Equipment for new divers

[large_diver]

Jim,

A few words on the Air2...

Some folks like them due to the simplicity. You eliminate an extra hose and the "danglies" associated with having an octopus/back-up reg hanging from your BC.

Others are very anti-Air2 due to:
- Inflator/deflator is hard to use if you are holding it in your mouth
- Hose is short -- may restrict head movement

It sounds like you have the right attitude -- try both in the pool if you can. Pay close attention to the mechanics of one vs. the other while air sharing with your buddy and especially air sharing WHILE ASCENDING with your buddy.

Good luck.

-Chris

 

[FLYNZ4]

Jeblis once bubbled...
A word on the wetsuit. I have a hyperstretch 5mm and love it. Very comfy. But the hypersteretch suits will provide less insulation compared to a standard neoprene wetsuit of the same thickness. One of the major reasons for this is that a hyperstretch suit will compress more than neoprene at depth. No really a problem since even a 7 mm Hyperstretch is more comfy than a 3mm neoprene suit.

Also the hyperstretch wetsuits tend to "pill" so try to avoid scuffing it up or letting velcro touch the suit.

Good luck and welcome to diving! :hi:

We got 3mm hyperstretch for use in the South Pacific. This is replacing the trilam that I think is about 2 or 2.5mm.

After researching Halcycon more on this web board, and also their site, I think we are going to pass on this technology right now. Clearly, the members of this web board are very positive on Halcyon.. almost to cult status. I am sure that this is great stuff, but there seems to be a higher level of complexity and "techiness". I think this would be very beneficial if we were more serious divers, but I think that extra complexity will be counter productive right now. We are only going to be making a couple of dive trips/year and I think that using a simple, but high quality BC will be best for us.

In terms of the Air2... we will try it both ways, and make our decision in the pool. Swapping to an R380 will be trivial if we go that route.

I really want to thank everyone for thier comment and adivce... this is a great web board!

/Jim

 

[jonnythan]

FLYNZ4 once bubbled...

...
complexity
...

LOL.

Look at a set of bp/wings, then look at pretty much any other BC on the market.

Complex! :wacko:

 

[wreckchick]

I would wager he's talking about setting the thing up to begin with vs. buckling it on and adjusting a few straps.

I think a nice traditional BC is a fine choice for a diver who wants to do a couple dive vacations a year.

JMHO, of course.

Rachel

 

[jonnythan]

biscuit7 once bubbled...
I would wager he's talking about setting the thing up to begin with vs. buckling it on and adjusting a few straps.

I think a nice traditional BC is a fine choice for a diver who wants to do a couple dive vacations a year.

JMHO, of course.

Rachel

So do I. I just found the adjective funny. It's anything but complex.

 

[FLYNZ4]

biscuit7 once bubbled...
I would wager he's talking about setting the thing up to begin with vs. buckling it on and adjusting a few straps.

I think a nice traditional BC is a fine choice for a diver who wants to do a couple dive vacations a year.

JMHO, of course.

Rachel

Rachel... you hit it right on the button. The "complexity" that I was talking about had to do with the initial setup... not continuous use. We are on a ticking clock here... just 2.5 weeks left before we get on the plane to Fiji... and unfortunately, learning how to scuba dive is just one of dozens of life's little challenges we have between now and then.

I am actually having a different set of questions now... should we stay with the back-inflate vests (KnightHawk/LadyHawk) or should we switch to a classic jacket style? I am worried that Debbie will be uncomfortable being tipped forward in the water. Also... I just finished the PADI videos and bookwork this weekend, and they keep talking about all of the things that you should keep in your pockets (divetalbes, slates, fish identifiers, knives, etc) ... but the LadyHawk/NightHawk dont really have much pocket space.

All of our gear should be here when we get into the pool tomorrow night. I will ask my instructor about the BC's one more time.

/Jim

 

[wreckchick]

I have a back inflate and I don't get tipped over in the water as long as I keep a little weight in the rear trim pockets, don't over inflate on the surface and I lay back like I'm in a recliner, quite comfy actually. I find the back inflate far more comfortable than the jacket bc's and it's much better underwater and that's really where you want it to work.

In my pockets I have a tiny dive slate, when it's not on my wrist, a whistle, and a safety sausage. No tables, no fish id cards..... I do have a knife but it's on the back of my console boot. There are plenty of places to put a knife besides your pocket.

R

 

[roakey]

FLYNZ4 once bubbled...
My concern is that we are running out of time, and I am not sure how quickly we could get them. Debbie is very timid when it comes to diving, and I think it is important that we train in the same equipment that we use on our open water dives.

This is the path that most diver's follow with the complete support of their LDS: Train, buy all their equipment, get experience, find out that the equipment isn't what they wanted and buy more equipment (can you see why that initial purchase is supported by the LDS?).

Just say no. You're in a hurry. RENT your equipment (which will be the exact same stuff you did your OW dives in) from the LDS for this trip and then between this and the next trip make an informed, not rushed, decision.

Rushed purchase == wasted money (much to the delight of the LDS!)

For the record, for recreational diving I have a FredT heavy BP and a Halcyon 18lb wing. My setup is a magnitude simplier than the "recreational" setups out there and will last much, much longer. I wish we could get rid of this so-called "technical" stigma that surrounds a BP and wing setup, it's not technical unless you want to make it technical, it's simply an excellent system that works well in all kinds of diving, from recreational through technical.

Roak

 

[FLYNZ4]

roakey once bubbled...

Just say no. You're in a hurry. RENT your equipment (which will be the exact same stuff you did your OW dives in) from the LDS for this trip and then between this and the next trip make an informed, not rushed, decision.

Rushed purchase == wasted money (much to the delight of the LDS!)

Roak,

I've thought about that quite a bit as well... and after getting as much advice as possible (from multiple sources), I am pretty comfortable in my decisions so far. I think we are getting good, long lasting gear. The only item I am aprehensive about is our BCs, based primarily from the strength of the DIR opinions on this web board.

Debbie's confidence has been building in the pool during our confined water dives here in Portland. Our open water dives will be a PADI referral in Fiji. There will be enough "new things" going on in Fiji... language, salt water (vs fresh water pool), open water, etc... I think that owning our own gear that we did our local training in, will help lower the anxiety of transition.

/Jim

 

[roakey]

FLYNZ4 once bubbled...
I think that owning our own gear that we did our local training in, will help lower the anxiety of transition.

I wasn't clear -- rent from your *local* LDS, not one in Fiji. Little difference between *owning* the gear you did your local training in and *renting* the gear you did your local training in.

Then take your time choosing what to buy with a few more dives under your belt.

Roak

Ps. Ok, I'll be a cold shower and just go ahead and say it though I hate to... If you end up as 80% of divers that take a class and go on vacation and then never end up diving again, renting will save you bundles. I hope that it doesn't happen to you, but it's always a possibility.