortable with you abilities. Good luck