Getting started "on the cheap"

[Ricky B]

I want to compliment and thank fjpatrum for starting this thread. It is right on point for me. As a dive tourist who has dived mostly in warm water climes, where the dive operators provide all the equipment, my only equipment to date has been mask (Tusa Liberator), snorkel, and dive computer (Zoop). As I live in the SF Bay Area and have Monterey Bay in driving distance, I have been thinking about taking the plunge and buying my own equipment so I can go diving locally. But I have been put off by the apparent cost, reading about $2,700 custom dry suits, $800 regulators, and the like. My concern is that if I don't like diving locally, then spending $3,000 to $5,000 is $3,000 to 5,000 out the window.

Then I thought about buying used, just so I can dip my toe in the water, so to speak, and then upgrading once I saw that I was really going to dive locally. But not being knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the different brands of equipment makes it dicey.

So I think the original post is just perfect. It outlines a path to getting new, reliable equipment at a price that is much less painless if local diving does not suit me.

Now to get down to business. How would you modify your list for Monterey Bay diving? 7 mil farmer John with 5 mil hooded vest?

And if one wanted to start with backplate and wing instead of BCD, what would be the good value/entry point recommendation?

 

[Vegan Shark]

Ricky B: If you're worried about wasting money, I suggest renting from shops in Monterey a few times first. But I promise you'll fall in love with Monterey diving. After having 50 sea lions at Breakwater playing all around you, or experiencing the magic of Lobos on a good vis day, you'll find yourself with a drysuit, doubles, scooter, the whole nine years in no time

 

[Ricky B]

I rented equipment and went diving (one time) in Monterey Bay (at Breakwater) a year and a half ago, and I enjoyed it a lot more than my check-out dives, which were also in Monterey Bay (it turns out that insulated gloves do make a difference!). I am interested in doing more local diving. For $1,000 or so, I would rather apply the rental money to purchasing new equipment. The question is what should I be buying to start on the cheap for diving locally.

 

[halocline]

I would spend a little more on mask and fins. A good fitting dive mask and dive fins would be very important to me.

I have a hard time finding a mask that fits. The two that I own that fit the best are a $100 atomic mask and a scubapro that I paid $5 for used. So, there's not always a relationship between fit and price. Fin fit has nothing to do with price, it simply means buying fins that fit. I believe fins are WAY overpriced for what they are. For about 80% of my diving I use $50 full foot mares avantis, they work great. I spent a bit more on my strap fins (also mares avant) but still less than $100.

I'm cheap and willing to look for good deals, and I also believe that most recreational dive gear is priced way out of line with it's actual value; it's assumed that scuba diving is an activity for people with some money and that they'll tolerate paying $700 for a regulator and $500 for a jacket BC.

I started with my only new regulator, a MK2/R190 for $200, a used BC for $50, a wetsuit purchased at an outdoors-gear closeout place (sierratradingpost.com) for $100, an air-only computer for $150 (not a great deal) and mask/fins/boots/snorkel at the LDS for about $200. So, about $700, not too bad. Then later I bought a BP/W from a company called jetharness, it was a really nice single tank set up, for $250, and started buying used regulators as I got interested in servicing them. I've rarely paid more than $75 for a 1st or 2nd stage, and often quite a bit less. These are very high performing regulators. I still buy wetsuits at the closeout place, I was lucky to get one of the first AL freedom plates for a nice low price, and I've bought several tanks used. About the only new gear I can remember getting in the recent past has been a couple of wings and reels from caveadventurers, and a few odds and ends. I have never bought a new tank (I own several LP72s, AL80s, and a HP100) and I never will. I did have to replace my computer, with an atmos 2, but it's still ticking away even after almost 10 years now.

I prefer to spend my dive money on trips, not gear.

-

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I want to compliment and thank fjpatrum for starting this thread. It is right on point for me. As a dive tourist who has dived mostly in warm water climes, where the dive operators provide all the equipment, my only equipment to date has been mask (Tusa Liberator), snorkel, and dive computer (Zoop). As I live in the SF Bay Area and have Monterey Bay in driving distance, I have been thinking about taking the plunge and buying my own equipment so I can go diving locally. But I have been put off by the apparent cost, reading about $2,700 custom dry suits, $800 regulators, and the like. My concern is that if I don't like diving locally, then spending $3,000 to $5,000 is $3,000 to 5,000 out the window.

Then I thought about buying used, just so I can dip my toe in the water, so to speak, and then upgrading once I saw that I was really going to dive locally. But not being knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the different brands of equipment makes it dicey.

So I think the original post is just perfect. It outlines a path to getting new, reliable equipment at a price that is much less painless if local diving does not suit me.

Now to get down to business. How would you modify your list for Monterey Bay diving? 7 mil farmer John with 5 mil hooded vest?

And if one wanted to start with backplate and wing instead of BCD, what would be the good value/entry point recommendation?

Just look at my list, I dive on the North Coast and as I pointed out it is absolutely possible to obtain a set of gear for around $1000-1200 and jump in and get wet. That was kind of the whole point of the original post.

And no you don't need a drysuit, doubles, and scooter and spend 3K-5K to have a good time. However if you want to hang with those guys and subscribe to that whole scene, then yes you will be spending a lot of money.

 

[fjpatrum]

RickyB, upgrade the wetsuit to a 7mm steamer or farmer john and jacket with either a hood or hooded vest, and maintain the rest of the equipment per the original post and you'll have a great start-up set for Monterey.

As for used gear, look at this post I made a while back: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...ying-used-discriminating-shoppers-primer.html
Brands don't really matter all that much except making sure you buy something either you can service or you can get a shop to service (which generally means no defunct companies like Dacor for regs). Other than that, pretty much all of it boils down to your own personal preferences.

I would buy a backplate and wing setup similar to this one as a starter:DRIS Dive Gear 28lb BP/W System | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL
That's the Diverightinscuba variation that many manufacturers/vendors have with a standard 1-piece harness and no frills system. It's a bit pricey for my taste but not incredibly so.

Edit: For the record, the BC in the original post is a soft plate with back inflate system, designed to be very similar to a backplate and wing. It gets very good reviews (for the standard not "deluxe" variant). I've never dived it but I've tried it on with a single tank and it's quite a suitable alternative to a hard plate for singles diving, in my opinion.

 

[Vegan Shark]

The question is what should I be buying to start on the cheap for diving locally.

A Neosport farmer john can be had for $150. Their hood and gloves are pretty cheap too. If you don't mind spending a little more, I would go with a quality hooded 7 mm semi-dry, with a 5 mm short-john underneath, which will run closer to $500

 

[Ricky B]

RickyB, upgrade the wetsuit to a 7mm steamer ...

Thanks for all the replies.

What's a steamer?

---------- Post added March 4th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ----------

... a 5 mm short-john underneath ...

Thanks.

What's a short-john? Is that like a shortie, but with straps instead of covering the shoulders?

 

[Vegan Shark]

A steamer (also called a semi-dry) is a 7 mm wetsuit that has seals to prevent water entry (usually at the wrists, ankles, and neck). Water movement is a major source of heat loss, so the tighter the fit, and the better the seals, the warmer you'll be. Semi-drys usually run about $400. Aqualung Solafx is a popular choice. Hollis' NeoTek is a great suit too.

A short-john is like the leg part of the farmer john, but ends at the upper thighs like shorts, so it keeps your core warm without limiting your mobility. You'll have 12mm of neoprene on your core with a semi dry + a short-john.

 

[AfterDark]

So here's what I'm talkin'bout. The black compass is a Scubapro LS1 probably the finest diving compass ever made. The buy now price on EBay is around $20.00

The second compass in a new compass the buy now on EBay is $114.00. Now one can spend $114.00 and brag about having a new compass. Or spend $20.00 and get a working compass that is second to none.

One example of diving on the cheap. You just have to know what you're looking at.