Hi, long time reader, first time poster here, so please be gentle!
I learned to dive in the UK, did a few dozen UK dives and quite a bit of warm water diving on holidays. Over the last five years or so I've only really been doing warm water diving on holiday, but I'm now looking to get back into UK diving too.
I've always rented most gear on holiday, and have never owned a BCD or my own regs. I do have mask/fins/computer etc that I travel with, and I have a membrane style drysuit, plus a 2.5mm wetsuit for UK and tropical diving respectively.
I am now at the stage where I need to purchase my own BCD or wing, and regulator set (I plan to do my UK diving with my local BSAC club). I don't really have much interest in getting into technical diving, I very much see myself as a single tank, no deco kind of diver. Ideally I would buy kit that is useable both for UK diving in a drysuit, and for warm water diving (and therefore lightweight enough to fly with).
I think I'd prefer a back inflated BCD/wing. I was looking at the Hollis ST Elite travel system, but I don't know if the 22lbs/10kgs of lift is going to be enough with potentially a 15L steel tank and the lead required for drysuit diving? Equally if I got a heavier system with a larger wing is that going to be massive overkill for holidays?
Regulators wise - I know they need to be suitable for cold water use, but other than that I can't really say that I've ever noticed that much difference between any of the dozens I have rented over the years around the world. Aside from buying from a reputable manufacturer and keeping them serviced is there really much to choose between them?
Recommendations of anything I haven't thought of also greatly received. Ideally things it is possible to buy in the UK or easy to ship here, and while I don't want to spend more than I need to I do know diving is an expensive hobby and I'd rather get it right than skimp now and regret it in 6 months.
I learned to dive in the UK, did a few dozen UK dives and quite a bit of warm water diving on holidays. Over the last five years or so I've only really been doing warm water diving on holiday, but I'm now looking to get back into UK diving too.
I've always rented most gear on holiday, and have never owned a BCD or my own regs. I do have mask/fins/computer etc that I travel with, and I have a membrane style drysuit, plus a 2.5mm wetsuit for UK and tropical diving respectively.
I am now at the stage where I need to purchase my own BCD or wing, and regulator set (I plan to do my UK diving with my local BSAC club). I don't really have much interest in getting into technical diving, I very much see myself as a single tank, no deco kind of diver. Ideally I would buy kit that is useable both for UK diving in a drysuit, and for warm water diving (and therefore lightweight enough to fly with).
I think I'd prefer a back inflated BCD/wing. I was looking at the Hollis ST Elite travel system, but I don't know if the 22lbs/10kgs of lift is going to be enough with potentially a 15L steel tank and the lead required for drysuit diving? Equally if I got a heavier system with a larger wing is that going to be massive overkill for holidays?
Regulators wise - I know they need to be suitable for cold water use, but other than that I can't really say that I've ever noticed that much difference between any of the dozens I have rented over the years around the world. Aside from buying from a reputable manufacturer and keeping them serviced is there really much to choose between them?
Recommendations of anything I haven't thought of also greatly received. Ideally things it is possible to buy in the UK or easy to ship here, and while I don't want to spend more than I need to I do know diving is an expensive hobby and I'd rather get it right than skimp now and regret it in 6 months.
