Do NOT rent regulators

[Ardy]

I have been reading threads on this site for the last few months and I'm shocked by the number of divers who rent regs and BC's.

A regulator is so critical to a safe and comfortable dive why would you leave it up to somebody else to provide this for you? A BC isn't quite so bad but I would still suggest that all divers own theirs, particularly if they have to change hoses to fit your reg because this is another point of potential failure.

A second hand, good quality reg, can be bought on ebay for $100 why wouldn't you get one. BTW get it serviced before you use it and then get used to it.

 

[NudeDiver]

Just curious - do you sell regulators and/or BCs?

 

[*dave*]

I have been reading threads on this site for the last few months and I'm shocked by the number of divers who rent regs and BC's.

A regulator is so critical to a safe and comfortable dive why would you leave it up to somebody else to provide this for you? A BC isn't quite so bad but I would still suggest that all divers own theirs, particularly if they have to change hoses to fit your reg because this is another point of potential failure.

A second hand, good quality reg, can be bought on ebay for $100 why wouldn't you get one. BTW get it serviced before you use it and then get used to it.

I would continue to rent if:

1) I dived less than six times a year
2) I was new and unsure about my needs

On the other hand, I'd be extremely reluctant to buy critical gear off of Ebay. That's where old rental regs get sold for a hundred bucks.

 

[mrfixitchapman]

I've rented some good stuff and I've rented some bad stuff. I rented for the first ~80 dives. Found out which stuff I didn't like and didn't buy it.

My 2psi

DC

 

[Rhone Man]

I own my own regs, but when I travel, I rent where I go rather than take them with me.

Personally, I feel pretty comfortable renting regs from a professional dive store that they will be maintained and kept in good working order. If perchance a reg fails, which can happen even to the best of them, well then I will have to hope all that training pays off.

 

[CalgaryDF]

I can see why you wouldn't want to rent a regulator if you dove frequently, but for people who don't dive a lot it sometimes makes more sense to rent. Also, renting can let you try a few different products before deciding what to buy.

As far as the quality of rental regulators goes, good shops will often have better regulators than you might find on Ebay and they will be maintained properly.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Personally, a rental reg will get regular maintenence. Believe me, by far the worst regs I servcie are privately owned. Some of THOSE people would be far safer renting.

I do agree a good reg off e-bay can be an excellent deal. But you have to know what you are buying to both kow how it will perform and how you will get it serviced. And you should bid with the understanding you'll have to get it serviced.

 

[Hoomi]

The major rule on Ebay is "caveat emptor". You can find some incredible deals on Ebay, and you can also find some major rip-offs, no matter what category of merchandise you're looking for.

We used the rental regulators from the LDS for our dive class, and for our cert dives. They worked fine for us, and from what I saw, for everyone else on the dive trip that rented them.

A good LDS will take care of their rental equipment. Not only is it in their best interest from a liability standpoint, but also from a repeat business standpoint. If the equipment I rent from this shop is garbage, then you can bet I won't be going back to that shop to rent the next time I need something. It's also a good bet that I won't be buying equipment from them, and I won't utilize their tech services for any maintenance on equipment I own. After all, if they're not taking care of their own stuff, why should I expect them to take care of mine?

I do agree it's a good idea to buy your own equipment when you can. When you use the same equipment each time, you know what its characteristics are when it's working properly, so you'll also be likely to notice when it's starting to degrade and need maintenance. You'll know how it has been taken care of, when it was last inspected and/or serviced, and you can customize it to your liking, such as the Sea-Cure type mouthpiece.

A blanket statement of "Don't rent", however, paints all dive shops in a negative light, and furthers the perception that only those with ample money to dump on all their equipment RIGHT NOW can take up diving. A lot of people aren't ready to drop $400 for a BC, $400 for a reg set-up, $200 for gages, $300 for a computer, $150 for a wet suit, $80 for fins, $70 for the mask, $100 for belt and weights, $40 for neoprene boots, $20 for a snorkel, and whatever other incidentals they might need or want, before they even get certified and decide whether they like scuba diving or not.

$1750 - $2000 or more might be "pocket change" to some people, but to a lot of working folk like me, it's a major investment for a recreational sport, and moreso if you have more than one member of the household taking it up. Renting allows us to enjoy the sport while watching for good deals on equipment when we have the money to spend on it.

 

[Doubler]

When is the last time you saw a dive shop sanitize a mouthpiece? I never have but that is just me. Most just dip them in a barrel of water that just had peed in wetsuits in it. If I ever had to rent I would buy a new mouthpiece and have it installed.

 

[Hoomi]

Um, you do know that YOU can sanitize a mouthpiece yourself, right? If you don't think the shop is properly disinfecting the mouthpieces, it's a relatively minor cost to pick up disinfecting wipes and use them yourself.

Heck, it's probably not such a bad idea to wipe down your own mouthpiece after it's been sitting a little while, just in case any residual bacteria has decided to grow on it. I've read experts that say it's a good idea to dump boiling water over your toothbrush from time to time for the same reason.

The human mouth is not exactly a pristine, clean environment.