How do folks navigate buying scuba equipment?

[goalieboy29]

That's 10-15 diving days per year.
Say $10~15 a day for computer rental.
So $100~225 a year.

It'd take 2.5-5 years to get your money back from a $500 computer purchase.
Do the same for regulator and BCD.

Take into account yearly service for the regulator, and how long you want to continue diving, and the convenience of owning your own gear.

I'd say you'd probably get your money's worth out of it.

great thoughts and I never thought of doing the calculations...thanks, now I have to do math, lol I think you're right, probably makes sense. I'm getting close to retirement and will be eventually transitioning from hockey to scuba and golf as my hobbies.

 

[goalieboy29]

If you had your own gear, would you actually dive more? That is one question there really isn't a mathematical solution to - the convenience and flexibility of having it on hand....

agreed - convenience is important to me too!

 

[grantmac]

I own everything I need, subsequently I dive 1-3x a week.

Friends who rent dive maybe 10-20 times a year. It's not even about the money so much as the convenience.

 

[arkstorm]

When it comes to scuba equipment the saying, “buy once, cry once” holds very true.

I have 15-year-old regs (Mares Abyss) that still stand up to the latest and greatest, a backplate and wing that will never become obsolete, and a slew of old Oceanic and Aeris computers that time can’t seem to kill. The key is maintenance.

Whatever you buy, if you buy the right stuff, you may never need to replace it unless you just feel like it. Just take your time and do the research. Then be patient until the right deal comes around.

Also, used gear can be excellent, almost every piece of gear I own was bought pre-owned. But make sure whoever you buy from took good care of it.

With the exception of dive computers, in the last 20-25 years, dive gear has seen only very minimal improvement / change. There has not been any truly game-changing equipment developments in the sport. That should reassure anyone on the fence as to whether to invest in their gear.

My personal experience is that I enjoy diving more when I use my own gear as opposed to renting. Though ymmv.

 

[buddhasummer]

To practice or try out gear when you don’t dive local, that’s what pool time is for. Ask for get in on a pool session with your dive shop of choice. I did that last weekend with my rebreather trying out some tweaks.

I’d go with Apeks over Zeagle.

I’m a sorta gear head, but I have no desire to service my own (too damned many dinky o rings!).

I'd go Zeagle over Apeks

 

[davehicks]

With the exception of dive computers, in the last 20-25 years, dive gear has seen only very minimal improvement / change. There has not been any truly game-changing equipment developments in the sport. That should reassure anyone on the fence as to whether to invest in their gear.

And Lights. And Cameras. And Wet/Drysuits. And Hoses. Actually, there have been a lot of changes and improvements in the 21st century.

I agree that there are some really great 20-year-old regulators out there that still have useful life. But I would not buy a used regulator that was 20+ years old unless it had some vintage alure. After all, decades old rubber and plastic parts are often going to be in pretty poor shape. There is plenty of 5-year-old used equipment to choose from that any shopper should consider first.

 

[formernuke]

Most of us made very expensive mistakes.

 

[DarR]

great thoughts and I never thought of doing the calculations...thanks, now I have to do math, lol I think you're right, probably makes sense. I'm getting close to retirement and will be eventually transitioning from hockey to scuba and golf as my hobbies.

I'm a professional ski patroller as my retirement gig. Started the gig when 58. I'm now 65.
I'm on the mend right now from a full hip replacement. I plan on doing a lot more diving than skiing going forward.

 

[buddhasummer]

And Lights. And Cameras. And Wet/Drysuits. And Hoses. Actually, there have been a lot of changes and improvements in the 21st century.

I agree that there are some really great 20-year-old regulators out there that still have useful life. But I would not buy a used regulator that was 20+ years old unless it had some vintage alure. After all, decades old rubber and plastic parts are often going to be in pretty poor shape. There is plenty of 5-year-old used equipment to choose from that any shopper should consider first.

G250

 

[jellycatsdad]

When it comes to scuba equipment the saying, “buy once, cry once” holds very true.

I have 15-year-old regs (Mares Abyss) that still stand up to the latest and greatest, a backplate and wing that will never become obsolete, and a slew of old Oceanic and Aeris computers that time can’t seem to kill. The key is maintenance.

Whatever you buy, if you buy the right stuff, you may never need to replace it unless you just feel like it. Just take your time and do the research. Then be patient until the right deal comes around.

Also, used gear can be excellent, almost every piece of gear I own was bought pre-owned. But make sure whoever you buy from took good care of it.

With the exception of dive computers, in the last 20-25 years, dive gear has seen only very minimal improvement / change. There has not been any truly game-changing equipment developments in the sport. That should reassure anyone on the fence as to whether to invest in their gear.

My personal experience is that I enjoy diving more when I use my own gear as opposed to renting. Though ymmv.

I still dive a nearly 20 year old set of Mares regs - MR42/Proton Metal, and I’ve gotten questions and compliments from other divers. They breathe as well as the current state of the art. I’m only going to upgrade once I can’t service them, as hostile as Scubapro(G260 with MK17/19) is to DIY service, I have a vain reason - looks and it just works. I do want to take the reg class down the road but I should invest in an IP gauge for now just to keep tabs on my regs.

Else, the only new purchases I made were wetsuit, BCD and computer. I want a Shearwater Peregrine - it’s a spring/summer purchase. My DeepBlu conked out, I was able to get a replacement but my confidence in them is shaken(they are out of business). I wouldn’t mind buying one used and I’m also going to consider used tanks, looking at HP100s eventually.