Buying used/new equipment on eBay/craigslist...

[JRScuba]

I would not buy used life support equipment. IMHO

Also, I have used ( still) and Air Source and love it. It has
saved my bacon a couple of times because of where it is located. JMO

 

[pwscottiv]

I would not buy used life support equipment. IMHO

Also, I have used ( still) and Air Source and love it. It has
saved my bacon a couple of times because of where it is located. JMO

I bought the regulator new, but from eBay where it only cost about $320 for a AquaLung Legend LX Supreme. Most of the other equipment will be used, but it's all high-quality stuff. I purchased my skydiving rig used too... Which I'd say is a tad more critical than any scuba gear... As long as I have a good buddy. With skydiving your equipment works or you die almost instantly with no option to be saved by a buddy. Not downplaying the risks one assumes by scuba diving, I think there's a little more margin for error though. If, hypothetically, my reg, bcd, or whatever fails, my buddy should be there anyways. And before anyone goes jumping to conclusions that I'm going to be overly dependent on my buddy, that's just not true... I'd like to be as self-sufficient as possible... That's why I was asking about buying a spare-air... I think I'm going to go with a small pony system instead due to the negative opinion of several people on here.

 

[pwscottiv]

Oh, they are just gonna LOVE you at the shop!

Why not give the shop a chance to work with you on price before buying elsewhere? You might be surprised! Explain your budget constraints and see what they'll do. If you do that and end up buying used gear I think they'll be more understanding than if you just show up with a bunch of gear bought elsewhere asking THEM to tune it up and show you how to use it.

If the "guys at the shop" can't dive a standard rig without "stuff dragging behind them" you might want to find another shop to get certified at!

I did work on a price with them, but it still was going to cost about $800 more for me to get the gear through them even after they took the price down by about 20%... I can't see how that's a good idea. I am going to go by the shop and give the owner $40 for his time... Nobody came into the shop while I was there, so it's not like he was missing out on selling stuff to other people.

As far as the AirSourceII goes, that was just one of the reasons they gave me. I'm pretty sure these guys are knowledgeable... Just because they like a particular piece of gear doesn't make them idiots or anything, and like someone else said, the AirSourceII actually costs LESS than other options, so what would they be getting out of the deal by lying to me to sell something that costs less? I'm actually considering configuring my rig with both... Then I can choose to get rid of the octo if I don't want it AND regardless of whether I do that or not, I'll keep the AirSourceII... Which could (although unlikely) come in handy one day as a second backup reg.

 

[wlb03]

If the items are new I don't need to have them serviced do I? The first time I'll be trying them is in a pool, so It's not like I'm going to die or anything.

I have just purchased a "new" Sherwood Blizzard through ebay, it was a "store display model". I have since done some research and to find out it is quite an older model. My LDC recommended to "play with it in the pool all you want but, before going on an OW dive it would be highly recommended to get it serviced due to the possibility of the o-rings drying out."
With giving the price that I did was a good deal. Then paying for S&H and getting it serviced.... I wasn't but about $10-$20 under a new one after my student discount.:sad:

However, the computer console that I purchased, through ebay, ended up being about $100 under my discounted LDC. And my LDC has been most supportive of my decision to try to save money. I would think that any reputable dive center would.
With hind site being 20/20 I just wish that I had taken a little more time to do the research before jumping in to quick. I have put a halt to my purchasing until I try others equipment, I have a great group of friends with plenty of stuff that are more to willing to help.
It's very easy to get wrapped up in buying equipment when you want to get on with diving... I know, I did.

 

[pwscottiv]

I have just purchased a "new" Sherwood Blizzard through ebay, it was a "store display model". I have since done some research and to find out it is quite an older model. My LDC recommended to "play with it in the pool all you want but, before going on an OW dive it would be highly recommended to get it serviced due to the possibility of the o-rings drying out."
With giving the price that I did was a good deal. Then paying for S&H and getting it serviced.... I wasn't but about $10-$20 under a new one after my student discount.:sad:

However, the computer console that I purchased, through ebay, ended up being about $100 under my discounted LDC. And my LDC has been most supportive of my decision to try to save money. I would think that any reputable dive center would.
With hind site being 20/20 I just wish that I had taken a little more time to do the research before jumping in to quick. I have put a halt to my purchasing until I try others equipment, I have a great group of friends with plenty of stuff that are more to willing to help.
It's very easy to get wrapped up in buying equipment when you want to get on with diving... I know, I did.

I'm pretty skilled with buying things online, but I did have some specific questions about what to look for with respect to SCUBA equipment, so I asked those questions here. I think I got some really awesome deals on my gear... For example, I just got a brand new AquaLung Legacy LX Supreme regulator for $320 ($675 retail) and a SeaQuest Black Diamond BCD for $340 ($725 retail). Unfortunately, I'm not new to having to roll out a lot of cash for gear... SCUBA is only a fraction of the cost of Skydiving and rock climbing gear.

 

[RJP]

I'm actually considering configuring my rig with both... Then I can choose to get rid of the octo if I don't want it AND regardless of whether I do that or not, I'll keep the AirSourceII... Which could (although unlikely) come in handy one day as a second backup reg.

So which is it, is your budget tight, or do you have enough money to buy extra gear you don't need?

 

[halocline]

I would not buy used life support equipment. IMHO

Also, I have used ( still) and Air Source and love it. It has
saved my bacon a couple of times because of where it is located. JMO

Are you honestly saying that the combination alternate air/inflator has saved your life because of "where it is located"? Meaning that you would be unable to find a standard secondary, and consequently would have drowned? And that this has happened "a couple of times"?

If that's the case, then buying used life support would be the least of your problems. Or was your post more rhetorical than based on actual facts?

 

[halocline]

SCUBA is only a fraction of the cost of Skydiving and rock climbing gear.

If you skydive and rock climb, I think I'm starting to understand the spare air and two alternates ideas. Well, recreational scuba diving is about a thousand times safer than either skydiving or rock climbing, so rest easy. OW diving means you can safely ascend to the surface at any time during the dive. Reg failures in a well serviced decent reg are VERY rare, and almost always related to free flows rather than air stoppage. Running OOA, as long as you're careful and attentive, is likewise very rare; almost always caused by simply carelessness. Taking a pony, spare air, or additional secondary air source is unlikely to add to your safety by any measurable amount, and in fact may be theoretically "less" safe.

I would suggest you get the minimal gear you NEED, and do some diving. After 50 dives or so I have a feeling you'll have a much better sense about safe diving practices and the equipment involved.

 

[Codyjp]

On thursday I sold a pair of fins through scubaboard, (the guy came and picked them up at my work) and later in the afternoon i recieved an HID light that I found on Craigslist in Georgia (im in Ca). So far so good.

In general divers aren't the 'screw the next guy' type.

I have had great luck!

 

[pwscottiv]

So which is it, is your budget tight, or do you have enough money to buy extra gear you don't need?

The deal is that I don't have a lot of money, BUT I also put a VERY high value on my life... So setting myself up with a very reliable/redundant system is 1st priority. IMO buying brand new junk is much less safe than buying top of the line equipment that's been lightly used...