gearing up for fundies

[Doc Intrepid]

Actually, Oren, thats a pretty good suggestion for diving no matter how or where.....

 

[cbfin]

Good point Oren. I left the light on shore for the second dive.

Another tip regarding the class, don't make any major gear changes halfway through. Three of us were diving with DiveRite Rec wings. They have a tendancy to trap air and are not as streamlined as doughnut style wings. We were offered the opportunity by a local shop owner and another instructor to swap out the wings for Halcyon Eclipse wings. It seemed like a great idea at the time. Regardless of whether the wing design and air distribution are superior, all the fine tuning trim adjustments we had made the day before went right out the window. We ended up fighting out-of-trim conditions rather than just focusing on the new drills for the day.

 

[PerroneFord]

$1500 to $2000? What do you use for a drysuit; garbage bags and duct tape? PM the plans to me, please.

I live in N. FL. 3mm-5mm wetsuit get's it done year round. Only reason to go dry here is extended time on doubles and stages.

 

[Tollie]

1,500 to 2K seems way out of line for gear. Lets put dry suit or exposure protection aside. All you really need is a bp/w and a hosing set up. You may have blade fins but if not jets are inexpensive… less that 100 I believe. Your existing regs will work fine just swap out the hoses and add the clips. Ditch your console and if possible replaces the instruments with wrist mounts… or uwtech gauges are also inexpensive about 180 I think. Remember that this is recreational diving at the F level. Later if you go tech you can grow into the really big expenditures. The lift bag/ spool or marker will be in the 150 range for the small 3.3 foot marker. If you add it up the new gear will be in the 750 range tops. Not inexpensive but not 2K either.

Of course you can likely rent gear from your instructor but if you try the bp/w you will not go back to the jacket or what ever you are currently using. As is said your instructor will be your best guide in gear selection. Don’t buy anything without first checking it out with him or her.

F is really about skills, awareness and attitude rather than equipment.

 

[PerroneFord]

Ok.

I bought a Halcyon Pioneer 27 with hoses and snapbolts from FifthD. $585 with shipping.

I bought Jetfins. $99 LDS

I bought an exposure suit $300

I need regs because my yoke models are 11 years old. $450

I'll need at least 1 light (Scout or Photon) $95 with shipping.

I needed an SPG. $75 with shipping.

I need a bottom timer. $180

I want to log dives (Sensus Pro) $120

That's $1904 by my count. If I decide to get an Aeris Atmos 2 instead of the bottom timer, then add $50. Some people will have DIN regs, so drop off $450. Maybe you won't need an exposure suit, so drop $300 or so. I didn't include a spool or SMB, so that will add $175 to the total or so.

So others can extrapolate from there. Unlike most, I am trying to GET all my gear for the first time. I assume most who take this class are already avid divers and already have a lot of this gear.

 

[StSomewhere]

Unlike most, I am trying to GET all my gear for the first time. I assume most who take this class are already avid divers and already have a lot of this gear.

True. Most people will have regs, some sort of exposure suit, etc. so its only the DIR-specific stuff they will have to buy like a BP/W, the right hoses, SPG, maybe a bottom timer if they aren't going to use their computer in gauge mode.

The difference is you'll only be buying that stuff once. I'd bet most of the rest of us bought the wrong crap (BC, console computer, fins, light), got half that back from selling it on eBay if we're lucky, then bought the right stuff later. The way I see it, you're still ahead by at least several hundred bucks.

 

[Tollie]

You got that right. Jacket, several flavors, transpac II... at last bp/w.

Ditto gauges

Ditto fins

Ditto exposure protection

It has been streached out over many many years but every time I think its over some new piece pops up...

Even if you go dir there will be evolution... how about pockets on all of your exposure suits, not just your dry suite... how about that second surface marker, what about that great reel. Oh yes spring straps are a must on the jets... and on and on.

But hey I got a great wife and the kids are all grown and out of the house... well most of the time.

 

[PerroneFord]

Well, I didn't EXACTLY get off for free on this stuff. When I certified OW in 94, I bought a Zeagle, regs, fins, mask, etc. I sold the Zeagle years ago so I was without a BC. But I still had all my skin gear, regs, soft pocket weight belt, etc.

But learning about the DIR stuff now, has been helpful as I was not tempted to look at back-inflation again before learning about the BP/W. I was also able to learn about buying exposure protection. A drysuit is overkill for me now as the coldest water I will see for at least a year with be 68 degrees.

I'll be going with DIN valves from the start, I'll know not to spend a ton on crappy lights, etc. So I do feel I am somewhat ahead of the game.

 

[Hoosier]

You are a warm water diver, aren't you? If then, the up-front cost is way different with the cold water diver....

Well, I didn't EXACTLY get off for free on this stuff. When I certified OW in 94, I bought a Zeagle, regs, fins, mask, etc. I sold the Zeagle years ago so I was without a BC. But I still had all my skin gear, regs, soft pocket weight belt, etc.

But learning about the DIR stuff now, has been helpful as I was not tempted to look at back-inflation again before learning about the BP/W. I was also able to learn about buying exposure protection. A drysuit is overkill for me now as the coldest water I will see for at least a year with be 68 degrees.

I'll be going with DIN valves from the start, I'll know not to spend a ton on crappy lights, etc. So I do feel I am somewhat ahead of the game.

 

[SeanQ]

how about pockets on all of your exposure suits, not just your dry suite...

Check. Even though I don't have a drysuit. I put a pocket onto my wetsuit last night.

Anyone want to buy, or trade Jets for, a set of Aqualung V-tek fins?