certification cost

[MikeS]

FYI,

My open water course, confined portion just completed, was $250 plus the student pack about $40.

They required you buy mask, snorkel, fins (with boots if required), and a weight belt. I spent about $360 on them. My only advice here is; don’t go cheap on the mask. The mask, how well it fits/seals, will have more impact on your enjoyment of the class than any other equipment. It should seal well without having to make the strap so tight you have a red ring around your face for the rest of the day.

After the initial signup and after digesting as much information as I could, I purchased the rest of my gear (regulator, BC, dive computer and wetsuit). The best sources of information I found were this board and Rodales (http://www.scubadiving.com/).

If you can afford it, and it makes sense with future plans, I would purchase a wetsuit. I did and was glad. Many of the other students struggled with the rental wet suits, either they were too tight and hard to get on, or too loose and they got cold. Whether you use a rental or buy a wetsuit take time to find a good fit. I saw a lot of students try on, and settle on, the first suit they were handed. I spent two hours buying mine. I tried on at least three sizes of two different manufactures (Henderson and Parkway) and selected the best fit. Never having worn a wetsuit before I was not sure what constituted a good fit. If you take the time to try on multiple sizes it becomes obvious which size is more comfortable yet without the wrinkles indicating it’s too loose.

Mike

 

[GeekDiver]

JetBlast,

I'll let you know about that soon enough. I sold some stock to pay for it all. The check should arive in the next day or so. I will be hitting them up in the next week or so to check on prices and fit and hopefully to try in a Pool. What I hope they will let me do is demo stuff in the pool during the classes while I make up my mind and then just apply the price of the class to the gear purchase.

I want to buy now while I'm learning because that way I won't have to explain or justify the cost to the better half

(read:The Wife who won't take up diving with me and can't understand why I'm spending money for it and does't want me to spend any at all)

why I'm spending more money after the clases also it will cost less to dive not having to rent again makeing it easer to say to the better half I'm going diving this weekend and no I'm not spending $50 to rent gear on top of the diving.

 

[Hawk]

I let the wife know on several occasions that diving was something I really wanted to try out, but that I couldn't afford the money for it. I said this again several times near my birthday. When I heard of one of her friends getting certified locally, I mentioned it again. On my birthday she gave me a receipt for the class which she had paid for. It cost $300 and included everything. I had to buy nothing. I did not care for the masks they had to offer, so I bought my own. After it was all said and done I researched which gear I wanted knowing a little more about it and got what I wanted. The wife was behind me all the way at this point since it was "her idea" in the first place!




Later,. Hawk.

 

[GeekDiver]

Hawk,

I wish I was your neighbor so my wife could've talked to your wife. I have been making hints since last June when I took all my kid to mexico and took an Intro to Scuba and shore dive. I tried to get the wife to go then but the closest I got was a Sub ride which she thought was nice.

Regards,
GD

 

[Hawk]

The real bummer of the whole process was that we both wanted her to get certified also, but she can't. As I went through class I realized that someone with stress induced asthma can't dive. She will get anxiety attacks from time to time and this just won't cut it for diving. I really wanted her to be my diving partner. Now I am forced to try to get some friends interested, but back around comes the old cost of diving thing. It doesn't help that several of the people I know who are certified can't seem to find the time to go, and that makes it hard to convince someone else that it is worth it.





Later, Hawk.

 

[earlj]

Finally got around to entering this. Checked with LDS re: cost.
N.A.U.I. - O/W cert. $295.
You supply - mask, fins, snorkel, 6lb. weights for pool
O/W dives over one weekend in June, supply all your own gear or LDS will rent you all you need for $100.00

These prices are in $CDN.

 

[jpdunc]

You need to come to Florida. A Crystal River area dive shop (email me if you want the name) charges $225 for the class and that includes use of ALL equipment.

I purchased all of the basics including wet suit--I didn't like the idea of a "used" one-- and mask, fins, booties, and snorkle prior to the class, but I could have used theirs.

They also include three freshwater dives with them after certification as long as they have some paying customers going anyway.

They tailored the class schedule to fit ours and it went quite well.

 

[scubabunny]

$750.00 for a snorkel set, 2 mouthpieces and a bag?? What brand are they selling??

Our shop sells Scubapro, which is supposed to be one of the highest priced manuafacuturers. For the TOP LINE fins snorkel mask and boots, it would cost about $450.00. (I'm rounding it off from the MSRP from what I remember..I'm not at work, so I don't know the exact figures). Twinjets...$200.00. Boots...$100.00. Mask...$100.00. Snorkel...$50.00.

Ok...mouthpiece..add on another $24.00 for scubapro. Bag...get it at Kmart.

Let me know what manufacturers your shop carries, and I will get MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) for you. The idea of $750.00 for that is outrageous! I think you are really being ripped off!

 

[NetPro]

My wife would never have gone for the $$ outlay except that we're doing it as a family thing. Me and my 2 sons. My wife won't do it (claustrophobic, doesn't swim) but she said something about Beach, Book and Margarita.

"It's a life skill for the boys. Everyone should have the experience of diving. They will enjoy themselves for the rest of thier lives. Gee, I have to go with them to make sure it's safe."

Now the LDS and the Credit card company love me.

I got "permenant" stuff (I'm only growing out). Twin Jet Fins $189, Dacor Mask $75, Scubapro deck boots $57, existing snorkel $0. Getting a Scubapro accent BC rented 2x primo cond $300.

Kids got Scubapro VCA fins $60, Scubapro deck boots $57, existing snorkel $0, Existing Masks $0. Looking for Wetsuits / BCs / regs now.

The regs will probably be Aqualung Titan LX. Confined is done. I will probably get them before the OW portion when the weather warms.

I'm nervous about the wetsuits and BC's because they are teenagers and growing like weeds. I have to lease Ski boots because they normally get exchanged for a larger size halfway through the winter.

Anyone diving with kids? Do you rent the stuff they will only fit in for a year or 2?



NetPro the newbie

 

[NetPro]

My wife would never have gone for the $$ outlay except that we're doing it as a family thing. Me and my 2 sons. My wife won't do it (claustrophobic, doesn't swim) but she said something about Beach, Book and Margarita.

"It's a life skill for the boys. Everyone should have the experience of diving. They will enjoy themselves for the rest of thier lives. Gee, I have to go with them to make sure it's safe."

Now the LDS and the Credit card company love me.

I got "permenant" stuff (I'm only growing out). Twin Jet Fins $189, Dacor Mask $75, Scubapro deck boots $57, existing snorkel $0. Getting a Scubapro accent BC rented 2x primo cond $300.

Kids got Scubapro VCA fins $60, Scubapro deck boots $57, existing snorkel $0, Existing Masks $0. Looking for Wetsuits / BCs / regs now.

The regs will probably be Aqualung Titan LX. Confined is done. I will probably get them before the OW portion when the weather warms.

I'm nervous about the wetsuits and BC's because they are teenagers and growing like weeds. I have to lease Ski boots because they normally get exchanged for a larger size halfway through the winter.

Anyone diving with kids? Do you rent the stuff they will only fit in for a year or 2?



NetPro the newbie