mountainsean
Contributor
Hi folks-
Longtime lurker and dive noob here, seeking some feedback on my setup. Quick background: I'm basically a once or twice a year vacation diver, so far just the Caribbean, though I have done a handful of cold lake dives here in Colorado (some very cold - 39F in a wetsuit with 1' viz is not pleasant!). My only formal training is the basic OW class and nitrox (the theoretical added safety margin appeals to me and, well, I got a deal on the class). I'm 38, athletic/fit, and comfortable in the water, but I'm not a regular (pool) swimmer. I'm very interested in dive safety (reading tons of safety-related threads here, reading books/articles on dive accidents, etc.), but I'm also guilty of doing some less than safe things like diving with instabuddies from cattle boats and not practicing my skills as often as I should.
So anyway, here's my gear setup, along with my thinking behind each bit, based in no small part to what I've read here. Would love to hear some feedback/suggestions, or maybe just spark some good discussion.
Thanks,
Sean
BCD: Scubapro Knighthawk. I wanted back floatation but wasn't ready to go all the way to a BP/W setup. I wanted integrated weights having had some bad experiences with discomfort with standard weight belts as well as slippage issues. The weight pocket releases on the Knighthawk seem pretty bulletproof - you'd have to really really work at releasing them accidentally. I really like the BCD, just wish it was a little lighter/compact for travel and had better pockets.
Reg: nothing fancy, Scubapro MK11/395
Octo: Air2. Yeah, I know, I know. But for me the advantages of a streamlined setup outweighed the potential disadvantages. I almost always use my shoulder dump valve for ascents, so I'm not really concerned about needing to work the deflate button with the reg in my mouth. I practice breathing from it most dives and feel comfy with it.
SPG: standard dial gauge, routed under left arm and clipped off to D-ring on BCD.
Computer: Uwatec Aladin wrist mount. Took a while to learn all the screens, but otherwise works well. Prefer easy-glance access of the wrist mount.
Compass: wrist mount, replaced regular strap with bungee cord for easy on/off.
Snorkel: foldable model attached to my BCD. I haven't really used my snorkel and prefer not to have it on my mask while diving, but figured it's a good safety item to have on me worst-case.
Fins: some rigid Tusas, which I find uncomfortable enough (ankle strain, periodic cramping, probably because I don't swim frequently enough) that I'm seriously considering some Seawing Novas.
Mask: Some Tusa model with a clear skirt - won't make that mistake again. Why do they even sell these? So much glare in sunny conditions, and no increase in FOV otherwise.
SMB: DAN safety sausage with mirror/whistle/glowstick in integrated pocket. No reel. I've read about reels, but I've never actually seen anyone dive with one nor do I have any training with them. How common are these in typical Caribbean reef (boat) diving?
Lights: two compact LED dive lights in my BCD. I've done one night dive and these seemed perfectly adequate - hope to do more soon!
Cutting tool: shears in a holster attached to my BCD. Considering a second small knife, not sure if that's overkill.
Pony/spareair: none (I know, another hotbutton). This is one area I keep considering and reconsidering, mainly because of the instabuddy factor (I'm very diligent about gas management, this is more of a concern for equipment failure). The best answer is only dive with safe buddies, but that's easier said than done. I come from a climbing background that puts a strong emphasis on self-rescue (yes you usually have a buddy/belayer, but he can't always help you if you get into trouble a ways up - or down). The scuba world obviously puts a heavy emphasis on buddy safety, but I'm always a bit skeptical that a relative stranger is going to do the right thing for me underwater no matter how safe he sounds pre-dive. So a redundant air source seems prudent, but also seems like 1) a major hassle, esp. for travel, 2) overkill for my diving habits.
Longtime lurker and dive noob here, seeking some feedback on my setup. Quick background: I'm basically a once or twice a year vacation diver, so far just the Caribbean, though I have done a handful of cold lake dives here in Colorado (some very cold - 39F in a wetsuit with 1' viz is not pleasant!). My only formal training is the basic OW class and nitrox (the theoretical added safety margin appeals to me and, well, I got a deal on the class). I'm 38, athletic/fit, and comfortable in the water, but I'm not a regular (pool) swimmer. I'm very interested in dive safety (reading tons of safety-related threads here, reading books/articles on dive accidents, etc.), but I'm also guilty of doing some less than safe things like diving with instabuddies from cattle boats and not practicing my skills as often as I should.
So anyway, here's my gear setup, along with my thinking behind each bit, based in no small part to what I've read here. Would love to hear some feedback/suggestions, or maybe just spark some good discussion.
Thanks,
Sean
BCD: Scubapro Knighthawk. I wanted back floatation but wasn't ready to go all the way to a BP/W setup. I wanted integrated weights having had some bad experiences with discomfort with standard weight belts as well as slippage issues. The weight pocket releases on the Knighthawk seem pretty bulletproof - you'd have to really really work at releasing them accidentally. I really like the BCD, just wish it was a little lighter/compact for travel and had better pockets.
Reg: nothing fancy, Scubapro MK11/395
Octo: Air2. Yeah, I know, I know. But for me the advantages of a streamlined setup outweighed the potential disadvantages. I almost always use my shoulder dump valve for ascents, so I'm not really concerned about needing to work the deflate button with the reg in my mouth. I practice breathing from it most dives and feel comfy with it.
SPG: standard dial gauge, routed under left arm and clipped off to D-ring on BCD.
Computer: Uwatec Aladin wrist mount. Took a while to learn all the screens, but otherwise works well. Prefer easy-glance access of the wrist mount.
Compass: wrist mount, replaced regular strap with bungee cord for easy on/off.
Snorkel: foldable model attached to my BCD. I haven't really used my snorkel and prefer not to have it on my mask while diving, but figured it's a good safety item to have on me worst-case.
Fins: some rigid Tusas, which I find uncomfortable enough (ankle strain, periodic cramping, probably because I don't swim frequently enough) that I'm seriously considering some Seawing Novas.
Mask: Some Tusa model with a clear skirt - won't make that mistake again. Why do they even sell these? So much glare in sunny conditions, and no increase in FOV otherwise.
SMB: DAN safety sausage with mirror/whistle/glowstick in integrated pocket. No reel. I've read about reels, but I've never actually seen anyone dive with one nor do I have any training with them. How common are these in typical Caribbean reef (boat) diving?
Lights: two compact LED dive lights in my BCD. I've done one night dive and these seemed perfectly adequate - hope to do more soon!
Cutting tool: shears in a holster attached to my BCD. Considering a second small knife, not sure if that's overkill.
Pony/spareair: none (I know, another hotbutton). This is one area I keep considering and reconsidering, mainly because of the instabuddy factor (I'm very diligent about gas management, this is more of a concern for equipment failure). The best answer is only dive with safe buddies, but that's easier said than done. I come from a climbing background that puts a strong emphasis on self-rescue (yes you usually have a buddy/belayer, but he can't always help you if you get into trouble a ways up - or down). The scuba world obviously puts a heavy emphasis on buddy safety, but I'm always a bit skeptical that a relative stranger is going to do the right thing for me underwater no matter how safe he sounds pre-dive. So a redundant air source seems prudent, but also seems like 1) a major hassle, esp. for travel, 2) overkill for my diving habits.
