Dive Equipment - Thoughts & Opinions

[Day-By-Day]

After two years of debating the thrill of diving with a dear friend and my PADI instructor I am finally on the road to getting certified (final certification...for now at least, will be as an advanced open water diver)

I would like to purchase the gear that I intend to dive with prior to my certifications so that I am trained on the equipment I intend to use. After visiting a variety of local dive shops in the Fort Lauderdale area and after trying on a variety of BCD's, masks and fins, I am now reaching out to those in the know for advice on makes and models that I should be looking at.

My current boyfriend is an accomplished technical diver and although he has his opinion on what I should buy, his opinion does not jive with my PADI instuctor.

So far I have felt most comfortable with Dive Rite equipment and I know how important comfort is in diving but my PADI instructor is concerned that the BCD is back inflated and said..."if you pass out on the surface, your BCD will push you forward in the water."

I take the entire process very seriously and certainly do not want to make any purchasing mistakes, so your advice and opinions will be very welcomed.

Thanks in advance and dive safe!
Karen

 

[Teamcasa]

After two years of debating the thrill of diving with a dear friend and my PADI instructor I am finally on the road to getting certified (final certification...for now at least, will be as an advanced open water diver)

I would like to purchase the gear that I intend to dive with prior to my certifications so that I am trained on the equipment I intend to use. After visiting a variety of local dive shops in the Fort Lauderdale area and after trying on a variety of BCD's, masks and fins, I am now reaching out to those in the know for advice on makes and models that I should be looking at.

My current boyfriend is an accomplished technical diver and although he has his opinion on what I should buy, his opinion does not jive with my PADI instuctor.

So far I have felt most comfortable with Dive Rite equipment and I know how important comfort is in diving but my PADI instructor is concerned that the BCD is back inflated and said..."if you pass out on the surface, your BCD will push you forward in the water."

I take the entire process very seriously and certainly do not want to make any purchasing mistakes, so your advice and opinions will be very welcomed.

Thanks in advance and dive safe!
Karen

Karen, Listen to your boyfriend, if a back inflate BC or BP/W is trimed properly, the face plant does not happen.

 

[dsteding]

Listen to the boyfriend, at least on this issue. I have been in back inflate rigs for ~200 dives now, my first 6 were in a jacket BC, and I can't tell a difference. Your PADI instructor doesn't know what he/she is talking about.

 

[Captain Larry]

The Dive Rite Trans Pac is probably the rig that you are referring to. It is an excellent BCD and if you set the trim weights properly you will have no problems with floating face down.
Buy gear that you like, gear that fits you well, and gear that has a reputation for durability, reliability, and manufacturer support. Dive Rite fits that definition. We carry the Trans Pac and it is by far our most comfortable & best selling BCD.
Whatever you buy, your diving style will develop, change, and evolve as your experience increases. Your taste in gear will probably change too. You will discover something that matches your diving style more closely or something that you just like better than something you have. There's nothing wrong with that.
Manufacturers also tinker with their gear and continuously improve on what's in the field. Buy the best gear that you can afford and then dive it. The more you dive the more comfortable you will be with it and you will be a more proficient diver.
Good luck with your purchases. Congratulations on your decision to take up diving and welcome to the dive community.

 

[TSandM]

I was actually laughing about this during our class on Saturday, as we were lounging on the surface after the debrief. I said, "People always talk about these things pushing your face in the water, but if I stop finning, I end up on my BACK!"

If you don't use a crotch strap and you overinflate the bladder, you can feel a little pushed forward. Otherwise, it's not a problem.

Go read the "What do you wish you had bought earlier?" thread . . . It should prove illuminating.

 

[sambolino44]

What do you think? I mean, are you leaning one way or the other and just have some doubts? I wonder what you would do if left to your own devices.

In my experience (65 dives total), not to mention everyday non-diving experience, when you ask for advice, often you get, "What I would do if I were you..." But you aren't me, and sometimes you have to be brave and tell the "expert" thanks for your advice and then go your own way. People tend to recommend the gear they bought, partly for justification. If your boyfriend is into tech diving, that may not be for you. However, I'm not a tech diver, and I'm real happy with my "Hogarthian" (tech-oriented) rig, but I dive in cold water with a drysuit, and I'm generally happy with gear (in all endeavors) that's probably over-kill technically.

Personally, I've never experienced a problem with "face-down" on the surface, but then I've never really tried to see what would happen if I passed out. I'm usually more concerned with getting ready for the dive, or getting back into the boat.

I think the Dive-Rite soft pack might be a good way to go in warm water. I'm struggling right now with the decision of whether to buy a warm water rig for use just a few times a year, or rent when I go south.

I know I'm rambling, so I'll boil it down to: it seems to me you pretty much know what you want, but are uneasy going against experienced advice. Fair enough. I went through the same thing, and ended up buying some gear that got replaced, but I really don't see how I could have avoided that. I suggest continuing to do what you're already doing: getting as much info as you can from as many different sources as you can, not just your friends. And when I look for info on gear, I look for the negatives. Everybody's so eager to tell you how great the gear they just bought is; that tells you nothing useful. Read the complaints, look for specifics, and take it all with a grain of salt.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

Herer are some general suggestions.

BC: Try several varieties of jacket and back inflate BCs before deciding what you like best. Most folks I know use back inflates, and most serious divers I know use wing and backplate BCs (Including my PADI Instructor friends, BTW). Dive Rite is popular. You might want to try some different styles before you plunk down $400 to $600.

Mask: If it sticks on your face in the dive shop, you won't have any problems with your mask leaking. Other than that, pick out what you like.

Fins: I have the split fin variety but I'm not convinced that it was the right purchase. Most of the time you won't be trying to outrun something so the advertized speed advantage of the split fin is sort of useless. And there are some specialized kicks that are easier with a normal style of fin. Just make sure that they are bright yellow so your boyfriend can keep track of you in low viz.

I guess the point is that you have to try different types of gear to see what suites you best (at this time). If there was a perfect gear set up, then we'd all be diving Dive Rite... I mean using it.

 

[--tom--]

I was just thinking along the same lines of TSandM regarding an overinflated bladder and a loose crotch strap. I some times I see the face-plant issue when the diver is overweighted, and if that is the case, then the problem is with the instructor (who is being paid to recognize and correct such issues).

Your comfort with your equipment will go a long way to keep you diving and improving your diving skills.

 

[livewire]

I'm with the other guys, Karen, listen to your man and your instincts, they can't both steer you wrong. Good to question though. My wife dives with a Zeagle, which is also back inflation BC similar to the Dive Rite, and this floating-face-down issue is generally not a concern. Weights and tank help to balance it out. There is a lot of debate over back inflation vs jacket style BCD, and you can read about it for days here on SB, but in the end it boils down to what you feel most comfortable diving in. My wife, who is, well, "curvy" up top, has had trouble feeling comfortable in jacket BCD's when inflated, but no problems at all in the back inflation Zeagle that she wears now. Also, there are literally thousands of people and many many dive professionals who wear this style of BCD, including myself and your very experienced boyfriend. We can't all be wrong! Plus if it were a safety issue, you'd be hearing much much more about this. Anyway, best of luck.

 

[fisheater]

I just got certified this weekend.

I was using a back-inflate Zeagle with a 65 pound Tech bladder. When I pumped it up the way, I did have a SLIGHT tendency to lean forward, but I wasn't doing any face plants. Some simple finning would put me on my back, floating on a wonderful cushion.

My instructor? He, too, uses a back-inflate Zeagle for pool work and he uses his backplate and wing for ocean dive instruction. He didn't face plant, either.

Remember:NO BC IS AN APPROVED LIFE VEST! If you're on the surface and unconscious, you're in trouble, no matter what.

Besides, after you're certified your instructor is just another guy you've dove with. Your boyfriend, however, will (we hope) still be your boyfriend.