Gearing up: One newbies experience (long)

[Kourtjestr]

Wow... this conversation makes me feel great about my setup... Just cert'ed a month ago, and got crazy lucky on my gear... Had someone I knew who gave up diving a while ago and didn't do anything with their gear (this was probably 10 years ago). When they found out I was getting certified, they gave it all to me.. I ended up getting everything but the neoprene - total cost was $160 to get the tank hydro'd and the regs rebuilt... The BCD ended up being the wrong size, so I picked up a ScubaMax Integra JX5000 weight integrated in Key Largo on vacation for $100 from a dive shop rental sale - works great. My neoprene, I've had for a while - eBay was my friend...
7mm John and Jacket - $150
Hyperflex hood - $50
Gloves - came with donor gear
Boots - $20
Fins - Came with donor gear
Cressi Big Eyes mask (LOVE it) - $35 from LeisurePro
Snorkel - Had so long I have NO clue
regs & gauges - $120 for rebuild
BCD - $100
Tank - $40 hydro
Knives - 1 leg, 1 BCD - $22
Weights - donor
Lights - donor...

So, I'm at about $450 with a great Good Buddy Deal... Have to say, used gear may not have the shine or bells and whistles of some of the new stuff, but it can make easing your way into the water a whole lot more affordable... And it lets you dive for a while and trickle fancier gear into your setup as you can find the $$... My next purchases will be a computer (Probably a Mares puck wrist computer) and a new set of fins - I want something nicer than my solid paddle fins I've got...

 

[mmcdanie]

Been watching Sea Hunt on YouTube. Mike Nelsen's Equipment list:
Wetsuit
Tank with Regulator
Weight belt
Mask and Fins
Knife
:cool2:

 

[phishphood]

Hmm, this is a good exercise for us/me. I went the 'almost' extremely cheap route with everything being used. Also, as a college student, budget was a big priority here. I got certified in July with a friend of a friend.
OW Cert: $300
Used 7mm wetsuit: $30 Craigslist (CL)
Used regs: ~$40 (CL) + $70 (LDS)
Weights/belt: Free
Booties: $10(CL)
Gloves: $5 (CL)
Mask/snorkel: ~$15?? Big5? over 2 years ago
Hood: Free (CL)
Compass/gauges: Included in regs from CL
BC: $300 present from parents used, included dive light and all necessary clips
Fins: $10 SP Jetfins (CL)
Knife: $10 (LP black friday sale)
Backup light: $10 (LP BF sale)
new Aluminum 80 tank: $90 (LDS)
12x3 air fills: Free (tank deal, LDS)

Total: $840

That's about all my equipment bought to date, minus some double-ups on gloves and boots. The BC cost can actually be dropped to $30 as I just bought one at the price used from CL for my girlfriend. That drops it to 540, and if you take away the cert costs then it's $240? Everything is used but still definitely usable here on N. CA coast, which is far from ideal conditions most of the time. Sure, none of it is great gear and almost all of it could be improved upon, but it gets me diving. I'm a firm believer that there are always bargains to be found, and used gear can be great as long as it gets checked out/rebuilt as needed (everything misison critical got a checkup at least at LDS before using). Best part is, I spent an additional $30 on gear and finished my first season abalone diving too! (sans tank of course)

 

[sgtdww504]

as a newb i feel the pain i'm not even certified yet and i'm over a grand in the hole this stuffs pricey. but i'm one of those guys who feels he must own his gear:cool2:

 

[danpass]

interesting thread. I'm a bit undecided about totaling things up lol

 

[USFpsychDiver]

It's been about 15 months since I first posted this. During that 15 months I took up cave diving, so had to get a whole new set of gear, since there's basically no overlap between OW and overhead gear. Just for fun (or just for pain) thought I'd update the gear and training expense list (in case anyone is thinking about taking up cave; be prepared). Note that much of this gear was bought used, substantially cutting the costs.

Gear:

Dive Rite Stainless Steel Backplate & Harness (used): $90

Hollis X Series 55 Lb Doubles Wing (used): $150

DC1 (2)/ 212 (4) DIN regulators (used, like new): $425


Shearwater Petrel Dive Computer (new): $950


Dive Rite Primary Reel (used): $50


Manta CR-1 Primary Reel (new/open box): $120


Larry Green Jump Reels (3; used): $100


Technical Lighting Specialists Primary Can Light (new): $580


DRIS 1000 backup light (new): $90


DRIS Shorty backup light (new): $120


DUI TLS350 Drysuit (used): $685


DUI ZIP Wrist Seals (4) and neck seal (1) (new): $350 (I've only used one of the wrist seals, but I like to have them so I don't have to call a dive because of torn seals)


Fleece undergarment (new): $84

ScubaPro Jet Fins (new): $120


Misc safety spools, hoses, fittings, cutting tools, etc., not included; probably several hundred bucks worth of stuff, but who's counting


$3914 gear total

Training:


NAUI Cavern: $400


NAUI NTEC: $100 (basically I just paid my instructor for a half-day of diving to get me squared away diving a drysuit and doubles before taking cave)


NAUI Cave I: $1000


$1500 training total


$5414 gear and training total for cave diving.

If you add that to the $2647 from the original post for OW gear and training, that's $8061 for gear and training since taking up this sport in April of 2011. I'm not going to try to add up the dive trip costs, but that's substantial too. No regrets; It was all money well spent. I love to dive; I love to dive cave (and you don't want to dive cave with crappy gear). I'm a happy camper. Looking forward to my next dive trips: Florida for 4 days of cave diving in March, Cancun for a week of ocean and cave diving in May.

 

[fjpatrum]

I keep a running tally of my gear... so far I've spent about $2300 on gear. Enough gear to fully outfit 5 divers with regs and BCs and 3 divers with exposure gear. Probably only 2 or 3 divers worth of accessories like lights, reels, SMBs, cutting tools etc.

 

[TMHeimer]

Sounds like you did some good research but maybe got reeled in on some gear too. Fair play to you for both. Thanks for the great write-up about your gear choices. I'm a cheap bastard so I went the "used gear" route for everything that I didn't build myself. We each have to decide for ourselves what are the right choices for us and it looks like you've made some good ones. Now get out there and dive... there's no excuse not to if you live in Tampa.

Same here. A couple of things I bought new, but mostly used and most of it still going after 7+ years. Yesterday I sewed up a broken zipper on my boot. We'll see how long that lasts....

 

[Bubblehead628]

[FONT=&quot]I’ve been diving awhile and accumulated somegear over the years, which is normal I guess. I didn’t have a lot of stuff 2 sets of regs and one BC, couple of finsetc. I still have my old conshelfsupreme, now on my pony and my other regulator was a Dacor Viper Tec (luckyme), my BC was an Oceanic jacket style back inflate about 18 lbs lift can’tremember the model name. I loved thatthing, but eventually gave up the ghost and almost drowned me. I always wanted to get a BP&W set up andwent to the LDS. Well it just happened thata guy who was just getting into tech diving got into a serious car accident andbasically gave up diving after that. Hesold his stuff the shop, which in turn sold it to me. The gear was barely used less than 20 divesand in excellent condition. I got an OMS30 lb wing, Hollis aluminum back plate, Hollis deluxe harness and Dive Ritetank bands and SP Mk25/600S primary w/7’hose, G250 secondary all for $600. My wife also needed to upgrade so I found hera brand new Zeagle Express Tech 34 lb bladder with zip touch weight pockets,crotch strap and D-rings at a LDS in Orlando for $300 (normal retail just forthe BC with 24 lb bladder is around $265) and I found a SP Mk20/ G250 primary and G250 secondaryfor $175 at a pawnshop plus $100 to get it serviced. To upgrade our gear it totaled to about $1000,I think I did pretty well. I’ve sincebought a few other things like led lights etc., but upgrading the big stuff andsaving $$ was cool.[/FONT]

 

[milbournosphere]

I sat down during my lunch break and read through this thread...it's quite amazing how much some people have paid out of the gate. I bought my first gear almost all used. I've also been fortunate in that I have friends and relatives who dive, who were nice enough to donate some equipment they were no longer using. Here's my breakdown:

Classes
PADI OW: $200. I got certified while at BSA camp at Emerald Bay in Catalina. Our 'pool' dives were in a sheltered cove. Included rental and books. Class taken in 2002.
NAUI AOW: $225, including books and two boat dives. One more boat dive to go and then we're all done!

Gear (in purchase order)
Deep See Gloves (3mm): $25 (new @cert)
Deep See boots: $35 (new @cert)
Prescription Mask w/snorkel: $200 with custom lenses, purchased for cert
Mares Avanti fins: $0. Gifted to me as a Christmas present.
Hood: $25. Nothing to write home about, and I am just about fed up with it. Should have bought a better one.
USED 2 80cu aluminum tanks: $0. Loaned, then gifted, from father.
USED US Divers Sport reg w/ Aquarius octo: $150 after service. I was later given the Aquarius first stage. Still dives like a champ.
USED US Divers Cousteau BC: bought for $50, then sold for $50 (weight belt included) when I upgraded my BC.
Weights: $50? I can't remember now. About 20lb worth of lead.
USED UK400 light. $25
Weight belt with clips: $10
Wekona Knife: $39 at the time.
USED Tusa Platina Evo BC: $125 in excellent shape. Still diving this BC; it's been great. Came with whistle and safety tube.
UK Light Cannon eLED: $100 (BOGO deal, split the cost with my buddy)
Cressi Big Eyes EVO Mask: $85, including custom lenses from Cressi. My old mask was from when I was 14, so it no longer fit my face. I've been very happy with this mask so far.
Mares MV Octo: $0. Gift over this last Christmas.
Compass (Trident brand, I think; my gear's not with me just this second): $55
ScubaPro Mk11/C200: $270 after taxes. Just got my first dive with it last weekend!

Total (rounded up, I've had to hydro the tanks, rentals, etc.) for equipment and classes: $1600. Note that I've not yet purchased a computer or a wetsuit. I was trained on tables/gauges, so I'm perfectly comfortable using analogue tech. I'm also in the process of losing a not-small amount of weight, so a wetsuit purchase doesn't make sense to me at this time. I don't want to get a nice new suit and then not fit into it a month from now.

I think I've done well on costs. I've picked up most of my gear used, or gifted for holidays, birthdays, etc. I've gotten really good deals by hitting up friends getting out of the hobby, or by watching craigslist. The first new big purchase I've made has been my regulator, and even then I waited to get a good closeout deal.

I picked up my gear through high school and college, so money was tight and I spread everything out. One might take a hit renting gear by taking this approach, but it allows one to research and save to get something that will last. I recommend this approach to people new to the sport. One lays out a minimum getting going, and don't evaporate several grand before realizing that one doesn't like this whole diving thing. Now that I've graduated and have a good job, I can afford to spend money on gear that I know meets my needs and wants. Slow and steady wins the race.