General advice to new scuba divers: do not waste your money!

[halocline]

Splurging on regulators makes sense. To a point.

I know, I spent almost $150 on my most recent cave diving regulator set up. That's the most I've spent on regulators in years.

I actually think that of all the various types of dive gear, regulators might be the most over priced and over hyped. And unlike some of the people that post on this site, I actually understand-in detail- how these things work. The honest truth is that regulators made today are generally no better (certainly no safer) than quality regulators made 20, 30, (even 40) years ago. Scuba regulators do a very simple job, they reduce tank pressure to ambient pressure so it can be comfortably breathed. Most of the major brands do this very well with a high degree of reliability. And if they are not abused, they last a very long time and are designed to be completely rebuilt to like-new function.

Here's how I would advise someone just starting diving to save money: Buy only what you really need to dive in the way you are currently diving. If you can find a trusted mentor that can help you evaluate and choose used gear, that is a great way to save money. Get simple, reliable gear that fits well. Don't spend much on a computer. Prioritize good-fitting exposure protection. Don't be afraid to rent gear in order to better equip yourself to make choices. Take your time.

 

[halocline]

Is this thread correct?

How deep can an Unbalanced Reg. go?

Hi, can an unbalanced first-stage regulator be used to dive to depth of 30m or more? Is it the breathing effort needed is more....... will safety be affected too? Thanks. ;)

scubaboard.com

Yes, much of what is in that thread is correct. Balanced/unbalanced, all regulators compensate for depth in the same way. If they didn't, they wouldn't work at 20 ft, let alone any deeper. There is more demand on the 1st stage at greater depth, but even unbalanced regs like the MK2 can easily flow far more air than any diver is going to use at depths where air is not toxic.

One of the posters in that thread, oxyhacker, is the guy that wrote an excellent book on regulator repair.

 

[SlugLife]

Give a consumer some credit. I didn't know jack-sh**t about regulators when I first began and just did some research on my own and wondered, as others already have, why the price discrepancy between one and the other? Balanced or unbalanced?

I took me quite a while to really understand these concepts myself. They're not that complicated, but I didn't know about places like ScubaBoard.

If a new diver starts asking around about things like Balanced vs Unbalanced, etc, then they could actually make a relatively informed decision. That's what I'm trying to encourage, that we shouldn't just be saying "spend money on a good set of regs" but rather "here's what these features mean, and the features you'll want."

 

[rhwestfall]

I'd like the op to fill out an accurate biography section.... I'm unimpressed with practically all of the recommendations here. I feel it resembles a "I drank the Kool-Aid", and I'm going to tell you it.... How are you qualified to make these recommendations? It smells of inexperience or industry...

I have 35+ years of progressive diving experience.... You?

Honestly, my belief is rent or borrow or buy stuff to get you 5 years of experience. Hell, most don't last that long in the sport. Tech diver in a year or two? LOL... That is the 1% group. That is maybe when you decide if diving is for you, and you have learned more of what you maybe want/need.

And, 3-5 years from now, I'd bet there is gear you would want instead as things get replaced with new versions...

While I'd love everyone to buy high end stuff, it is for selfish reasons. It is so I can buy it at cut rate used prices when they find diving to not be their "thing"...

 

[johndiver999]

Personally, my first sets were some old/used Scubapro G250 + MK10s, which cost about $125-ish for a 1st and 2nd stage, and then I learned how to service them myself. I more recently upgraded to two sets of MK25 + S600s, and to be honest, I can barely tell the difference.

Yeah, I have similar (even older regs) and a fancy titanium reg as well. Guess which ones I use? LOL.

Way, way too much hype on regs and computers. WRT the computer, if you are doing no deco diving with nitroX or air and your eyes are good enough to read it, and you know how to operate one button to set the mix before the dive, I really see very little utility in getting anything that costs or does more. Unless of course you want to download profiles, adjust algorithms or "play" with the darn thing, then spend all the money you want.

Similarly, I will probably never buy a Mercedes or BMW, because I just don't see the marginal utility they would provide. Although if I did win the lottery, I might be transporting my mufti-color computer to the dive site in a Mercedes.

 

[rhwestfall]

@johndiver999 - I do hope you realize "marginal utility" is the value of obtaining additional units, not spending more...

 

[Belzelbub]

That's what I'm trying to encourage, that we shouldn't just be saying "spend money on a good set of regs" but rather "here's what these features mean, and the features you'll want."

Definitely easier today to do a little research. Was a lot more difficult when I got my first set of gear. Scubaboard didn’t exist. There were magazines, but not exactly unbiased.

Features one may want are:

• Balanced - A really good feature to have.
• Adjustable - Kinda nice.
• Environmentally Sealed - Good for salt water and cold water.
• Cold-Water compatible - Only needed for very cold water.
• 1st Stage Turret - Very for SideMount, and perhaps useful for backmount.
• Lightweight or Compact - for travel
• Lots of ports - Most divers probably won't need them.

Overall, I agree with most of this. A couple of comments about a few, and an omission.

Venturi assist is also a good feature to have.

1st stage turret. I don’t see much, if any benefit for backmount. I regularly use both a turret and non-turret 1st stage. I prefer my non-turret 1st. I never have to reconnect a 1st to the tank because the hoses were backwards. I also feel less jaw fatigue with my fixed first, even though the second connected to the turret has a swivel, where the 2nd connected to the fixed 1st does not.

Lots of ports. I never heard anyone complain of too many ports. Even if most of the ports are unused, lots of ports also provides hose routing options which may be lacking on a regulator with fewer ports.

 

[johndiver999]

@johndiver999 - I do hope you realize "marginal utility" is the value of obtaining additional units, not spending more...

The marginal utility derived from spending double (or more) for a car would be very low for me, personally.

 

[Bazzathemammoth]

I'd like the op to fill out an accurate biography section.... I'm unimpressed with practically all of the recommendations here. I feel it resembles a "I drank the Kool-Aid", and I'm going to tell you it.... How are you qualified to make these recommendations?

I have 35+ years of progressive diving experience.... You?

Honestly, my belief is rent or borrow or buy stuff to get you 5 years of experience. Hell, most don't last that long in the sport. Tech diver in a year or two? LOL... That is the 1% group. That is maybe when you decide if diving is for you, and you have learned more of what you maybe want/need.

And, 3-5 years from now, I'd bet there is gear you would want instead as things get replaced with new versions...

While I'd love everyone to buy high end stuff, it is for selfish reasons. It is so I can buy it at cut rate used prices when they find diving to not be their "thing"...

Everyone finds their own way imo. I bought completely secondhand and really cheap initially and then upgraded as I went along. More people should do this imo.

My only regretful purchase was my new bcd a few years ago. The secondhand one that I had was falling apart, and after struggling to buy a bpw through any dive shop I just bought a cheap as new bcd. My lds wouldn’t even admit that bpws existed!

I’ve been spending a bit more lately now that I know what I want. My latest purchase was a secondhand halcyon bpw. All my gear is perfectly suitable for what I do and how I want to do it. However, to the untrained eye my setup probably comes across as fairly bizarre. I doubt there are many divers who dive bpw with stiff and long fiberglass fins!

 

[chillyinCanada]

More on the shop inventory/displays...

When they have 18 masks on display, but only 3 different models (in all 6 colors available each), they don't have a great inventory.

I like to see a bit of clutter. When the boots are nicely displayed, they are trying to fill space. The "this box has our size 10 boots" works much better for me. Providing there are at least 3 or 4 different styles of boots to pick from.

Several years ago I took many years off diving. Life got in the way stuff. Went to get back in it and drove around town and "interviewed" several shops to find one I wanted to do business with. Being I owned my gear, and I had experience in the past, most of the shops were quick to sell me a vacation package. Do you realize I have not been in the water in about 5 years, and should at least have stuff looked at and do something local first? It was what they saw as something they could sell to me. Not work with me, just what will be money in there pocket.

What was it that you wanted from them?

Are you sure that you made yourself clear?