Gearing up HELP!

[EDUNER]

Ok, I know you all are sick of hearing these questions but, thats what a forum is for. I am a beginner diver, actually certifing tomorrow, and I need some equipment advise. I plan to be a rec diver only, diving only a few times per year in troptical water and some local lakes (AZ, not to cold here!). Anyway, I been reading this forum the last couple of days and have found that ScubaPro, AquaLung, Zeagle and a couple of other brands seem to be quite popular. Unfortunalty, most of these are a bit out of me price range. I was wondering what you thought of Aeris? Today a saw a package deal at the LDS that included:

ATMOS SPORT BC
ATMOS SPORT primary
A1 Octo
ATMOS 1 comp

all for $799. Does this sound like a good deal and it Aeris a quality/reliable product for a rec diver? If not, what would you recomend in a similar price range? Thanks so much for the help!

 

[Wendy]

I don't think you should buy any gear right now. You are getting certified tomorrow and only plan to dive a few times a year. Why not wait to buy gear and in the mean time just rent different BC's and regs and see what you will be happy with. You don't want to end up with gear you will hate and wil lput up on ebay a year after you buy it. There is no rush to buying gear, especially in your case. Take it slow and see what is out there and how it works best for you.

 

[crpntr133]

Is it worth the $ to dive only a few times a year? I would save the money. If you dive more than a few times a year then buy your gear.

 

[DMDC01]

I agree, start out renting. If your LDS has it for sell, they probally (?) have it for rent too. rent it, see if you like it, and if you do and still want to, buy it.

 

[xSandman3]

On the other hand, I bought all my gear before my OW class was over, and was able to have my instructor spend some time teaching me to use it. I was able to use my own bc (Balance), regs, computer, etc. during my OW certification dives with an instructor there to help me understand trim, integrated weights, and all the other little things that are gear-specific. Another by-product of owning gear is I hate to see all that money not being used, and I dive at least twice a week now.
$799 is an attractive price, but definitely do more research into what you are buying.
Good luck with your OW Class!

 

[Mortlock]

I'd recommend doing an individual search in the appropriate forums for each of the peices of gear you're considering. You should find quite a bit of info.

Morty

 

[EDUNER]

Thanks for the advise. I'm really not thinking of purchasing just yet, maybe not even this year, just doing some homework and wanted to see what you thought of the product and price. I do appriciate the help!

 

[scubatoys]

Aeris is great quality and really stands behind their stuff... That pricing is about $100 high... Should be closer to $699 with a free hanger and some octo and gauge clips...

 

[RiverRat]

Take your time. DON'T rush into it. Rent for a little while. I bought my gear relatively early on ONLY because I knew what I wanted and had the bucks. Your regulator and BC and 2 critical pieces of gear. If you buy a regulator make sure it is right for the environment you plan on diving. Environmentally sealed for cold water etc. I dive cold and warm so I went with an Apeks ATX200. It also breathes VERY well at depth. Some regulators are "hard" breathers when you get down deeper than 60 feet. My thinking was to spend $400.00 up front and be happy for a long time versus spending $200.00, then selling it at a loss and then spending another $400.00 - $500.00 (price went up) later on down the road. Take your time and maybe spend an extra $100.00 and get a decent reg like a Scubapro, Aqualung or whatever. If you dive warm only you can save a few bucks. Same goes for BC. Many types. Try a back inflate and an "air all around you" type. I prefer back inflate and built my own custom backplate/wings setup. I did not like the rental BC's and how they "ride up" while inflated on the surface, air trapping etc. Get a decent weight integrated BC or even research the backplate/wing. Another BIG investement that is CRITICAL to comfort, safety and overall performance during the dive.