First post from an excited new member!

[ScubaCarlJ]

I feel your excitement, fantastic it's contageous, so start collecting used gear and you will have it in no time
I am wondering are you famous or a celebrity as I've noticed 541 hits on your greeting post with no replies

Must be someone more famous elsewhere on the site

Ha! Not at all famous. Just a regular dude with zero social media accounts (excluding this one!).

 

[ScubaCarlJ]

There are great deals to be had with used gear but new divers who start collecting used gear typically end up with a pile of obsolete/unserviceable/unreliable gear that it is worth 10 percent (or less) than they paid for it. Seen it many times, unfortunately.

It's almost impossible to know what you are looking at as a new diver. Unless you can get solid advice from someone who really knows what's what, I would recommend buying new gear with a warranty to start.

Agreed on new. That’s why I haven’t pulled the trigger yet on a purchase. You never know why you like until you try lots of different types. Never knew the back inflate would be my absolute favorite until I rented them on our first ocean dive and for the peak performance buoyancy cert.

 

[ScubaCarlJ]

In my experience, a newer diver's dream gear often contains future regrets.

I once had a student come to me for advanced training, and he had all his own gear, most of which was not appropriate for the classes he wanted to take. He knew that before he came to me, and he was angry about all the money he had spent on his dream package. He started to tell me what he had, and I interrupted to predict (with total accuracy) the rest. How did I know? I had worked at the shop where he bought it, and I quit when they adopted a policy of having every employee work to direct students to buy a specific set of gear in order to get the highest profit margin. As an instructor, I would have been required to use that specific gear and tell my students that I had personally selected those items because they were the best. In reality, the only item I would have selected myself was the wetsuit.

Take your time and do a lot of reading from independent sources. It is hard to tell who those are sometimes. Even some of the advice on ScubaBoard comes from dealers who sell those items.

That’s very true. Thank you for that insight. The different shops are all passionate about the brands they sell but not equally enthusiastic about something equivalent from a competitor.

One would think that in this sport the experiences matter more than the brands you are selling. I’ve been a Garmin guy for a while so I knew what I was getting and did a boatload of research before pulling that trigger.

 

[ScubaCarlJ]

Welcome. The tranquility of the underwater world has a way of sharpening our focus on what truly matters. Your dream setup shows careful thought, but keep in mind that simplicity often leads to fewer problems. Prioritize gear that is easy to service and has long-term reliability. The fewer failure points, the better.

Thank you.

I wish I could describe the utter sense of calm and peace that comes over me underwater. After the initial training and being taught nervousness subsided over time, it’s quite literally the most peaceful thing I’ve ever done.

Thanks again.

 

[ScubaCarlJ]

Welcome,
an Octopus Reg (secondary regulator) is mandatory,
so , with Wireless transmitter, you "get rid of" one tiny high pressure hose,
still remaining with 3 low pressure hoses

Thank you for the reply.

I had thought that the Air2 served as your octo when your primary failed or when you needed to share air with your buddy you use the Air2 and give them your primary.

Back to the drawing board.

Thanks again for the insight.

 

[HamTrainChickenLaser]

Thank you for the reply.

I had thought that the Air2 served as your octo when your primary failed or when you needed to share air with your buddy you use the Air2 and give them your primary.

Back to the drawing board.

Thanks again for the insight.

I'm new as well but I can tell you some of the opinions that I've come across regarding the Air2, and I've not had anyone that I respect recommend one to me.

First, buoyancy is important to your safety and you don't want to complicate your inflator. Don't add parts that you don't need because you increase complexity and reduce reliability. Don't add features and don't add points of failure that shouldn't be there.

They don't breathe well. Period.

If it's important enough to do- just do it right. Have a second full-size, full-price regulator.

I like Scubapro stuff, but it's hilarious how hard the dealers push the Air2 when it's just not a great idea. It's equally funny how many customers of theirs tell me that they are "saving a hose" when that isn't significant and when it doesn't matter at all when your life is on the line. The Air2 is a high-profit item and that's all. It's good for the dealers but not for the divers.

 

[ScubaCarlJ]

I'm new as well but I can tell you some of the opinions that I've come across regarding the Air2, and I've not had anyone that I respect recommend one to me.

First, buoyancy is important to your safety and you don't want to complicate your inflator. Don't add parts that you don't need because you increase complexity and reduce reliability. Don't add features and don't add points of failure that shouldn't be there.

They don't breathe well. Period.

If it's important enough to do- just do it right. Have a second full-size, full-price regulator.

I like Scubapro stuff, but it's hilarious how hard the dealers push the Air2 when it's just not a great idea. It's equally funny how many customers of theirs tell me that they are "saving a hose" when that isn't significant and when it doesn't matter at all when your life is on the line. The Air2 is a high-profit item and that's all. It's good for the dealers but not for the divers.

Appreciate the insight and the detail behind it. I’ve only dove with a primary and an octo but the concept very much intrigues me.

Thanks again.

 

[FreqFlier]

If it's important enough to do- just do it right. Have a second full-size, full-price regulator.

Even though octo is considered to be a "secondary" reg, it's a potentially (or even most likely) life saving piece of equipment (you or the other guy). I won't even consider Air2 as a proper octo option. Try sharing your air using it....

 

[Living4Experiences]

Welcome!
My suggestion would be to take your time buying your equipment. Rent your gear for a period of time to test what works for you. When buying your regulator, make sure it can be serviced locally where you live so you don't have the added expense of mailing it off somewhere, plus you don't know the quality of workmanship you're getting.

Don't bother buying a used regulator. You don't know its service history and how well it was taken care of by the former owner(s). Give serious consideration to using an AI transmitter. As @SeanDavid702 mentioned, it's an added failure point and really just a toy to add on. I've been on many boats where a diver's transmitter has failed to connect.

Don't buy any Aqua Lung products, at least for now. They've had financial problems for several years, and they were just purchased again at the end of June 2025. I needed a replacement weight pocket and my local dive shops have none and Aqua Lung has none in stock and all production of new goods are suspended. As much as I'd like to support my local shops, it's not possible in this instance. I eventually found one on Amazon.

 

[SeanDavid702]

Welcome!
My suggestion would be to take your time buying your equipment. Rent your gear for a period of time to test what works for you. When buying your regulator, make sure it can be serviced locally where you live so you don't have the added expense of mailing it off somewhere, plus you don't know the quality of workmanship you're getting.

Don't bother buying a used regulator. You don't know its service history and how well it was taken care of by the former owner(s). Give serious consideration to using an AI transmitter. As @SeanDavid702 mentioned, it's an added failure point and really just a toy to add on. I've been on many boats where a diver's transmitter has failed to connect.

Don't buy any Aqua Lung products, at least for now. They've had financial problems for several years, and they were just purchased again at the end of June 2025. I needed a replacement weight pocket and my local dive shops have none and Aqua Lung has none in stock and all production of new goods are suspended. As much as I'd like to support my local shops, it's not possible in this instance. I eventually found one on Amazon.

totally agree with you. Just for transparency, my first five computers were Perdix AIs. Sometimes I get caught up in wanting the bells and whistles, even though I know they’re not really needed. I’ve seen transmitters drop connection mid-dive too—it’s not the end of the world, but it’s one more thing to babysit.


Also appreciate the heads-up about Aqua Lung. I didn’t know production was paused. That kind of stuff matters when making a choice.


Good advice all around.