Gear Before Completing Certification

[Dr. Lecter]

If you're going to do any significant amount of single tank diving after certification, I suggest the following:

1. Buy a used stainless steel BP/harness and cambands. Halcyon is great, as is DSS and Oxycheq. These aren't things that go bad or need warranty service, period, so save yourself $100-$200 and buy them here, on Craigslist, or eBay. Whether you need an STA (single tank adaptor) or not will depend on what wing you choose, but that's fine used, too.

2. For peace of mind as a new diver, probably shell out the $$$ for a new wing. Figure out your start of dive negative weight and decide size of wing from there, but you're probably looking for a 27-30ish LB donut-shaped wing. Again, Halcyon and DSS are very good (because you're only buying new for warranty service I cannot say 'avoid Oxycheq!' strongly enough, but YMMV and they do make very good wings)...my suggestion is DSS for the no-STA-required design and their better OPV design plus Tobin's service/support attitude.

However, keep in mind that most things you can do to hurt a wing aren't going to be warrantied anyway (DSS may have a pinch flat warranty, not sure). I like the old Halcyon Pioneer wings and happily patch any used ones I scoop up for a good price without worrying about what happens if the patch gives way, but that's a mindset bred of experience and diving a balanced rig... as a new diver, you probably don't want to worry about patching your own wing if it's leaky when you get it/develops one down the line. If I had to buy a new single tank wing now, it would be from DSS.

3. Pick a regulator company, then pick a regulator. I like Atomic, but find a company with service you trust and then get a reg you can afford and that works for your diving. I don't think you could do better for a first generic use regulator than an Atomic ST1 DIN first stage with an el-cheapo brass yoke adaptor and a couple of Z2 second stages on a long hose primary/22" necklaced backup (sealed or not depending on water temp, but probably unsealed). HOG and Apeks also come to mind as solid regs with good backing. Scuba Pro makes good regs and poor service policy decisions IMO, but YMMV.

4. Computer depends on budget. Really, there's not much else that matters. A Suunto Zoop will work fine; a Shearwater Petrel will work amazingly well; an Atomic Cobalt will be great as long as you don't mind having a console to secure. If budget was no problem, I'd say get a Shearwater Petrel for your wrist and a big brass&glass SPG for your left hip D-ring.

 

[CamG]

Greetings EKthor I rented or used the instructors different BC's in OW training all the while deciding what I liked and did not.
I used OW training to decide whether I liked Back inflate or jacket.
Before AOW my wife and I both purchased a full set of gear with two AL 80's each.
When we took AOW about a month after OW we used our new gear.
It was magnificent and then headed off to MX for a diving vacation!

Purchase your own gear but only after you rent or borrow enough styles to determine what you like best.
Everyone is different and you might like something different then your buddy.
Good luck and have fun experimenting with new gear!

CamG

 

[tamas970]

Regarding regs, I decided on a Scubapro mk19+G250V kit, because I saw and serviced the guts of the ancestors (mk5+r109 after 20+years of active service) and I saw good build quality and it was easy to get repair parts. Also, the stuff gets good reviews here, on SB.As for dive computer: I do plan to dive on trimix later - maybe in a year or two, but I feel it's an overkill to buy a trimix computer at first.I bought a Subgear XP10, which is fine for air and nitrox. The only feature I might miss is gas switching - but this usually doesn't happen ona recreational dive. For me, it was more important that it uses a standard, user replaceable battery and the data can be easily imported to PC.(All data-import options I saw from other vendors needed a rather pricey cable - which is quite a nonsense, paying 90$ for a cable if the compcosted 180)

...3. Pick a regulator company, then pick a regulator. I like Atomic, but find a company with service you trust and then get a reg you can afford and that works for your diving. I don't think you could do better for a first generic use regulator than an Atomic ST1 DIN first stage with an el-cheapo brass yoke adaptor and a couple of Z2 second stages on a long hose primary/22" necklaced backup (sealed or not depending on water temp, but probably unsealed). HOG and Apeks also come to mind as solid regs with good backing. Scuba Pro makes good regs and poor service policy decisions IMO, but YMMV.4. Computer depends on budget. Really, there's not much else that matters. A Suunto Zoop will work fine; a Shearwater Petrel will work amazingly well; an Atomic Cobalt will be great as long as you don't mind having a console to secure. If budget was no problem, I'd say get a Shearwater Petrel for your wrist and a big brass&glass SPG for your left hip D-ring.

Just a remark on that Atomic 1st stage: titanium regs are not supposed to be used with nitrox AFAIK.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

For me, it was more important that it uses a standard, user replaceable battery and the data can be easily imported to PC.(All data-import options I saw from other vendors needed a rather pricey cable - which is quite a nonsense, paying 90$ for a cable if the compcosted 180)

Hey, buy whatever you like/can afford... but you must not have looked too hard for either feature elsewhere. Or maybe you mean at that low functionality/price level? Just as an example, the Shearwater Petrel eats any type of AA battery and comes with Bluetooth wireless for data download/firmware update upload. And yes, a Bluetooth dongle is included for free in case you're using an ancient PC without built-in Bluetooth.

 

[tamas970]

Hey, buy whatever you like/can afford... but you must not have looked too hard for either feature elsewhere. Or maybe you mean at that low functionality/price level? Just as an example, the Shearwater Petrel eats any type of AA battery and comes with Bluetooth wireless for data download/firmware update upload. And yes, a Bluetooth dongle is included for free in case you're using an ancient PC without built-in Bluetooth.

True, if I start with trimix, I'll most likely take the Petrel. It seems to be the best price/performance trimix capable comp. Still, it's 1k$, which is only justified if the capabilities are used (= if the OP wants to dive Trimix). The OP says he is before OW certification - this is quite a long shot before visiting those 60m/200Ft deep wrecks on hypoxic heliox... But anyway, you're right, everyone has right to buy anything he/she can afford. On limited budget, I'd advise to buy gear according to skill/targeted skill level and spend the remaining money on trips/liveaboards. My instructor told me, that the diving industry is like the ocean, "you can throw in an infinite amount of money, without truly enjoying your dives or diving at all."

 

[Mustard Dave]

When it comes to your regulator set up, make sure that you have AT LEAST 2 HP ports. That will give you expandability later of you choose to get a wireless transmitter and keep an analogue SPG.

Along with others, I manage perfectly well without an air integrated computer. The single SPG is perfectly fine. The OP may find it a desirable feature but it is certainly not essential. Another way to look at it is as an additional failure point. My Apeks DS4 first stages are excellent regs and only have a single HP port.

 

[tamas970]

Along with others, I manage perfectly well without an air integrated computer. The single SPG is perfectly fine. The OP may find it a desirable feature but it is certainly not essential. Another way to look at it is as an additional failure point. My Apeks DS4 first stages are excellent regs and only have a single HP port.

On top of that, wireless transmitters not as reliable as advertised...



I like to carry a full SPG with depth gauge - just in case the dive computer crashes/battery depletes.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I bought my bcd and regs after class/pool sessions and dove them for the 4 OW sessions. I still dive my regs 20 years later and only replaced the bcd a few years ago. (and not because there was anything wrong with the bcd but because I wanted new) Keep in mind that back inflate wasn't all the rage 20 years ago. When it was time for the new bcd, I tried a number of the back inflate style including BP/W. I ended up with the scubapro ladyhawk (men's version is the knighthawk). Love it, travel with it, no problem. I've gone through a few wetsuits, booties and fins, and upgraded my computer over the years but on the whole have been quite happy spending my dive dollars on the actual diving. I'm telling you this in an effort to offset some of the other posters that say you will be putting your gear on eBay and you'll want the backplate wing etc. Doesn't necessarily have to be that way.

 

[Ekthor]

Thank you all for the amazing replies! I would like to quote everyone but it's too many people. Although ther is a mixed response on weather to buy or not I find the advice of buying to motivate yourself to dive very enticing since sometimes when deciding for a hobby one tends to let it go after a while if there was no initial commitment. As of right now I think I have decided to buy a bpw just because it looks like a more money savy option with the whole customization thing. As far as regulators, after reading review after review I have decided for HOG since apparently they are GOD sent. For a computer I really wanted to buy an Aeris Elite T3 but as i read in one of the reivews, it's just another fail point and one I really don't want to add to my rig. Thank you all for the replies and the warm welcomes to the forum!

 

[Easdem]

You definitely need to get a computer. I doubt you will be diving square profiles, a computer will give you better NDLs that are dynamic through your dive.

Don't drink the hogarthian kool-aid yet.

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