Gear Life Expectancy?
- Thread starter Dave.E
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K
KeithG
Guest
Mostly Depends on how you treat it. Drag it in the sand? Leave it in the sun? Put it away wet? Not long....
If you take proper care, most of your gear should last at least 10 years. In my experience, Wetsuits tend to be the shortest lived.
If you take proper care, most of your gear should last at least 10 years. In my experience, Wetsuits tend to be the shortest lived.
10 years, that is just getting broke in!! Most regs will go longer than that without a rebuild....not that I am recommending it. Properly cared for gear has a very long life. Wetsuits at least 10 or more years assuming you are not dving in a pool with them, that shortens the life a lot. BCs can easily go 15-20 or more years, again with proper care and limited pool use. With BCs and wetsuits they do tend to fade which in some minds means they are worn out. I don't consider simply fading to be ware, to be worn IMO, function has to be degraded. Ugly but 100% functional is not worn out to me. Regs on the other hand have basically an unlimited lifespan as long as they are taken care of, same goes for tanks. The life expectency of a reg is determined by how long you can get parts for them, the main components are not subject to "ware" as they are bacically support structure for the moving parts. They can be damaged by corrosion but that is caused by abuse, not use. As long as they are properly cleaned after a dive, the main parts will last multiple human lifetimes of diving. All the internal and external parts that are subject to ware or ageing are typically replaced during service. There are plenty of Scubapro and US Divers (Aqualung) still diving 40 plus years with no end in sight because parts are still available for them.
Chugwhump
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Regs:
Regulators long as replacement parts and your wallet hold out.
The hoses are the weak point on regs.
Wetsuits:
Chlorine and compression at depth.
Essentially the "crush factor".
Mask, fins, und der schnorkle:
About the same lifespan, say 10-15 years.
Dive computers:
VARIABLE!
Get a good one with a good warranty.
B.C.:
If you go BP/W, a really long time.
Like forever.....
But webbing and bladders need replacement for various reasons every 10 years or so.
Sometimes a little less.
Chug
Still using some stuff from 1977.
Regulators long as replacement parts and your wallet hold out.
The hoses are the weak point on regs.
Wetsuits:
Chlorine and compression at depth.
Essentially the "crush factor".
Mask, fins, und der schnorkle:
About the same lifespan, say 10-15 years.
Dive computers:
VARIABLE!
Get a good one with a good warranty.
B.C.:
If you go BP/W, a really long time.
Like forever.....
But webbing and bladders need replacement for various reasons every 10 years or so.
Sometimes a little less.
Chug
Still using some stuff from 1977.
As chugwhump said, it varies a great deal depending upon the equipment and how it is treated.
My primary mask is 15 years old. Counting instructional sessions in a swimming pool, it must have more than 2,000 dives on it. I have changed the strap a few times. On the other hand, I was given a really nice mask a few months ago, an expensive beauty, and it was broken the second day I had it because I lost my balance sitting down and landed on it.
I sold my first back plate a few months ago, along with my doubles wing. I would guess they had more than 400 dives on them and were doing fine except for wear on the back plate harness, which is cheap and easily replaced. The only reason I sold them was that I switched shops and am now wearing the company line.
I am selling more stuff than that for the same reason if you are interested.
My primary mask is 15 years old. Counting instructional sessions in a swimming pool, it must have more than 2,000 dives on it. I have changed the strap a few times. On the other hand, I was given a really nice mask a few months ago, an expensive beauty, and it was broken the second day I had it because I lost my balance sitting down and landed on it.
I sold my first back plate a few months ago, along with my doubles wing. I would guess they had more than 400 dives on them and were doing fine except for wear on the back plate harness, which is cheap and easily replaced. The only reason I sold them was that I switched shops and am now wearing the company line.
I am selling more stuff than that for the same reason if you are interested.
Some of my new stuff hasn't held up as well as my old stuff.... I have regs from the 60's-70's that just keep on going.... You do have to take care of it though.... Another thing stated before is that electronics are "disposable", despite what you paid for them, exposure protection too... I dive almost exclusively fresh water. Gear lasts multiple generations.
I have most of my gear from 25 years ago.... replacements made for want. YMMV
I have most of my gear from 25 years ago.... replacements made for want. YMMV
captain
Contributor
Very little of my gear is less than 20 years old, my regulators are even older, one of my favorite computers, the Edge is from 1986. My newest items are wet suits.
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