Certification is costly

[Wibble]

I think it depends more on how often you dive, not where you dive I agree that "vacation" divers-- like one/two trips a year-- maybe it pays to rent. Any more than that and you're better off financially to buy everything and rent only tanks when travelling (assuming you don't live where it's warm). Due to the small amount of weight needed in the tropics, I usually bring my own as well. Plus, with such things as a regulator, it's nice to always have your own.
I dive here 6 months in my wetsuit and very sparingly in the winter (20 minute dives). Never owned a drysuit, but it would be nice.

Drysuits and the associated undies do rack up the costs. Whilst you can use a cheapo drysuit, you soon find their limitations especially in the summer to winter transition.

A decent drysuit's a lot of money, $2000 plus. That's most definitely an investment in comfort and you need to be pretty addicted to diving by then!

 

[TMHeimer]

Drysuits and the associated undies do rack up the costs. Whilst you can use a cheapo drysuit, you soon find their limitations especially in the summer to winter transition.

A decent drysuit's a lot of money, $2000 plus. That's most definitely an investment in comfort and you need to be pretty addicted to diving by then!

Agree. I would have bought one years ago but until Covid and some medical conditions a couple of years before that, we used to spend 3 winter months in Florida.
Of course, there is also the costs, and I'm just the guy who'll break the $300 (so they say) zipper....

 

[Wibble]

Agree. I would have bought one years ago but until Covid and some medical conditions a couple of years before that, we used to spend 3 winter months in Florida.
Of course, there is also the costs, and I'm just the guy who'll break the $300 (so they say) zipper....

Yep, also broke the zipper. Now wax it every other dive!

Wrist and neck seals are the other challenges. For that, aside from lube, there’s user replaceable silicone (and latex) wrist and neck seals (Kubi & Scitec Quick Neck) as they’re bound to go one day.

 

[faze]

I feel that certification costs are far too cheap. Typically in the EU an Open Water certification will cost in the region of 450 Euro... this is for 3 - 4 days of tuition... so between 112 and 150 Euro per day.

This will include equipment, materials, insurance, transport and the instructors time, plus overheads - no to mention the time spent by the instructor in becoming qualified. One of the biggest challenges facing our profession is that we undervalue and under price what we do.

 

[Wibble]

I feel that certification costs are far too cheap. Typically in the EU an Open Water certification will cost in the region of 450 Euro... this is for 3 - 4 days of tuition... so between 112 and 150 Euro per day.

This will include equipment, materials, insurance, transport and the instructors time, plus overheads - no to mention the time spent by the instructor in becoming qualified. One of the biggest challenges facing our profession is that we undervalue and under price what we do.

Rebreather training is nowhere near that amount; way more! Same with the more advanced technical training.

There's that perennial problem with recreational diving that the courses are too cheap. Something has to give and arguably that's the quality -- definitely quality instructor time.