Dive Gear Choice, My Reasons

[Trevormclay]

I recently purchased my gear last year. I purchased a mix of new and used gear.
Although I am in a different predicament where the nearest shop where I would do most of my diving is 180$ a day for the full rental set. The nearest store was over an hour away and they were still 99.99 for 24 hours. I knew I would be diving a few times last summer at the lake and the cost of the rental gear and quality (not bad but not great) made me choose to buy my own gear
Fins: New
Boots: Used but then bought new pair on sale
Mask: New
Wetsuit: 7mm used but 3mm new
BCD: Used by shop owner for one dive to test it
Regulator: I bought a used set from a shop for 150$ (serviced) including console, great starter reg but have since upgraded due to finances changing. Was able to give my old reg to a friend who was buying first set of gear
Computer: Bought new
gloves: Used
Hood: Used

I was able to purchase my whole initial setup for around 650-700 CAD (not including 3mm wetsuit)

 

[84CJ7]

Here are some of my (REALLY) rambling thoughts on the topic of buying equipment.

I consider buying a must for both familiarity and consistency of kit and confidence in quality and condition.

Similar to the saying: "measure twice, cut once", I would say "save twice, buy once".
I outgrew every "great deal" on scuba gear that I found when I was looking to get my starter set together in a hurry.
Then I outgrew all the high end stuff I bought to replace it because even though it was all mostly highly recommended high end stuff, it wasn't the right configuration for me in the long run.

I also realized I was about as hydrodynamic as a sea anchor because it looked like I went through the dive shop with my crap magnet turned up to extra tasty crispy.

Before you buy anything, you need to ignore whats "best" or even whats cheapest because those lead you in the wrong directions, and go research "reasons".
Specifically the "reasons" of tech divers as they have the most demanding diving and usually have made a great many mistakes already.
Go find a group of tech divers and ask them why they own every piece of equipment they have and why they configure it the way they do.
Then you can ask yourself if their reasons make sense to you and are relevant to your intended future diving.
It's not opinions on what you should buy that you want, its reasons why they bought what they did.

Starter gear is just a waste of money, and most gear sold in dive shops (even the really good stuff) is standard recreational diving oriented.
Buy the last set of gear you will ever possibly need up front.

Used is my number one choice now as I think new prices are an absolute joke and the differences between latest and greatest, and "old stuff" are often marginal tech improvements that you wouldn't even notice. Used requires a lot of research and the ability to assess the quality and condition of something , so its not something to just jump into. I also service all my own stuff so I can buy stuff in trashed condition and for the price of rebuild parts make it work very well again.
Often the difference between a good older regulator and the best new one would only be noticed on a flow bench. Flow numbers do not always equate to a difference in actual use. Often the tuning of the reg will turn out to be just as important as the design.

One mistake I made in round 2 of buying that is annoying the hell out of me at the moment was choosing a really nice Zeagle BCD (no complaints about quality or function) and then realizing I really eventually need a back plate and wing for various reasons that would have probably actually have been cheaper.
You can start out just fine on beginner dives with a back plate and wing, but there are limits to what a person can or should do with a regular bcd. Just don't buy a 65lb wing for a single tank tropical dive, do a little homework on how much lift you need as you can always easily change the wing back and forth for different purposes.

Don't trust the dive shop, they recommend whats on their shelf.
And don't trust what the instructor uses, they are like a swimming billboard for the dive shop and often use the most expensive new unit from the brand they are promoting so that you see how great it is.

Also concerning cold water diving, I originally bought a 6.5mm farmer john type wetsuit. It was a stiff piece of crap that trapped air and with the multiple layers had such buoyancy at the surface that I damn near had to ride the anchor to the bottom at which point it compressed and I dropped like a brick unless I carried a bunch of air in my bcd.
Then I switched to a single layer henderson hyperstrech 7mm suit and it feels like I am wearing a 3mm, conforms to my body perfectly so it doesn't trap air, and the lack of the extra layer (and all that trapped air) allowed me to drop a bunch of weight resulting in much more consistent buoyancy.

I'm not sure who all makes equivalent extra stretchy wetsuits right now but they are worth absolutely whatever you have to pay to get one and normal suits become totally unusable to you afterwards. I do not feel I am exaggerating when I say that.
If you need more than a single layer 7mm suit you better start dry suit training.
The same is absolutely true for the hood, anything but the hyperstretch was miserable to wear, and the gloves which even in the hyperstrech aren't perfect as my hands and feet get cold before anything else so the thick gloves I wear make many things difficult.

EDIT: I forgot, concerning computers, I think they all do nitrox these days unless its a cheapy unit, but just make sure. And I would have bought an air integrated unit if I had thought about it more as I now have to keep checking two different pieces of equipment which gets a little irritating.
I do have a wrist mount though which I love as you don't have to hang onto a stupid hose mounted clunky thing while doing three things at once on ascents or descents. Air integrated wrist mounts (wireless transmitter type) are ridiculously expensive though.
Definitely good to buy one for the reason of familiarity mentioned before, they are somewhat irritating to remember everything on when new.

 

[TMHeimer]

84CJ7, I agree with pretty much all you say. Of course, like myself, starter gear for those who intend to never go tech. is probably all you need. Plus, buying all that stuff right away used and most of it from the LDS turned out fine, even if I was just lucky.
I do disagree with going drysuit as opposed to more than one layer 7 mil. The farmer john works for me. Guess it depends on cold tolerance, and how deep into winter you want to dive, whether you are fine doing one shore dive a day in winter, or if you vacation in winter for a month or 2 (snowbirds). Drysuits are expensive. Depends on the individual.

To the OP-- Boots tend to eventually rip or have a zipper problem, and hoods tend to develop a split after a while. Gloves may last forever if you don't use them a lot grabbing rocks underwater or entering on a rocky shore. Always carry spare mask straps (or use those cloth ones), and a spare (old?) mask in the car or on the boat so when your strap breaks you don't have to put on the new one there and can just switch masks.

 

[lerpy]

If I can toss in my 2cents. I would agree that buying gear if your planning on diving regularly is a good way to go, however renting for the first while and trying different things is always a good option before you buy. Also get out and dive and see what others are using and ask them what they like and dislike about their gear etc. It will help you in your purchases.

My next piece of advice, don't go cheap on regs. There have been a couple of comments about how cheap you can get a set of regs, (400$). Do not go cheap on regs. I have seen this several times on divers, cheap regs, expensive wet suit. Go the other way around, inexpensive wetsuit, expensive regs. Regs first and foremost are what keep you alive under water, if they fail your in a world of hurt. Get a good quality very reliable reg set. If you can't afford that then wait on purchasing until you can.

 

[rongoodman]

My next piece of advice, don't go cheap on regs. There have been a couple of comments about how cheap you can get a set of regs, (400$). Do not go cheap on regs. I have seen this several times on divers, cheap regs, expensive wet suit. Go the other way around, inexpensive wetsuit, expensive regs. Regs first and foremost are what keep you alive under water, if they fail your in a world of hurt. Get a good quality very reliable reg set. If you can't afford that then wait on purchasing until you can.

Do you have any evidence to support this contention? By your standards my Hog regs are "cheap" but I've been using them for a number of years, mostly for cave diving, and last I checked, I'm still alive(old, granted, but alive). I doubt there is much difference in actual use between any set of modern, maintained regulators, certainly not at recreational depths. I have several high end regulators bought early on, sitting unused now because they don't allow for clean hose routing in the configurations I'm diving. I would place exposure protection at the top of the list, after mask and fins. An affordable reg set might inspire more confidence than what you're given as a rental at some random dive shop. Since there's so much variation in computers, you're more likely to understand how your own works than quickly getting up to speed on a rental unit that you've never seen before.

 

[Bratface]

Good choice in purchasing a computer. Just my opinion, but next purchase after mask and fins would be regulator and BC. I've owned my own gear from early on but I remember being a new diver and renting gear for a trip. I don't want to ever use a regulator that has been dragged through the sand again. I know how my gear functions and when it was serviced last. As mentioned before, buying your own gear will pay off and you are more likely to dive more often too.

Congratulations on learning to dive as part of your retirement plan. Find your local dive shop and stop in to talk, learn about gear and ask them if they ever get any used as a trade up or if they sell their rental gear. Ask if there is a dive club so you could meet other divers.

 

[lerpy]

Do you have any evidence to support this contention? By your standards my Hog regs are "cheap" but I've been using them for a number of years, mostly for cave diving, and last I checked, I'm still alive(old, granted, but alive). I doubt there is much difference in actual use between any set of modern, maintained regulators, certainly not at recreational depths. I have several high end regulators bought early on, sitting unused now because they don't allow for clean hose routing in the configurations I'm diving. I would place exposure protection at the top of the list, after mask and fins. An affordable reg set might inspire more confidence than what you're given as a rental at some random dive shop. Since there's so much variation in computers, you're more likely to understand how your own works than quickly getting up to speed on a rental unit that you've never seen before.

Thanks for the sarcasm, I would not consider Hog to be cheap, and I hate using the word cheap. I guess I should have used the word good quality. Price does not always reflect quality. Or better stated, make sure you are purchasing a reg that is suitable for your needs. If diving deep and cold, make sure you have a reg to suit that. I do not have data on that, but in my experience I have seen people go into cold water with a warm water reg and end up with free flows at depth. Not saying that can't happen with other regs, but just believe in mitigating risk.

 

[RainPilot]

My advice to students looking to buy gear, in order with reasons. Adapt as per your personal requirements:

1. Mask and fins - Fit is really important and a leaky mask ruins a dive like few other things

2. Environmental gear - Again, fit is important and comfort. Also, hygiene. No-one knows what others have done in that suit before you. IF you are travelling for most of your diving to places where the suit requirements are going to differ widely, this may require to be moved a bit. That being said, a 3mm shorty is pretty damn cheap and will cover a lot of places you may want to dive.

3. Computer - Most dive centres offer rental computers and if you're diving air you can get away with the basic functions, BUT, knowing how it works is a huge help all round. Also, on diving trips, the computer will keep track of your saturation levels over the whole trip as well as no-fly times etc.

4. BCD - A large part of diving safety for especially new divers is reducing the natural stress levels in order to allow clearer thinking and greater enjoyment. A poorly fitting BCD or even one which is not configured like you usually have it can be a tremendous distraction. Buy as simple a system as you are comfortable with, stay away from gimmicks. I have an Oceanic Bio travel BC (back inflate) that bought as a cheap travel BCD and for students to use, my fancy BCD has now been relegated to the rental rack when I dive OC.

5. Regulator set - Don't be shy on this one. Buy a known brand but it doesn't have to be their top model. Mares for example are good value and Ive never had one fail in 16 years. While saving for a reg, ask around on the boat and at the dive sites why people have chosen theirs and see what makes sense to you. DON'T rely on the rental gear rack for inspiration, those regs come as package deals and are not always chosen from a divers standpoint, there are commercial considerations as well. That being said, if you dive a rental you really like, by all means check the user reviews and include it in your list

Of course there are all sorts of ancillary items like SMB, knives etc etc etc but in my experience Ive found that people buy those as they need them on a course or when they see the shiny stand at DEMA etc

I would of course welcome feedback if anyone has suggestions on my list, always looking to improve.

 

[eelnoraa]

My next piece of advice, don't go cheap on regs. There have been a couple of comments about how cheap you can get a set of regs, (400$). Do not go cheap on regs. I have seen this several times on divers, cheap regs, expensive wet suit. Go the other way around, inexpensive wetsuit, expensive regs. Regs first and foremost are what keep you alive under water, if they fail your in a world of hurt. Get a good quality very reliable reg set. If you can't afford that then wait on purchasing until you can.

I think I understand your point on regulator, but let me phrase it a little differently. It is OK to buy cheap/inexpansive regulator, but buy good quality regulator. There seems little correlation between a regulator's quality and its cost above certain price. It is entirely possible to get a set of good quality reg for $400 tho. Also consider a brand that you can get service easily.

But I entirely don't agree on this "Regs first and foremost are what keep you alive under water, if they fail your in a world of hurt". You should plan your dives, such that even if reg fail completely, you should be able to exist safely. Could it be carrying redundancy if you dive solo, or going to buddy if you dive as a team.

I also think a proper fitting suit for the environment is important. In colder water, rec dive, I will take a good wetsuit that fit properly and rental reg over a ill fitting suit with fancy reg.

 

[Neilwood]

I think I understand your point on regulator, but let me phrase it a little differently. It is OK to buy cheap/inexpansive regulator, but buy good quality regulator. There seems little correlation between a regulator's quality and its cost above certain price. It is entirely possible to get a set of good quality reg for $400 tho. Also consider a brand that you can get service easily.

But I entirely don't agree on this "Regs first and foremost are what keep you alive under water, if they fail your in a world of hurt". You should plan your dives, such that even if reg fail completely, you should be able to exist safely. Could it be carrying redundancy if you dive solo, or going to buddy if you dive as a team.

I also think a proper fitting suit for the environment is important. In colder water, rec dive, I will take a good wetsuit that fit properly and rental reg over a ill fitting suit with fancy reg.

I agree with you on the regs - too much emphasis is placed on them being "life support equipment" or similar statements. The main piece of life support equipment a diver should have is that substance between the ears - the brain. All dives, as you rightly say, should be done with either some redundancy (be it a buddy or with additional equipment) or a bailout plan.

To all intents and purposes, most divers would probably not be able to distinguish differences between regs in a blind test unless the test was carried out under extreme conditions (which is where the differences tend to become apparent). So long as they are reliable, correctly inspected, maintained and used in conditions for which they were designed (such as using an environmentally sealed reg in cold water to prevent freezing), then virtually all regs available on the market will do the job. Some might be easier serviced in certain locations or provide better access to parts for self maintained regs though.