Hi! Please Post Your Opinions on MY GEAR! and why? I would love to learn more.

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HellRaZoR

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Location
Rockville, MD, USA
# of dives
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Hello! I am I brand new diver, I only done 1 dive trip but completed the advanced course with 12 dives.
I have recently did a vast internet hunt and tried to buy as high end gear as possible spending a reasonable amount. Using massive coupons, price matching, and 1st client discounts.

Here It Is:
1.Paid: US$430 - Mares Abyss 22 (1st and 2nd stage) Original Price: US$690
2.Paid: US$90 - Mares MV Octo. Original Price: US$99
3.Paid: US$299 - Mares Mission Puck 2 Dive Comp. Original Price: US$399
4.Paid: US$209 - Cressi BCD Start Pro 2.0 Original Price: US$349
5.Paid: US$80 - TUSA Titanium Knife and sheath Original Price: US$95

Total List Price: 1633 ........Total Paid: US$1110

Let me know what you guys think, I feel like i stole it LOL.....
Thank you for your opinions. I cant wait to learn more.
Cheers
Hellrazor B-)
 
Hi Hellrazor. Well-done, it looks like you got some great savings.

Regarding quality, all these brands are industry recongised and, if you look after them, I'm sure they will look after you for a long time to come. As you're a new diver I think you made some wise choices on kit level. Starting out isn't easy and can lead to some buyer remorse. Either junk scrap from eBay or high-end Tec gear that is too far beyond beginner level. No such worries here!

As you develop as a diver you'll no doubt upgrade bits and bobs, but there's plenty of time for that and it's worth just doing a piece at a time.

My only advice; try your kit out in a safe environment first, ideally a pool. Even for experienced divers it takes a while to get used to new kit and it's much better to know how everything works (in water) before going open water. Oh, and it may sound obvious but read your computer manual back to front. Too many people out there haven't got a clue what it's trying to tell them.

In the meantime welcome to diving and enjoy. Let us know how you get on. Oh, and get used to an empty bank account, there's always a nice new shinny thing out there to spend your cash on. Us divers tend to be like magpies when it comes to that.
 
Hi Hellrazor. Well-done, it looks like you got some great savings.

Regarding quality, all these brands are industry recongised and, if you look after them, I'm sure they will look after you for a long time to come. As you're a new diver I think you made some wise choices on kit level. Starting out isn't easy and can lead to some buyer remorse. Either junk scrap from eBay or high-end Tec gear that is too far beyond beginner level. No such worries here!

As you develop as a diver you'll no doubt upgrade bits and bobs, but there's plenty of time for that and it's worth just doing a piece at a time.

My only advice; try your kit out in a safe environment first, ideally a pool. Even for experienced divers it takes a while to get used to new kit and it's much better to know how everything works (in water) before going open water. Oh, and it may sound obvious but read your computer manual back to front. Too many people out there haven't got a clue what it's trying to tell them.

In the meantime welcome to diving and enjoy. Let us know how you get on. Oh, and get used to an empty bank account, there's always a nice new shinny thing out there to spend your cash on. Us divers tend to be like magpies when it comes to that.
Hi Mr. Fraser, WOW Thank you for the amazing response!, ya see, I'm a a new diver but, I have had swimming medals since i was 11, grew up in the ocean and pools, was a lifeguard for over 5k hours, scuba is just the next extension of me. LOL Im so psyched for it, that said, I got a cheap dive shop BCD, but its exactly what i wanted, I run scenarios with it, and keep disliking it untill I do. I am doing exactly what you said, but out of water. I've alrdy tucked, and secured every piece, of gear reached for it with eyes closed, running through it like a lifeguard does. Thank you so much for your response. it makes sense, and makes me feel good about what i chose... wow Im so glad i signed up for this.... u dont know how many hours of research i did till i accepted this gear....
Thanks again!!!!!!!!
PS: I been watching the Mares mission puck instruction videos online, i fiddled with it but, will only see when i use it.... in danger of being redundant ..... Thank you
 
Hello! I am I brand new diver, I only done 1 dive trip but completed the advanced course with 12 dives.
I have recently did a vast internet hunt and tried to buy as high end gear as possible spending a reasonable amount. Using massive coupons, price matching, and 1st client discounts.

Here It Is:
1.Paid: US$430 - Mares Abyss 22 (1st and 2nd stage) Original Price: US$690
2.Paid: US$90 - Mares MV Octo. Original Price: US$99
3.Paid: US$299 - Mares Mission Puck 2 Dive Comp. Original Price: US$399
4.Paid: US$209 - Cressi BCD Start Pro 2.0 Original Price: US$349
5.Paid: US$80 - TUSA Titanium Knife and sheath Original Price: US$95

Total List Price: 1633 ........Total Paid: US$1110

Let me know what you guys think, I feel like i stole it LOL.....
Thank you for your opinions. I cant wait to learn more.
Cheers
Hellrazor B-)

Welcome to Scuba Board.

I will start by stating 3 things off the cuff:

1. The time to ask an opinion about gear is BEFORE you buy it...you are not seeking opinion at the moment you are seeking validation/vindication.

2. Nobody but you really cares what you are diving with unless they are your dive buddy and in that case they only care that it is in good working order.

3. Despite the discounts, coupons etc, You still overpaid for your gear.

With that out of the way....

The Mares Abyss 22 - this is great regulator set, I have 2 of them myself. They are easy to service and parts are readily available to shops and with some hunting on-line to the individual. This reg set can last you your lifetime if you don't abuse it, and then even if you do it can take a licking and keep on ticking. Both of mine are late 80s/early 90s models of both the 1st and 2nd stages. Mares has not made any significant changes to the design in a many many years except they changed the first stage from a honking big chunk of chromed rass to a smaller hunk of chromed brass, they basically machined away all the excess brass to make it smaller and lighter to appeal to divers who travel. The internals of both the 1st and 2nd stages are identical through the years except the earliest model 1st stages used a different high pressure seat and orifice configuration that Mares stopped using in this 1st stage a long time ago. Their are other good regs on the market but I think you made a good choice with this one.

Mares MV Octo - Nothing wrong with this as an octo, it is side venting so it can be breathed upside down without issues. Not the greatest breathing performance at depth but that should not be an issue as a an Octo. I use a similar model made by Aqualung (Aqualung ABS) on one of my reg sets. Overall not really anything special. Be aware that the end cap of the 2nd stage is easy to dislodge and lose. Most of the 2nd hand MV Octos I have seen are missing the end cap. The part can be ordered through a dive shop or found on ebay from time to time.

Mares Mission Puck 2 - It is a basic entry level dive computer. If the user interface appeals to you and you are happy with it then that is all that matters. I use Suunto Vyper and Vyper Air....all the non-tech dive computers do basically the same thing, it comes down to price and user interface in my opinion. Gucci features like wireless air integration are nice to have but totally unnecessary and typically add a chunk of change to the price.

Cressi Start Pro BCD - this is basic entry level BCD....the difference between the start and the start pro is the pro has integrated weight pockets. My family is partial to backplate and wings, but for an entry level BCD the Start Pro is as good as anything else in its price range. Just make sure you have the weight pockets securely clipped in as they are expensive to replace and Mares pockets have a tendency to come out when jumping into the water.

TUSA Titanium knife - its a knife...totally unnecessary in the water, and you paid way to much for an item that you will soon find is not a useful piece of dive kit. In 24 years of diving I have never actually been in the water with my dive knife and I do have one...It has mostly been used to spread peanut butter and cut cheese and sausage during surface intervals. Instead I dive with a Trilobyte line cutter. I also have a set of stainless steel EMT shears that I carry depending where I am diving. But if having a knife suits your fancy then great for you.

It is nice to have new stuff, but you probably would have been better served researching what to buy before hand, getting some opinions and then spending less money on higher quality 2nd hand gear that could be resold and replaced as your needs/desires become more developed and apparent.

-Z
 
I like the MV because it's bidirectional due to the swivel so less awkward than a conventional octo in an airshare stiutation. It does have some reputation as not being the best breather but for the price it seems fine. My regular dive buddy had one for a couple years and he could buy anything he wanted. I tried it once.

The BC is a "start'" model most often used in rental fleets. Solid model with weight integration and heavier fabric than some models - not a bad thing just adds a little weight.

It's a jacket model - which you likely trained in as most rentals are. Back Inflate models are a step up as they allow more precise control of the air bubble. A jacket floats you well horizontally on the surface but for diving - most divers swim horizontally so having the air on top with weight below it is more optimal for trim. You also won't touch a back-inflate model for what you paid unless itt's a travel model made of lighter weight, less durable materials.

I'm not a fan of plastic d-rings as I've seen a couple crack as they age. But if they ever do, metal replacements are available.

From what I understand the Abyss is solid, I1 have no experience with one. Mares also has a wide dealer network worldwide should you ever need service on a trip.

I disagree with ^ on the knife. I bought a Ti knife in the mid-80's still have it and it's still sharp. Mostly it's handy for cutting fruit on the boat though. Or as is the custom at one location I dive, cutting up fish to make ceviche. If you buy shears, buy ones with a stainless steel pivot or it will rust out in a year or two after exposure to salt water - both of my cheap ones did.
 
Welcome to Scuba Board.

I will start by stating 3 things off the cuff:

1. The time to ask an opinion about gear is BEFORE you buy it...you are not seeking opinion at the moment you are seeking validation/vindication.

2. Nobody but you really cares what you are diving with unless they are your dive buddy and in that case they only care that it is in good working order.

3. Despite the discounts, coupons etc, You still overpaid for your gear.

With that out of the way....

The Mares Abyss 22 - this is great regulator set, I have 2 of them myself. They are easy to service and parts are readily available to shops and with some hunting on-line to the individual. This reg set can last you your lifetime if you don't abuse it, and then even if you do it can take a licking and keep on ticking. Both of mine are late 80s/early 90s models of both the 1st and 2nd stages. Mares has not made any significant changes to the design in a many many years except they changed the first stage from a honking big chunk of chromed rass to a smaller hunk of chromed brass, they basically machined away all the excess brass to make it smaller and lighter to appeal to divers who travel. The internals of both the 1st and 2nd stages are identical through the years except the earliest model 1st stages used a different high pressure seat and orifice configuration that Mares stopped using in this 1st stage a long time ago. Their are other good regs on the market but I think you made a good choice with this one.

Mares MV Octo - Nothing wrong with this as an octo, it is side venting so it can be breathed upside down without issues. Not the greatest breathing performance at depth but that should not be an issue as a an Octo. I use a similar model made by Aqualung (Aqualung ABS) on one of my reg sets. Overall not really anything special. Be aware that the end cap of the 2nd stage is easy to dislodge and lose. Most of the 2nd hand MV Octos I have seen are missing the end cap. The part can be ordered through a dive shop or found on ebay from time to time.

Mares Mission Puck 2 - It is a basic entry level dive computer. If the user interface appeals to you and you are happy with it then that is all that matters. I use Suunto Vyper and Vyper Air....all the non-tech dive computers do basically the same thing, it comes down to price and user interface in my opinion. Gucci features like wireless air integration are nice to have but totally unnecessary and typically add a chunk of change to the price.

Cressi Start Pro BCD - this is basic entry level BCD....the difference between the start and the start pro is the pro has integrated weight pockets. My family is partial to backplate and wings, but for an entry level BCD the Start Pro is as good as anything else in its price range. Just make sure you have the weight pockets securely clipped in as they are expensive to replace and Mares pockets have a tendency to come out when jumping into the water.

TUSA Titanium knife - its a knife...totally unnecessary in the water, and you paid way to much for an item that you will soon find is not a useful piece of dive kit. In 24 years of diving I have never actually been in the water with my dive knife and I do have one...It has mostly been used to spread peanut butter and cut cheese and sausage during surface intervals. Instead I dive with a Trilobyte line cutter. I also have a set of stainless steel EMT shears that I carry depending where I am diving. But if having a knife suits your fancy then great for you.

It is nice to have new stuff, but you probably would have been better served researching what to buy before hand, getting some opinions and then spending less money on higher quality 2nd hand gear that could be resold and replaced as your needs/desires become more developed and apparent.

-Z
Hi, Divemaster Zef, Thank You for responding so promptly and thoroughly,
Yes sir.... you are right.... I did a LOT of research on all of this gear and I followed this gear on sale on many sites for about 2 months, I caught it on the end of christmas sale, I am in constant search of info, and since i am yet to try out my dive gear, I still ask about it. The info you got on the mares abyss is what I eventually found out, thats why I picked it as my 1st reg!!! (I hope you're proud of me :) .. )
The MV Octo, the mouthpiece holder that I have, holds onto the mouthpiece a little too well, it requires quite a strong pull to get it out, Feels like if i yanked it out once every dive, very soon I would just rip the mouthpiece to bits. if not, it can to be nudged out side by side. Maybe they made a change? that mouthpiece is pretty solid held in there. i even seen a youtuber pro diver Lakehickoryscuba use it as his main octo, he uses the same set up but he has his MV hooked up to a neck strap, I dont, I have it looped in the gauge pocket, mouthpiece hooked to carabeener.
Ya the gauge I got is what it is, basic dive comp, but i got it on a kit...
The Cressi BCD, has Gravity drop weight integration, so only the weights drop, nothing else. also I got the 2.0 a little better than first, i like the gauge pockets. also it only inflates in the back and sides, not on top, so "THEY SAY, NEW DESIGN" when horizontal, feels like a wing bcd.... we'll see...
LOL the dive knife, some1 convinced me i had to have it and paid for 80% of it, so i got it for like 20 bucks, lucky me.
wow, I didnt, think about getting high end second hand. I know high end gear is suppose to last for decades with proper care. wow....
Thank you so much for ALL that amazing PRO information!... I hope I didnt bore you with my long msg, point is, you are right about it all. My research proves it, common sense proves it, lol, and above all, your experience.
thank you for your time!
This scubaboard.com is amazing.....
 
I like the MV because it's bidirectional due to the swivel so less awkward than a conventional octo in an airshare stiutation. It does have some reputation as not being the best breather but for the price it seems fine. My regular dive buddy had one for a couple years and he could buy anything he wanted. I tried it once.

The BC is a "start'" model most often used in rental fleets. Solid model with weight integration and heavier fabric than some models - not a bad thing just adds a little weight.

It's a jacket model - which you likely trained in as most rentals are. Back Inflate models are a step up as they allow more precise control of the air bubble. A jacket floats you well horizontally on the surface but for diving - most divers swim horizontally so having the air on top with weight below it is more optimal for trim. You also won't touch a back-inflate model for what you paid unless itt's a travel model made of lighter weight, less durable materials.

I'm not a fan of plastic d-rings as I've seen a couple crack as they age. But if they ever do, metal replacements are available.

From what I understand the Abyss is solid, I1 have no experience with one.

I disagree with ^ on the knife. I bought a Ti knife in the mid-80's still have it and it's still sharp. Mostly it's handy for cutting fruit on the boat though. Or as is the custom at one location I dive, cutting up fish to make ceviche. If you buy shears, buy ones with a stainless steel pivot or it will rust out in a year or two after exposure to salt water - both of my cheap ones did.
Yeah, a friend of mine convinced that i needed to have one and paid for most of it. i know I'll have it forever, main reason was i needed a tank banger...i asked other scuba divers, when it came to knives I got 2 best, TUSA and the spyderco H1. D rings can be replaced, BTW the Start Pro 2.0 is different then the 1st one. I didnt want the older model. also got it for 200 bucks.. crazy...

Thnks for the reply!
cheers!
 
Hello! I am I brand new diver, ....Let me know what you guys think........
That's a lot nicer setup that my beginning gear. Congrats on your purchase.
Where is your first dive with it going to be????
 
You should not need the holder in the mouth piece of the MV Octo, especially if you have the hose folded and stuffed in the octo storage pocket of your BC.

Just for clarity, I never referenced the mouth piece. I referenced the end cap of the body of the octo. It is the yellow plastic mesh cap on the end that covers the exhaust valve...see the following picture for reference:

upload_2019-1-24_13-11-13.jpeg


If you are going to clip your octo to your BC then I highly recommend switching to something like one of the following:

upload_2019-1-24_13-20-43.jpeg
upload_2019-1-24_13-21-9.jpeg


These securely hold your octo in place and are not damaging to the mouth piece when you need to pull your octo free from the holder during training or an actual emergency.

If you are struggling to remove the octo on land, just imagine what that might be like during a crisis under water...and if the mouthpiece pulls off or is damaged because of it, while it wont render the octo useless, it may compound the problem/crisis being addressed.

Moving forward the best piece of advice I can offer a new diver is to ask lots of questions and evaluate all the responses you receive, then ask some more, and keep thinking...a thinking diver is safe diver, a safe diver is a good diver.

I wish you many happy and safe dives with your new gear.

-Z
 
Hi Mr. Fraser, WOW Thank you for the amazing response!, ya see, I'm a a new diver but, I have had swimming medals since i was 11, grew up in the ocean and pools, was a lifeguard for over 5k hours, scuba is just the next extension of me. LOL Im so psyched for it, that said, I got a cheap dive shop BCD, but its exactly what i wanted, I run scenarios with it, and keep disliking it untill I do. I am doing exactly what you said, but out of water. I've alrdy tucked, and secured every piece, of gear reached for it with eyes closed, running through it like a lifeguard does. Thank you so much for your response. it makes sense, and makes me feel good about what i chose... wow Im so glad i signed up for this.... u dont know how many hours of research i did till i accepted this gear....
Thanks again!!!!!!!!
PS: I been watching the Mares mission puck instruction videos online, i fiddled with it but, will only see when i use it.... in danger of being redundant ..... Thank you

No problem. Blimey the last time someone called me Mr Fraser it was followed by "do you know what speed you were doing ?".

Sounds like you're going about things the right way and with the right attitude. I take on board what another contributer said about second hand kit. A valid point but you never buy used without getting it serviced and that doesn't always come cheap.

The universal Octo is a nice feature. In a real 'out of gas' situation you don't want the receiver getting a wet breathe from an upside down source. This design eliminates that.

Don't forget, we're all gear tarts and have our favourite brands. Divers are like economists; you ask 10 people's opinion and you'll get 12 different answers!
 

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