Gear for newbie

[diverrex]

Just my personal opinion but depending on where you dive if you do much multi-level diving I'd consider a dive computer as an early purchase.

 

[razorbackdiver]

It all depends on your situtation, but when I was starting out I rented lead from my LDS. If I had bought the amount of lead I was using I would have broke even in a month( 8 days of lead weight rental). Not only that, but what from what I see on EBay, lead seems to hold it's value pretty well. Just a thought.

 

[fjpatrum]

Let me reiterate the "buy used" comment. I spent <$350 US and got a BCD, reg, console with Nitrox capable computer, fins mask and snorkel plus some miscellaneous equipment. If you do your research here and elsewhere before you purchase you can very easily get fully equipped within your budget.

 

[diverrex]

Let me reiterate the "buy used" comment. I spent <$350 US and got a BCD, reg, console with Nitrox capable computer, fins mask and snorkel plus some miscellaneous equipment. If you do your research here and elsewhere before you purchase you can very easily get fully equipped within your budget.

That sounds like a particularly good bargain. Having originally bought all my gear new and still buying some new from my LDS I have both bought and sold some used gear recently and can attest that high quality used gear can fairly easily be obtained for 1/3 - 1/2 the cost of new.

 

[fjpatrum]

That sounds like a particularly good bargain. Having originally bought all my gear new and still buying some new from my LDS I have both bought and sold some used gear recently and can attest that high quality used gear can fairly easily be obtained for 1/3 - 1/2 the cost of new.

The gear wasn't especially new (I bought it 2 years ago and it's '90s era equipment) but it was a good brand (Scubapro and Oceanic, mostly). Hence the "decent but not fantastic deal" comment. The regs still breathe well, though, so I have no complaints.

 

[captain.tuna]

i would agree on gettin a decent pair of booties and fins.
most dive centers dont supply good fins.
besides, you cant be consistent with your kicking and trim each time you have different rental fins when you dive.

 

[Divescape]

Subscribing

 

[Mantra]

Agreed on second hand. I bought off eBay from one of those people who had bought full kit thinking they would get into it, but it didn't work out for them. They sold literally their whole kit - mask, fins, snorkel, booties, wetsuit, bcd, knife, regs, and a good wireless wrist computer. It went for under a grand. They included the receipts for warranty when they shipped it. They paid about $4500 for it all up a year before. I actually felt really sorry for the poor bloke but at least someone gets to really enjoy the gear rather than it mouldering away in a cabinet somewhere. I had to pay $100 to get the regs serviced before I dove them to be safe, but everything has been really reliable so far. It has made me feel better about paying full price for new stuff like good torches since. I've swapped out some stuff (like bought new regs and hoses) since, but that has been from choice rather than necessity and I figure I'm well ahead. Another plus is that if you buy second hand cleverly, if you do change your config you can sell for close to what you paid, getting essentially free hire in the meantime. Good scuba gear, properly maintained, will last a very long time. Just don't dive in and buy used right away. Stuff goes surprisingly cheaply - so Sit on eBay and watch for a while to get a feel for what is genuinely a market price first. If buying new, I think conventional wisdom around order of purchase is something like: mask/snorkel, then fins, then wetsuit or regs, then computer or bcd then all the smaller stuff that will really add up like knife, SMB, etc. If you buy mask/snorkel and fins first, then the advantage of course is you have all you need to go snorkelling too and build some skills and fitness when not diving.