Buying two of eveything or "stagger"

[RonFrank]

Lights - Intova Compact - This is a tiny yet powerful dive light, and cheap. 130 Lumen which is bright, and this has a narrow 12 degree beam which carries further UW. Buy 3, that should give you an extra just in case. I still have my original Intova light which sold for $20.

These are solid all metal construction and it take AAA batteries with a burn time of 10 hours. $39 at B&H. Buy rechargeable batteries. This will blow out Dons outdated boat anchor lights. They sell Wide Angle Intovas also, and you may want to consider one as they work well for photography.

Intova Compact Torch ICOM B&H Photo Video

Computers - Aeris XR2 - This does everything you need including Nitrox. Buy two as sharing a computer is not recommended. But having two means if one floods or dies you could share for a short time. I carry a backup computer but your not there yet.

Aeris XR-2 Nitrox Wrist Computer

The Nitrox class is classroom only, no diving needed. You do know how to breath, yes? Takes an evening.

Skip AOW in Coz. Take it closer to home IMO.

Regs are a good next step, but I think getting a computer is a good start.

These lights will be useful around the house. They are great for camping, hiking, biking, hunting, etc...

 

[DandyDon]

This will blow out Dons outdated boat anchor lights.

My what...?

Intova Compact Torch ICOM B&H Photo Video

Looks like a nice backup light, but I like more of a primary. If he got a 4C LED each, he could get by on really cheap backup lights. This is my fav as it'll go all week on one set of batteries: over 10 hours strong light, over 50 hours somewhat diminishing: Underwater Kinetics Sunlight SL4 eLED Dive Light I just don't understand the appeal of lights that use AAA batteries with so little reserve power = about 1/10th as much of a C battery.

Computers - Aeris XR2 - This does everything you need including Nitrox. Buy two as sharing a computer is not recommended. But having two means if one floods or dies you could share for a short time. I carry a backup computer but your not there yet.

Aeris XR-2 Nitrox Wrist Computer

Looks something like my Versa Pro. May be the same since the company makes both brands. I've always liked it.

The Nitrox class is classroom only, no diving needed. You do know how to breath, yes? Takes an evening.

As it should be, but a lot of shops are insisting on dives with the course, I guess to support their prices?

These lights will be useful around the house. They are great for camping, hiking, biking, hunting, etc...

Yep, now that we have LED lights, we don't have to worry about the heat of the older halogen bulbs. I keep mine by my bed as an emergency light too.

 

[RTee]

RetroBlader,

I will start with AOW...nothing prevents you from doing the theory in advance and then use some of the dives at SCC for the practical portion. Normally, local AOW is conducted over a weekend with 5 dives.

Nitrox...is also very useful when conducting multi-dive consecutive days. Not sure how soon you are heading down but Nitrox is a very short course, in most cases, not involving dives and something the two of you could take here before heading down. Around here, there is no AOW pre-requisite to attend such course...as a matter of fact, I did it before my AOW.

Equipment...Lights: minimum three (for the two of you) and ideally four (two each). Initially, I used an Itorch+ (6 AAAs - 210 lumens) and an Itorch (4 AAAs - 130 lumens). Amazing amount of light coming from such small flashlights. Still have them and nowadays are mainly used by my GF since I acquired a DIY LED canlight built by a SB member. Having said that...Going through the Equipment sub section of SB, I read a lot of good reviews concerning the Intova Nova Torch...and they are inexpensive:
Intova Nova Torch - IFL660 [IFL660] - $49.99 : Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!. BTW, I have dealt with these guys in the past.

Computers: One each. You do not need anything too fancy but ensure it meets present and future needs... The Puck might be fine but I do not think it is Nitrox capable. For about the same price (10.00 more) you could perhaps consider the Suunto Zoop...three buttons (beat the hell of only one)Air/Nitrox and capable to interact with a laptop/desktop to for electronic logbook purposes if you ever want to go that route.

Regs: +1 for HOG/Edge systems mentionned by Thal. Many places where they can be purchased. Again, you can check with Edd at Cave Adventurers or closer to home...with Mat at Scubageek (just South of Ottawa) which I also have dealt with.

Have fun

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Let me give you a simple answer to add to the thoughtful longer ones. As for training, since you are anticipating some unsupervised shore diving, navigation is important, and I would recommend that class. The AOW is good in that you will do some navigation work, and even better if you get in a night dive.

As for equipment, each diver should have their own gear- and I would clearly have that include a computer for each of you. You are diving enough to justify purchasing an entire set of gear for each of you. With proper maintenance it will last for years, and will never really become obsolete. And.... people who own their own equipment have a tendency to dive more often- which is, after all, a good thing!
DivemasterDennis

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

On the computers, but 2 identical at the same time. All computers have a learning curve, why repeat it. If you stick together close and one battery croaks, then consider sharing as a backup plan only. I have 2 identical computers and this has worked well for me, I can use both (when solo) or have my buddy (one of my sons) use the 2nd one. It kind of interesting to see how close they match (or don't) at the end of the dive. Food for thought.

Light technology keeps evolving rapidly relative to most scuba gear and I have a collection of outdated ones which have become my backups. I have learned the hard way the cheap end plastic units tend to have a short life. They flood, switch fails, etc... The ones that use C cells are bulky. I finally broke down and purchased an all metal Intova and it has become my best friend since it is small enough to carry on every dive to check out nooks and crannies, tough enough to handle abuse and still relatively cheap ($70 or so). It puts out 220 Lumens which is almost 2x the output of the UK Sunlight Dandy Don mentioned and is good enough for most night dives. The batteries don't last as long as the larger 4 C cell units, but then if I am doing a night dive I am going to spring for a new set of batteries for for dive.The units that use AA adapt to rechargeable cell with ease. The more specialize batteries that some light use (CR123, etc..) are very expensive retail but can be purchased in bulk packs at a reasonable price via the internet.

 

[blake7]

Add-on question: Wide beam or narrow beam for the primary light?
(I think narrow will go further, but we will have our camera, so wide beam can help light a scene?)

If you want to have your cake and eat it too, there is the iZoom | Intova.

At 220 lumens it is very bright and can go from wide to very narrow. The only downside is that it uses some funky twist cap magnetic tail switch instead of their typical push button magnetic tail which I much prefer. The funky twist switch is not enough IMHO to not make it the ideal small travel light, it would fit in most BCD pockets and can easily be attached to a harness with the boltsnap/rubber strip combo. It uses CR123A batteries, but with Amazon selling Tenergy 40-pack Propel CR123A Lithium Battery I don't see much of a downside to that.

If you want a real light cannon in a larger package, the Search Light | Intova is amazing at 800 lumens for 3 C-cells. However, it is big, think old Maglite 3 C-cells big and would not fit in most BCD pockets and is two big to mount to a harness comfortably. On the pro side, it can compete with most technical primary lights in brightness, has a very tight focused spot with a big halo ring that would work well for clear water night dives. It would not work for camera/video support, you would need something like the iZoom for that.

I am using the iZoom as my recreational diving travel light, since it is easier to carry and lighter than a IFL WA | Intova and IFL 660 | Intova. I am also considering using the SL1 as my technical diving travel light since it is so much easier to deal with than carrying a real primary light with canister, and you can find C-cells anywhere. Just need to figure out a good way to attach it to a goodman handle.

 

[kimbalabala]

We have a boatload (pun intended) of gear and the only thing that I would ABSOLUTELY buy again is my Oceanic Heads Up Display mask. It's air integrated - all the information is in the mask, making it easier on a newer diver to see where they're going without having to turn to look at a separate spg/computer. This thing has reduced my task loading and made diving an even more enjoyable experience for me. If you do get the HUD you might want to consider a backup spg so your buddy can see how much gas you have if the need arises - and a backup computer like a Gekko or the new B.U.D. by Oceanic.

I would also recommend getting AOW certified - and maybe peak performance buoyancy. Extra skills - and practicing them - will increase your self confidence and that will make the dives more fun too.

Someone said that getting the bc and regulators should be higher up on the list - I agree. You're doing all your diving in warm water so you might want to think about the Zuma bc. It's great for travel and it's easy to wear in the water - doesn't feel as restrictive as some of the other weight integrated bc's (my Aqualung Pearl, for instance).

Should you get two of the same things? For the computer I say yes - my husband is more tech savvy than me and once he had read the manuals he demonstrated how to program and then read them for me. If you get two different computers then there will be variations that you'll each have to know. If you're both good with reading the manuals and figuring them out then it's a matter of personal preference. However, if you're both using computers that you wear on your wrist you should make sure that you know how to read one another's computers - again, in case the need arises in the water.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I forgot to add one really important thing if you buy 2 identical computers. You need to mark them so you don't mix them up and swap computers between dives. Its mostly an annoyance on the dive logs until one of you skips a dive and then the Ni loading between dives becomes important one subsequent dives that day.

 

[TSandM]

I second the recommendation to do the Nitrox class at home. Since it can be taught without dives, it's something you should very easily be able to do. When you intend to do a LOT of diving over a short period of time, Nitrox is very useful.

I also think the Zoop is a reasonable computer choice, although right now, LeisurePro has a sale going on an Aladin Tec 2g in a console -- computer AND you get a compass, for $250. That's a really nice computer, and if you want to put it on your wrist, all you have to do is take it out of the console and put it in one of Deep Sea Supply's boots. Uwatec has the best dive logging software I've used yet, although you will have to purchase an infrared dongle to transfer the data to your laptop, if you don't have an IR reader on your computer. If you get two of these computers, you will not have to upgrade until either your eyes get old enough that you can't read the numbers any more, or you start doing trimix

For lights . . . if you dive in murky water, you need power and focus. But for the very clear water in Coz, strong light not only isn't necessary, it can be counterproductive. Take a car headlight underwater with you, and everything nocturnal has fled long before you get there! I love my little Dorcy backup lights for night dives in the tropics. They won't give you a lot of light for photography, but you're going to need flash or strobe at night if you are going to get much of anything, anyway, and the Dorcy lights make great focus lights. We've had ours for a year and a half or so, and they've been very reliable. And they are certainly delightfully inexpensive!

Like others, I would say the BARE minimum you guys should have is three -- but be aware that there can be strong currents in Coz, and it's easy for buddies to be blown a bit away from one another. Especially if your wife is a bit timid, you would not want her alone in the water with no backup light, if her light fails.

 

[highflier]

I assume the budget has a limit. As a more generic thought. I say buy 2 of each, and get good stuff that you can keep for years and years. If that means you can not get it all, then rent the rest of the gear until budget permits. I am buy for 2 ppl also. Besides the snorkle gear which we have, and a single computer old and never used we desided to.

Get good regs (ordered hog d1 cold/sealed)
Get good BCD (I got zeagle she got scuba pro)

Basic set of used gauges.
weights

Future we will add a better wetsuit for her. I think mine will be fine. Then we will add a matching set of computers for us, and treat the old one as a backup/ dive freind loaner. A few family members dive and will visit from time to time, but do not have gear.

I assume you can rent lights for this trip. I say that because they seem expensive and if I was only buying some gear I would want the BC and regs. You get used to a bc and how to wieght yourself, and regs well I just like to know who's spit is in the thing and know that it will work properly.

Highflier