Honest opinions on equipment that won't break the bank

[Rhone Man]

My quick tips would be:

• don't buy anything right away, rent and borrow for a while
• when you know what you want to get, try eBay first - a small scratch is a big saving
• if you can't find it on eBay, try leisurepro.com (check "used gear" first)
• the one exception I make to rules 2 and 3 is for wetsuits, but maybe that is just me
• if/when you get a computer, I suggest getting a cheap one first, and wait a while before getting a fancy one (if you get a fancy one at all)
• scuba divers tend to be hugely brand loyal, so don't expect many honest opinions that are worth anything
• never buy "the latest thing"; to quote a pilot friend: better to be in a plane that has crossed the Atlantic 200 times than on a maiden voyage. Lots of new products do not become successes

 

[BarrelRoll]

I just went through the same thing, and through all of my extensive research I decided on a few items that would be my "standard buys" if I didn't find great deals on other things:

Sherwood BCs
Sherwood Brut Regulator
Suunto Cobra Computer

From every review I read, every suggestion I got from a friend, etc, these were the items that I saw used as rental gear in the most places, reviewed as indestructible and reliable, etc.

Coincidentally I didn't end up buying any of these items myself as I got an incredible deal on some slightly higher end stuff, but if I were to lose all my gear tomorrow this is the stuff I'd look at to replace it.

FYI -- I have no loyalty to these items, they're the ones I found to have the highest over-all ratings, reviews, and cheapest prices while being the most reliable over time. Just passing on the fruits of my labor.

 

[Abaco24]

Check out http://www.scubadiving.com then go to the gear section. That should keep you busy for a while! and it has all the top pro's evaluating the gear.