Question Completing beginner setup

[no_one_of_consequence]

I’ve been working with my LDS, and I’m good to go for diving trips with them in terms of gear. I initially rented gear, but now I have my own. I plan to do one more pool session to get used to my equipment, especially the computer. I am OW certified but only have 5 total dives. After OW 1&2 (terrible viz about 20 feet) I did a 25 ft discovery dive with one of my kids. Then OW 3&4 were 60 feet but with great viz. The visibility where I live isn’t great, but I've learned that there are a few shore-diving spots within a couple of hours that are decent. Even though the LDS charter near my house isn’t the best for viz, it’s still cool and the people are great.

Current Gear purchased:

Mask, fins, boots, snorkel

Regulator with octo, BCD

Computer: MK2i with transmitter

Wetsuit: 5mm farmer john (I know these aren’t everyone’s favorite, but I wore it as a rental and liked getting into it more than full suits, plus purchasing the same brand of setup that I rented was relatively cheap).

Items I Don’t Have Yet (Do I need them?):

Knife

Weights: I think the LDS provides them for boat dives, but I’ll need my own for shore dives. Seeing some available on marketplace or will get at LDS

Whistle

Light

Surface marker buoy

Backup pressure gauge (the guys with a ton of dives I talk to tell me "no" but for some reason in the back of my mind it seems like I should have one)

Are these must-haves, or are they more like nice-to-haves? Any other gear you’d recommend?

 

[KenE]

You should have a cutting device, I am not sold on a knife as much as a trilobyte line cutter or shears. I have a knife, just have never needed it, have used the line cutter several times.

I would highly recommend a light, it definitely helps see stuff at 45' for deeper.

If you are boat diving or open water diving with current you will need a DSMB and spool.

I also highly recommend a compass, wrist or hand mount is preferred.

A backup SPG is a personal preference, it is not required, but I carry one and have needed it on a couple dives. It allowed me to continue my dive plan and fix the communication issues on the surface interval.

 

[lowwall]

Items I Don’t Have Yet (Do I need them?):

Buddy for the shore dives.

Knife - you need some sort of cutting tool. It could be a knife, shears or a trilobite line cutter. If there's a lot of possible entanglements (fishing line) where you will be diving, you might want more than one. FWIW I carry on of these $5 EMT shears in its pouch on my waist belt: Emt & Line Shears Piranha Dive Shop |

Whistle - might as well.

Light - not strictly needed, but very nice to have. I think something like the DGX600 button is a great combination of price, size, runtime and brightness for a first light for recreational diving. It can become a backup if you get into more technical diving later on. DGX Gears 600 BUTTON Handheld Light

SMB - make that a DSMB. You do need one.

SPG - Up to you. FWIW, I think it makes sense to have one on a hose with you in case your transmitter somehow gets damaged or (more likely) the battery dies along with the wrench you need to swap the transmitter and hose. If you don't want to have both attached at once, the worst that can happen if your transmitter craps out during a dive is that you have to surface early. If you don't have a backup at all, then your diving is done until you arrange a replacement.

Compass - but you need to know how to use it.

 

[no_one_of_consequence]

You should have a cutting device, I am not sold on a knife as much as a trilobyte line cutter or shears. I have a knife, just have never needed it, have used the line cutter several times.

I would highly recommend a light, it definitely helps see stuff at 45' for deeper.

If you are boat diving or open water diving with current you will need a DSMB and spool.

I also highly recommend a compass, wrist or hand mount is preferred.

A backup SPG is a personal preference, it is not required, but I carry one and have needed it on a couple dives. It allowed me to continue my dive plan and fix the communication issues on the surface interval.

Thank you. You make a good point about the SMB and boat dives, it is the case that the ones I have done so far are swimmable to shore. Spool makes sense too. I will order a cutting device. If you have some light recommendations, please post.

 

[BoltSnap]

Orbit Marine?

 

[BoltSnap]

I have known the owner, Noel, since the late 80's and still in contact with him now. He is a very nice man with very strong following in his community. I'd go with his recommendations. He has survived for circa 50 years in the dive business which says something. Very rare to find somebody like him in the NE US.

 

[BoltSnap]

Diving in RI is awesome btw.

 

[no_one_of_consequence]

I have known the owner, Noel, since the late 80's and still in contact with him now. He is a very nice man with very strong following in his community. I'd go with his recommendations. He has survived for circa 50 years in the dive business which says something. Very rare to find somebody like him in the NE US.

Noel's great. I always end up in the shop longer than I expect listening to his advice. I feel very lucky that his place is near me.

 

[BoltSnap]

Noel's great. I always end up in the shop longer than I expect listening to his advice. I feel very lucky that his place is near me.

Please tell him that I said hello. Tell him his crazy friend from Libya, Burhan. He knows me very well.

 

[KenE]

If you have some light recommendations, please post.

I like the OrcaTorch lights, I have the D710 as primary and D550 as backup. Started with the D550 but found it is not bright enough in our muck during the summer in Puget Sound. The D710 is brighter and sufficient. It has lower settings for night diving and a battery level light on switch.