Eager new guy seeking equipment advice (mostly purchase order)

[ReefHound]

Ok, thanks again for the advice! I am eagerly digesting it all. Keep it coming!


I will start a profile. I didn't know such a thing existed to list your equipment, but I will get right to it!

The most important part is your location so people can recommend local shops and dive sites, and your training/experience so people know about where on the learning curve you're at.

 

[tank29]

Ahh, ok! I am in the Clear Lake area of Houston, TX.

I have already found Sports Divers on 45S and Nasa Rd 1. They have been pretty helpful, but of course, they push the equipment they carry (not that there is anything wrong with that; I have purchased some equipment from them). I just like to get as much data and opinions as possible, to find what will be right for me.

I haven't made it up the dive shop in Houston on Westhemier (can't recall the name, atm).

Any other information from me that will help you guys?

 

[ReefHound]

Ok tank29, got a name? We won't bite.

I've found the best source of dive buddies and unbiased (as in no vested interest) source of advice is a local dive club. I'm partial to CHUM which can be accessed from my tag line. In your area there is also Lunar Fins, which originated within NASA. And Houston Underwater Club has been around the longest. They are all distinctly different yet share a common love and are collaborators, not competitors.

We have everyone from newbies to divemasters to instructors in our club. Most of the local players - LDS owners, charter operators, etc. (yes, including Capt. Randy from Sport Divers) - come to our monthly meetings. A local dive club is the way to go to dive regularly, both local and group trips. Our trips range from exotic (Egypt/Sharm in Sept 07) to Caribbean (Belize, Cozumel, Bonaire, etc) to domestic (road trips to Florida) to regional (various locations in Texas). Many of them are extended weekends to minimize time off from work and done on as tight a budget as practical.

I was logging about 6 dives a year on vacation before joining CHUM 2 years ago and have logged over 100 dives since. In fact, we will be at Twin Lakes tomorrow morning, having lunch at the Naked Rib, then driving down to tour Mammoth Lake and see where all the good stuff is located before it fills with water.

Todd

 

[stever2002]

In case you haven't check it out, here is a good link on the "What to by first, BC or Reg" discussion.

Just one more piece of info for you to digest,

...steve...

 

[tank29]

Thanks again, I'll check out that article.

Also, I was planning on checking out Lunarfins, b/c of it's proximity (but I will likely have a conflict on Wednesday nights). I will check out CHUM as well!

And you'll have to forgive me for over a decades' worth of internet born paranoia in keeping my nom-de-plume. Everyone here is more than welcome to call me Dave!

I appreciate everyone's advice!

Dave

 

[Willie]

I talked the shop that certified me into selling me a used BC & reg for a very reasonable price. My shop cycles their gear every two years, some shops cycle every year. I got a 1 year old reg set and a very good, but well used 2 year old, BC for quite a nice price. An added benefit for me at least was it was the exact same gear I had used when certifying.

Dont be afraid to ask the shops for used gear. And watch places like scubaboard for folks selling. But, get someone who can give you some good advice. Ie. be a smart buyer and not in a big hurry. This time of year it seems to me that a lot of folks are selling scuba gear since it is getting cooler and most folks are looking for extra cash this time of year.

Willie

 

[ZzzKing]

You can get a cheap*ss 3 mil wetsuit at Academy for $80. It'll last you for several years. The last one I bought is 15 months old (~50 dives) and is in great shape. It will also be enough exposure protection for 6 months of diving per year in Texas. Add a hooded vest and some gloves and you should be good from March till October. Don't rent a wetsuit. You need one that fits well and consistently finding a rental that does is chancy.

After a wetsuit I'd get a BC and reg set, preferably at the same time so you have a little negotiating leverage.

 

[Debraw]

I have two suits for Texas. A Drysuit for November through April and then I switch to a two piece 3MM suit from May through October. In the warmer summer months I take the jacket off and just use the John/Jane portion. I also have a beanie and a regular dry hood, with a pair of reef gloves, 5MM gloves and dry gloves. This combination of scuba suits as given the most versatility for lakes, cold water and Caribbean diving. Good luck, have fun and welcome to the board.

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

Tank, everyone has some great advice for your questions and I am by far a huge Scubatoys fan. Since you are in Houston try checking out Gander Mountain on 45 North in Spring. It may be a bit of a hike but they have a pretty large SCUBA area with a good selection of items from multiple manufacturers with very good prices and a helpful, knowledgeable staff. I have been in that dive shop in Webster you mentioned and found them pushy as well. There are some other good shops in Houston but you'll probably have to drive a little for some better service.
Bubblehead's SCUBA - On the North Side, brand new shop, really nice guys running the place, thet do Genesis and Oceanic.
Gigglin Marlin - Never been to their shop but want to, I did meet a couple of their employees/divers diving at Aquarena and they were really nice.
Hydrosports - the dive shop in Lake Jackson for Mammoth Lake, Brand new store Pictures look great.
WW Diving - Another little hike to Humble, this shop comes highly recomended from a good friend of mine (yet another I would like to visit.)
Kickady SCUBA - is in the Woodlands and is run by a really nice family that just loves to dive, and they have a Tiki-Bar IN THE SHOP!!!
Houston SCUBA Academy - I'm pretty sure this is the oldest dive shop in Houston, I got certified through a sister store (now defunct) back in 1989, there still in buisness so they must be doing something right, good size store and they're a Scubapro dealer (best regulators in my opinion.)
Also check out the City Of Houston Underwater Mariners Social Diving Club - or CHUM for short, a great group of fun loving divers in the Houston area who dive a lot and have monthly drink-er-I-mean meetings at the Stag's Head Pub near downtown.
Don't forget SEASPACE is coming at the end of March to the Reliant Center, Awesome SCUBA convention and great place for killer deals on gear and travel.

Hope this helps, PM me if I can give any other assistance.

 

[JessH]

Personally I would say a 3mm wetsuit and regs should be the first two items you buy. The wetsuit shouldn't cost you very much ($80-$150) and one that fits well is important for your comfort. You can add a hooded vest at some point and then you can dive most of the year($50-$150). This is also the cheapest way to save money on rentals since it is one of the less expensive items yet often costs as much as the more expensive ones to rent. I personally feel that you should buy your own regs rather early on if you can afford it since it is the center of your life support equipment. It is what allows you to breath, and I personally want to have regs that I know I can trust. I have also breathed quite a few rental regs that took a lot of the fun out of diving (wet, hard to breath, etc..)

You will want to wait on the BC because if you stick around on scubaboard long there is a good chance that someone will convince you to go with a backplate and wing setup. By waiting you don't have to sell a jacket bc later

~Jess