rex_b
Guest
What would you say is the average amount of $$ for a beginner to start diving? Can you lay it out in a little table.
Thanks
Thanks
Getting started costs
- Thread starter rex_b
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
fmw625
Guest
I've been diving less than a year and have about $1000 invested so far including OW cert. There is a lot more equipment/stuff I'd love to have just not in budget yet. I do have enough to dive safely with just renting a tank.
Rex, you're asking a pretty subjective question in terms of 'table'... its gonna vary significantly depending on what people consider important to them. With an OW certification course and a reasonably complete set of gear, gauges, thermal protection, computer, tanks, etc. - some combination of used and new gear - somewhere in the ballpark of $1.5 - $2.5K.
For the course, for example, you may be able to take it entirely in your own backyard and save a bundle. Or, you may decide to do your open water dives at some resort, fly there, hotel, boat fees, etc. which would run considerably more.
You can rush out and lay down premium coin for every doodad and device and spend thousands more. Lets not talk about cameras and strobes, for example. You can get a bottom timer for around $140 or so, or a VR-3 for around $1400.00 or so, so it depends entirely on what you're willing to work with. But for a basic set of equipment and a certification, that might be a ballpark.
Hope that helps.
For the course, for example, you may be able to take it entirely in your own backyard and save a bundle. Or, you may decide to do your open water dives at some resort, fly there, hotel, boat fees, etc. which would run considerably more.
You can rush out and lay down premium coin for every doodad and device and spend thousands more. Lets not talk about cameras and strobes, for example. You can get a bottom timer for around $140 or so, or a VR-3 for around $1400.00 or so, so it depends entirely on what you're willing to work with. But for a basic set of equipment and a certification, that might be a ballpark.
Hope that helps.
eyasha
Contributor
Hi Rex, I just got certified, and this is what I spent: open water class - $250. gear needed for open water (mask,snorkel, booties, gloves, fines) - $250 . I bought a bc, reg, dive computer, secondary air source - octo style,light, wetsuit and hooded vest for $1600 more. Oh, and a pair of tall booties - I have super long legs and the wetsuit was a little short 
(Would have been more, but my LDS refunds the cost of your course if you buy all your equipment). All the air/tanks I need for a year - $65. My LDS also gives a one year no interest finance - which is a little easier to swallow. Obviously I didn't get the top of the line stuff, but it isn't the cheapest either - best bang for my buck on my budget. Hope that helps some. BTW don't know how you make a table on the post.
(Would have been more, but my LDS refunds the cost of your course if you buy all your equipment). All the air/tanks I need for a year - $65. My LDS also gives a one year no interest finance - which is a little easier to swallow. Obviously I didn't get the top of the line stuff, but it isn't the cheapest either - best bang for my buck on my budget. Hope that helps some. BTW don't know how you make a table on the post.
rex_b:
I have been certified for 4 years and still havent purchased my own gear. I have not been able to justify the cost with the amount of diving I get to do (wish it were more!).
I have a friend that would like to get certified and have been looking into some classes for her around here... most everyone's OW certification ranges between 230-300, but remember you have to provide your own Mask, Fins, and usually a snorkel too. So you are looking perhaps around 350-500 (could be more if you buy higher end equipment).
So that will get you started.
mxracer19
Contributor
Mask/Snorkel - $100
Fins/Booties - $100
Wetsuit - $180
Class w/ books - $300
5 air fills for checkout dives - $30
Entrance for checkout dives for 2 days - $44
Gear Rental before I had wetsuit - $75
Total thus far - ~$830
Fins/Booties - $100
Wetsuit - $180
Class w/ books - $300
5 air fills for checkout dives - $30
Entrance for checkout dives for 2 days - $44
Gear Rental before I had wetsuit - $75
Total thus far - ~$830
fmw625
Guest
All I have is a reg setup including secondary air supply, SPG, Depth gauge, and compass, 3 mm wetsuit, BCD, mask, fins, booties, snorkel, SMB, dive watch, underwater signaling device, signal mirror, whistle, dive light, a medium dry bag, some home made soft weights, an illuminated cork from walmart, and 5 mm hood. All of the life support gear I bought from LDS was good used condition, actually the gear I used in cert class. This equipment along with a decent dive buddy and the dive tables that came with cert. materials, I feel that I can dive safely. Sounds like a lot of stuff, but if you shop around you can find stuff at a reasonable price.
I've seen certification offered from anywhere between $250 and $700-800 depending on locale and whether it was a group or private class.
After that it really depends on you. How often you intend to dive may have bearing on whether you purchase gear or not. The type of diving you intend to do may also affect your gear choices. I'd definitley get personal gear - mask, snorkel and fins. You could have anywhere between a hundred and 300 bucks or more tied into that purchase alone. After that, consider renting for a while if you are on a tight budget. BC and reg/gauge set could run in the 6-8 hundred range for a lower end set, once you are looking at a grand you are getting into nicer equipment including a computer as opposed to depth gauge and dive watch... Dive gear, as with most hobbies/sports, has it's share of high end gear which can cost you much more.
Gear rentals seem to be in the 35-50 buck a day range for BC, wetsuit and Reg set depending on wherre you are. If you only intend to dive during travel and intend to take guided charters, many offer gear for a nominal fee (10-25 bucks) on top of the charter.
Some people have the financial abillity to get what they want right off the bat, I'd still recommend renting for a short while and trying various setups so you can have a better idea what you prefer as opposed to picking up what the salesman or your dive buddy says iis the equipment to get. Personal tastes vary often.
If I were to ballpark a guess to get certified and set up with gear - Low end, a grand to 1200, Mid range $1500-$2200, High end, name your price...
And then come the cameras and other toys. They can end up costing you far more than the initial investment if you really get into it.
Then again you could go through a pack of smokes and a 6 pack of beer (went through the beer phase myself for quite some time) every other day and ending up spending more money without even realizing it.
Have fun,
After that it really depends on you. How often you intend to dive may have bearing on whether you purchase gear or not. The type of diving you intend to do may also affect your gear choices. I'd definitley get personal gear - mask, snorkel and fins. You could have anywhere between a hundred and 300 bucks or more tied into that purchase alone. After that, consider renting for a while if you are on a tight budget. BC and reg/gauge set could run in the 6-8 hundred range for a lower end set, once you are looking at a grand you are getting into nicer equipment including a computer as opposed to depth gauge and dive watch... Dive gear, as with most hobbies/sports, has it's share of high end gear which can cost you much more.
Gear rentals seem to be in the 35-50 buck a day range for BC, wetsuit and Reg set depending on wherre you are. If you only intend to dive during travel and intend to take guided charters, many offer gear for a nominal fee (10-25 bucks) on top of the charter.
Some people have the financial abillity to get what they want right off the bat, I'd still recommend renting for a short while and trying various setups so you can have a better idea what you prefer as opposed to picking up what the salesman or your dive buddy says iis the equipment to get. Personal tastes vary often.
If I were to ballpark a guess to get certified and set up with gear - Low end, a grand to 1200, Mid range $1500-$2200, High end, name your price...
And then come the cameras and other toys. They can end up costing you far more than the initial investment if you really get into it.
Then again you could go through a pack of smokes and a 6 pack of beer (went through the beer phase myself for quite some time) every other day and ending up spending more money without even realizing it.
Have fun,
fmw625
Guest
If you were a fisherman, tackle, boat and truck to pull boat with etc. $???????. If you were a hunter, guns, ammo, 4 wheeler etc. $???????. Diver, all the goodies you'd like to have $????????. Just have to moderate between what you need and what you would like to have. I don't have a Black Pearl reg. would love to have one. I do have a titan lx, great regulator. I don't have a Black Diamond BCD, I do have a maverick, a very adequate BCD.
Similar threads
