Equipment Purchase
- Thread starter rrubio
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For me, most brands are made very well. I think the list of low quality stuff is much shorter.
For what it is worth this is what I picked for my gear,
ScubaPro for my regulators
Agualung - Apeks WTX for my BC/harness
Dive Rite for my wing
Whites for my drysuits
Oceanic ProPlus2 for my computer
Worthinghton tanks
Omega and Cressi for fins and masks
Custom made wetsuits
Citizens for my watches
I happy with everything.
For what it is worth this is what I picked for my gear,
ScubaPro for my regulators
Agualung - Apeks WTX for my BC/harness
Dive Rite for my wing
Whites for my drysuits
Oceanic ProPlus2 for my computer
Worthinghton tanks
Omega and Cressi for fins and masks
Custom made wetsuits
Citizens for my watches
I happy with everything.
pollywogg
Guest
The only thing I would add to teamcasa's list is:
Zeagle
They make bulletproof products. I have 2 sets of zeagle regs, I have a Ranger( and a Hollis HD100, great BC, but that's another story), my girlfriend has a Ranger LTD. The regs are great, taken them down to 112' so far with no issues, they breathe like a dream both at the surface and at depth. The BCs are great, too. They are very modifiable, and hug your body like a glove. I would go with any Zeagle product, but if you go with any of the other manufacturers on the list above, you can't go wrong.
Zeagle
They make bulletproof products. I have 2 sets of zeagle regs, I have a Ranger( and a Hollis HD100, great BC, but that's another story), my girlfriend has a Ranger LTD. The regs are great, taken them down to 112' so far with no issues, they breathe like a dream both at the surface and at depth. The BCs are great, too. They are very modifiable, and hug your body like a glove. I would go with any Zeagle product, but if you go with any of the other manufacturers on the list above, you can't go wrong.
You are going to get a large assortment of answers.
I like Scubapro, Sherwood, Henderson, Halcyon, Suunto and Akona.
If there is an area you will be diving in the most, then check around and see what brands the local shops carry. I think it is a good idea to have local service and parts available.
I like Scubapro, Sherwood, Henderson, Halcyon, Suunto and Akona.
If there is an area you will be diving in the most, then check around and see what brands the local shops carry. I think it is a good idea to have local service and parts available.
PacificNWdiver
Guest
There are a number of brands that have been previously mentioned that will provide you with serviceable equipment that can last for years to come. Don't make the mistake of equating price as the primary factor in determining quality. Most companies provide various price points for the equipment that they sell. Regs from a company can have cost swings of $300 to $400. The materials used will generally determine a lot of the price differential. However, it doesn't mean that a lower cost piece of equipment is always inferior.
I would suggest learning why the company makes gear using different materials. There are generally both pluses and minuses associated with these choices. You will need to determine which options best fit your needs.
A good place to start is determining where most of your diving will take place. Fresh water or salt? Warm or cold? Airline travel or within driving distance? Shore diving or boat? etc.
Once you have these answers then you can start to drain the savings account. Good luck and good diving!
I would suggest learning why the company makes gear using different materials. There are generally both pluses and minuses associated with these choices. You will need to determine which options best fit your needs.
A good place to start is determining where most of your diving will take place. Fresh water or salt? Warm or cold? Airline travel or within driving distance? Shore diving or boat? etc.
Once you have these answers then you can start to drain the savings account. Good luck and good diving!
Afakasi
Guest
I'm also a brand new diver. I recently purchased a set of gear off of craigslist. The gear that I bought is a good deal, but the gear is really for warm water and not really appropriate for the kind of diving we have here in Minnesota (cold water). I will be able to use this gear here some, and I will be able to use this gear when travelling, but I am going to have to buy another set of regulators in order to do deeper dives and to dive in the spring, fall, and winter. My advice to you would be to determine the locations that you intend to do most of your diving in, and find out what the experienced divers in that area use. The best equipment in one place could be totally inappropriate in another place. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
AndyM
Registered
Agree with Teamcasa - lot's of good options out there. I've been really happy with Sherwood regs and BC's. Not real fancy but also not real expensive. In the end, go with what fits you and your type of diving the best.
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I guess my answer would be "it depends".
What are your plans for diving? Blue water Carribean, lake, river, cave, etc? Shallow diving or deep, or both?
I would suggest going and talking to a couple of your local dive shops. They'll let you try stuff on, and can give you some pointers on gear purchases. Most ones I know will let you "demo" the stuff from their rental gear, and fully apply the cost of the rental to a purchase.
ANY gear you buy you'll need service for it. It does you little good to get a "deal" on some gear, then find out you can't get it serviced.
On the BC's, there are different styles (vest vs. plate). The type/style will also depend on whether or not you're in a thick exposure suit, or in trunks/skin. Your orientation in the water depends on how overall buoyant you are with what you have on at the time. For instance, people that try on a wing/backplate can get freaked out on the surface, as the floation is on the back, which means it's at the surface, with a tendency to put your face in the water. Again, depends on weights at the moment.
Your air-delivery system and alternate are keys. I would say get the regulator thats breathes the easiest for YOU. Get the same reg and take it down on a deep dive. Does is still breath smoothly? Ditto for your alternate. Your first stage should definitely be environmentally sealed, which means water and silt is kept out of it. If you're doing cold water diving, get a cold water mouthpiece (keeps your lips warm). You have to research piston vs. diaphragm regs, too (again, ask a dive shop!!).
On your guages/information system, I'd say go with a computer right off the bat. But if you're ever going to do Nitrox (which I recommend over the long haul), make sure the computer is Nitrox compatible, at least up to EAN40 (your dive shop can explain all of this). Your regulator setup also needs to be able to handle Nitrox, too.
Above all, gather information before you buy. Most dive shops will give you a package deal. Many will zero interest finance, too. If you think you're going to save a ton of money by buying stuff online, read the posts on the warranty nightmares some folks have had. Also ask yourself what you're going to do, when you find yourself packing for a trip, and you find out, two days before the trip, that some piece of gear you're packing isn't working. If it's your local shop, and you bought the stuff there, they'll bend over backwards to loan you one or get yours fixed. Mail order on that? Forgettaboutit.
I made the mistake of going "cheaper" when I bought my family's gear. I've spent the last three years buying new stuff. Had I bought good stuff from my local LDS first, I'd be about 40% ahead of the money I've spent over the long haul, on service, mail order crap that shows up defective, etc.
Just my two cents (and no, I don't sell gear).
What are your plans for diving? Blue water Carribean, lake, river, cave, etc? Shallow diving or deep, or both?
I would suggest going and talking to a couple of your local dive shops. They'll let you try stuff on, and can give you some pointers on gear purchases. Most ones I know will let you "demo" the stuff from their rental gear, and fully apply the cost of the rental to a purchase.
ANY gear you buy you'll need service for it. It does you little good to get a "deal" on some gear, then find out you can't get it serviced.
On the BC's, there are different styles (vest vs. plate). The type/style will also depend on whether or not you're in a thick exposure suit, or in trunks/skin. Your orientation in the water depends on how overall buoyant you are with what you have on at the time. For instance, people that try on a wing/backplate can get freaked out on the surface, as the floation is on the back, which means it's at the surface, with a tendency to put your face in the water. Again, depends on weights at the moment.
Your air-delivery system and alternate are keys. I would say get the regulator thats breathes the easiest for YOU. Get the same reg and take it down on a deep dive. Does is still breath smoothly? Ditto for your alternate. Your first stage should definitely be environmentally sealed, which means water and silt is kept out of it. If you're doing cold water diving, get a cold water mouthpiece (keeps your lips warm). You have to research piston vs. diaphragm regs, too (again, ask a dive shop!!).
On your guages/information system, I'd say go with a computer right off the bat. But if you're ever going to do Nitrox (which I recommend over the long haul), make sure the computer is Nitrox compatible, at least up to EAN40 (your dive shop can explain all of this). Your regulator setup also needs to be able to handle Nitrox, too.
Above all, gather information before you buy. Most dive shops will give you a package deal. Many will zero interest finance, too. If you think you're going to save a ton of money by buying stuff online, read the posts on the warranty nightmares some folks have had. Also ask yourself what you're going to do, when you find yourself packing for a trip, and you find out, two days before the trip, that some piece of gear you're packing isn't working. If it's your local shop, and you bought the stuff there, they'll bend over backwards to loan you one or get yours fixed. Mail order on that? Forgettaboutit.
I made the mistake of going "cheaper" when I bought my family's gear. I've spent the last three years buying new stuff. Had I bought good stuff from my local LDS first, I'd be about 40% ahead of the money I've spent over the long haul, on service, mail order crap that shows up defective, etc.
Just my two cents (and no, I don't sell gear).
I Aggree.
What kind of diving do you -think- that you will do? Wrecks, caves, cold water, tropical or just a good mixture of everything?
This is my gear of choice, made my choices with the thought of that my current gear should not restrict me in any way if I want to do either wreckdiving or a nice wall dive. And to have gear that will take a serious beating, made for cold water use and to have service at my LDS.
Exposure suit: Ursuk Heavy Light FZ (Drysuit ofcourse, Sweden is cold)
BC: Zeagle Ranger (due to it's comfort, 'wingdesign' and that i can easily modify it)
Regulators 1st and 2nd stage: Aqualung Titan LX Supreme, made for coldwater and delivers enough air worthy a king
Tanks: Steel, 12 Liter 300 BAR, becouse 300 is 300 (Might be putting the two of them together...D12's 300 BAR...It speaks for itself
Mask: Cressi Ochio plus, looks and comfort. Black is good.
Computer: Suunto Vyper, finnish - cold water compitable and has nitrox support up to EANx50 and can be used in guage mode.
And lots of other bling like smb's and other toys that might come in hand.
Dont go after anybody elses thoughts when bouying your gear, you and only you can know what kind of diving you like and how you like you'r gear.
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