Hesitation with Diving and purchasing first set of gear in NE

[njrn2]

I have posted a couple of threads regarding purchasing my first set of equipment and have trolled through numerous other threads gaining a wealth of knowledge and also concerns. After reading Worried which was posted by Texasdave I gained a new level of concern. :confused6:

I just received the okay to purchase equipment for myself. These are the four concerns that I am having:
1.) I have to admit that I am feeling a little guilty that I am going to spend $2000 for equipment when we could be going on another vacation. I am also hesitant to "invest" in a set of equipment in case I can not dive as much as I would like to.
2.) Renting equipment seems to be a waste of money up to $200 for everything. I have researched information and tried friends equipment and know what I am looking at. In addition I have a package deal that I was able to obtain an almost internet price from a LDS.
3.) I am concerned that I am not going to like diving in the North East, specifically NJ, because I am considered a warm water wuss by many of the veterans .
4.) THe final concern is with time. I am in graduate school and will not be finishing until next august. While this summer I will probably be able to dive somewhat regularly, next year might be a problem with my course load.

My wife is not being very helpful :sigh_2: because she keeps saying "you know that you want to buy it, just make sure you are going to use it."

Any help and advice is appreciated. I need to either negate or reinforce my dillusions.

-Joe

 

[Wijbrandus]

The more gear you have, the more you will find it economical to dive.

Join a diving club, you'll find all sorts of opportunities to get wet.

A supportive woman like that can really make a hobby turn into an obsession. Just make sure you reward her for it, and life will be all good.

My wife is very supportive of my newfound addiction. I told her when I retire, I'll be able to find work as a DM down in the carribbean and we can retire there. She likes that idea.

Plus, I figure I've got 21 years to go until that happens, and it'll either work out, or she'll have forgotten all about it by then.

 

[hex92]

I have friends who like to dive, but because they have to shell out $50 a pop for rental gear plus the cost of the boat dive its that much harder to get them to go. Now that I have all my gear (tanks are on order) I only have to shell out for the boat, so I am much more motivated to dive.

Lots of people decide they don't want to stick with diving after a short while. See if you can develop a good relationship with one of the local shops. Many will offer a deal that allows you to apply a % of your rental fees towards the purchase of new gear. That way you can make sure you like diving in the waters where you live, and make sure that you really need your own gear before you buy.

 

[Displaced Yooper]

njrn2,

My thinking has always been, its better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Even if you don't dive a lot in NJ, your gear (most of it anyway) can still be used if you ever take a warm water vacation. The longer you wait, the more expensive the gear becomes, each year prices only go up.

Of course, it is easy for me to recommend you buy your equipment because I don't have to pay for it.

 

[diver_paula]

Joe,

There's no reason you must buy everything at once if you aren't sure this is for you. Start with the things your life depends on. You'll be able to use them locally or when on vacation. If after a few months or a season it looks like you'll become a NJ diver, then get the items needed for cold water diving.

Paula

 

[GSmith]

I'm a new diver as of last year. I purchased equipment that seemed to be pretty good and was well recommended by the shop I was dealing with. Since then I've replaced about half of it. It is hard to develope a perspective if your dealing w/ only one shop. ScubaBoard has made me aware of allot of other options and experiences out there.
I'd also recomend checking out a shop that offer some DIR-Fundamentals type trainning. It makes you aware of other equipment configurations that you might not be exposed to otherwise. They have a book on their fundamentals and a class work book that I've found informative. Their trainning will make aware of what abilities you may be lacking, since conditions can be challenging up here in our corner of the States. I've just started taking some of these classes, and find them helpful, since then deciding that I knew enough to get myself in trouble w/ PADI only trainning (OW & AOW). You may not decide to use everything they teach, but there are allot of skills that could make all the difference when needed. I love the BP & Wing configuration they use. It is very streamlined when compared to the SeaQuest jacket that made me feel like the Michelin Man in the water. There are great options other than Halcyone in this sector. FredT on ScubaBoard has BP options that are cost effective, Oxycheq makes some nice wings, and then there is of course Ebay.
Online Retailers such as Leisure Pro may be good for fins, masks and other somewhat disposable peices, but the hardparts that will require service from an authorized dealer, I'd find a LDS that has the equipment and trainning you want. If you think you will ultimately wind up in cold water, APEKS has some offerings with a large following. Your loyalty on purchasing these items from them may be rewarded with trainning and pool time. Practicing in a pool may sound silly, but remember that the gas volume change is greatest in the first 33' per Boyle's Law. Great practice in the winter.
If you get sucked in, Drysuits are expensive!
Hope that helps,
Greg

 

[divad]

I have posted a couple of threads regarding purchasing my first set of equipment and have trolled through numerous other threads gaining a wealth of knowledge and also concerns. After reading Worried which was posted by Texasdave I gained a new level of concern. :confused6:

I just received the okay to purchase equipment for myself. These are the four concerns that I am having:
1.) I have to admit that I am feeling a little guilty that I am going to spend $2000 for equipment when we could be going on another vacation. I am also hesitant to "invest" in a set of equipment in case I can not dive as much as I would like to.
2.) Renting equipment seems to be a waste of money up to $200 for everything. I have researched information and tried friends equipment and know what I am looking at. In addition I have a package deal that I was able to obtain an almost internet price from a LDS.
3.) I am concerned that I am not going to like diving in the North East, specifically NJ, because I am considered a warm water wuss by many of the veterans .
4.) THe final concern is with time. I am in graduate school and will not be finishing until next august. While this summer I will probably be able to dive somewhat regularly, next year might be a problem with my course load.

My wife is not being very helpful :sigh_2: because she keeps saying "you know that you want to buy it, just make sure you are going to use it."

Any help and advice is appreciated. I need to either negate or reinforce my dillusions.

-Joe

There's a place in Key Largo that sells 5 2-tank trips including
regulator (Oceanic) and B.C. (Oceanic) for $250.00. Those are the two expensive things you might want to replace later.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I often suggest that newly minted divers invest in a good quality used BC and reg (from a reputable dive shop - not E-bay unless they know exactly what they need/want and what they are getting).

Many shops upgrade and replace their rental equipment every two years or alternatively anytime they change dealerships. Shops get this equipment at very low prices from the manufacturers. (We recently bought new MK 2 R190's for $64.00 each for the rental dept.) and shops are usually able and willing to sell their used rental regs and BC's s to students after a year or two at very attractive prices.

Used equipment can take much of the sticker shock out of the purchase and can enable the average not-made-of-money diver to get more equipment sooner and with more money left over to actually afford to dive.

 

[NEWreckDiver]

I have posted a couple of threads regarding purchasing my first set of equipment and have trolled through numerous other threads gaining a wealth of knowledge and also concerns. After reading Worried which was posted by Texasdave I gained a new level of concern. :confused6:

I just received the okay to purchase equipment for myself. These are the four concerns that I am having:
1.) I have to admit that I am feeling a little guilty that I am going to spend $2000 for equipment when we could be going on another vacation. I am also hesitant to "invest" in a set of equipment in case I can not dive as much as I would like to.
2.) Renting equipment seems to be a waste of money up to $200 for everything. I have researched information and tried friends equipment and know what I am looking at. In addition I have a package deal that I was able to obtain an almost internet price from a LDS.
3.) I am concerned that I am not going to like diving in the North East, specifically NJ, because I am considered a warm water wuss by many of the veterans .
4.) THe final concern is with time. I am in graduate school and will not be finishing until next august. While this summer I will probably be able to dive somewhat regularly, next year might be a problem with my course load.

My wife is not being very helpful :sigh_2: because she keeps saying "you know that you want to buy it, just make sure you are going to use it."

Any help and advice is appreciated. I need to either negate or reinforce my dillusions.

-Joe

If you are into diving there is nothing like having your own gear. This will allow you to dive more often. You won't have to run to the shop to rent gear when those last minute dives come up. Your diving will actually improve because you will be diving the same gear configuration most of the time.

I know the initial cost will make your heart skip a beat, but in the long run, it is less expensive. Do it while you are young, don’t wait until you are older and may have given up diving all together.

If you enjoy diving as much as I do, then you will love northeast diving, nothing like having the best diving in your backyard. And it won’t cost you $2,000 every time you want to go.

My wife also supports my diving as well. Consider yourself very lucky. I know guys that hide everything from their wife’s and can not imagine how stressful that is.

When you decide on your gear, buy for the future, it will save you money in the long run. If you think you might take a Nitrox course, but a Nitrox computer now. It is better than replacing something later. But you more than likely have already thought about this.

Again buy what you like and can afford. Don’t follow a given groups gear configuration blindly.

Good Luck to you and Dive Safe

 

[JerseyDevil]

I would rent a couple times to do dives here in NJ. That way you can see if you will like it. We really do have some great diving here. The water temps in mid to late summer get warm enough for a wetsuit and we had some decent vis last season. If you find that you like diving here, then I would definetly invest in getting your own equipment. Again as someone has already mentioned, buy for the future. Try to find what kind of diving you want to be doind a couple years from now and buy for that (e.g. backplate and wing bc, NITROX computer if you decide you want a computer, etc). I think if you give it an open minded try here, you'll learn you really like diving here.