Having the "Exact Same" equipment as your partner

[ams511]

Question...is it advantageous for a diver (me) and my main dive partner (wife) to have all the same equipment? We're new to diving and just starting to buy lots of great equipment.

I was having this chat with my brother-in-law and the main Pro is the fact that you'd be knowledgeable on each other's equipment. The main Con is the fact that if a piece of equipment (say regulator) decides to fail in a certain diving environment, then both regulators might fail.

What are your thoughts?

In case you're interested, below is a high-level overview of my equipment that I'm planning on buying:
- DSS BPW's.
- HOG regulators
- Not sure about wrist or console computers.

The main con as they put it is far-fetched. As was mentioned previously, unless you are diving in an environment that the regulator was not intended for, the chances of both failing at the exact same time is very small.

Your equipment choice for BCs and regulators are fine. You are investing in quality gear, I do not see you and your wife diverging from such equipment but you may add to it in the future. My opinion is go for it as long as both you and your wife like the gear. If not then you will be selling one or both sets and starting over.

As far as wrist or console mounts computers. A computer can be mounted on the wrist or in a console. The only exception is the air integrated computer which needs to be attached to a tank. They will be in a console or in a single mount. If you do not like the computer on your wrist you can always move it to a console and vice-versa.

 

[spectrum]

Well, if one washes out of the sport the other will have a comparable set of back-up items. Other than that go with personal choice. All gear must be suitable for the dives made.

Other than that fundamentals are quite similar and as a couple you should be intimately familiar with each others gear anyhow.

Pete

 

[highdesert]

There are downsides to buying the same equipment. Quite a few years back, we were on a boat in the Virgin Islands, and I heard Peter cursing a blue streak as he tried desperately to get into his wetsuit. We were all teasing him about gaining weight from eating too much on the boat. Turned out the wetsuit in question was mine . . .

Been there, done that, with our Pinnacle Bioply skins ...

 

[FinnMom]

The advantages are obvious if (and only if) you are both happy & comfortable with the gear. I don't think its a big deal though, so you should be free to make dissimilar choices in the future to better please or fit the individual.

If tempted, don't try to sway your wife into using something identical in favour of something she would have personally preferred. Down that path there are many dragons, big, nasty dragons and sudden to anger ;-)

 

[Steve_C]

-If one is more prone to getting cold, they may want heavier warmer wet suits. One may want hoods. Other may do without.

-A big person might want to dive a 130 where as a smaller person might want to dive an 80 or even smaller.

-May have different tastes in ponies if they get that far.

MARK the equipment. Couple years ago I did a couple low viz inshore dives. On the second dive I noticed that the viz seemed worse and my mask had some fog I could not just rinse out while diving. When I finished the dive folks on the boat got a big chuckle as I realized that the yellow mask I had picked up next to me and used on the second dive was not my prescription yellow mask.

 

[Scuba.com]

Regulators and computers don't matter so much, but the BC is something different. One size does not fit all in diving. What may work for you, may not for your wife. I would make sure the equipment the right fit for each person.

 

[jdg]

The advantages are obvious if (and only if) you are both happy & comfortable with the gear. I don't think its a big deal though, so you should be free to make dissimilar choices in the future to better please or fit the individual.

If tempted, don't try to sway your wife into using something identical in favour of something she would have personally preferred. Down that path there are many dragons, big, nasty dragons and sudden to anger ;-)

Yeah, like me being told "I TOLD YOU SO!" Let the dive instructor do that for you ;-)

 

[KD8NPB]

Team uniformity is always a plus.