How does a new diver select the right gear?

[runsongas]

mask and wetsuit are all about fit, so you need to try them on.

if you have different dive shops around, see what brands they carry and use in their rental fleets. different brands size and cut their suits somewhat differently, but trying on a wetsuit of a brand will give you some idea of how they fit you personally at least.

for fins, get a used pair of mares quattros. not the best fin on the market, but relatively effective, easy to find, and cheap used. then decide whether you need more negative fins like jetfins/turtles/f1s (usually for a drysuit), something more neutral like dive rite XTs, F1 LT, or the deep 6 eddy, or something lighter and more compact for travel like the F2 or SP go.

 

[Fin Finder]

Let's say a new diver is interested in purchasing basic gear like a mask, boots, wetsuit, and fins.

If you're buying fins, take your boots with you.
If you're buying boots, take your fins with you.

It's all about the foot pocket.

(Don't ask me how I know).
.

 

[myshadeofred]

I dove with just fins, mask and dive computer for a while and rented...just a thought to try things out. Side note...be careful on first dive computer. Make sure it makes sense to you. Conservative..Enriched Air option...Integrated...COST....etc...There are so many to choose from.

 

[TMHeimer]

I use the often recommended spring straps on fins. If you get these, check how easy it is to get them on & off (especially on) the boots you will buy. Oddly, mine go on way easier with the size 12 boots I have than with my size 11s. This is important if you are donning doffing fins in nasty surf and cold water.

 

[drrich2]

Learn your options and consider the diving you want to do.

1.) Boots - I like my 7 mm boots, and if I were buying again, I'd have started with them since they work fine for warm or cold water, and occasionally I dive cold water. Buy a pair of 3 mm boots, and if you decide to dive cold later, you'll be buying another pair of boots. And get something with a medium thickness sole, not a 'bootie,' because if you shore dive Bonaire, you'll want more 'boot' than 'bootie.' My 7 mm Neosports do okay. That's Henderson's 'value' line and not very stretchy. Now for a hood, I use their upscale AquaLock (which still pulls on my jaw); same size (2XL) Neosport hood is like a head squeeze on me (big head).

2.) Fins - Enough people not using dry suits are foot heavy, that neutral or slightly positively buoyant fins are a plus. I like my Deep 6 Eddy fins; OMS Slipstreams are another option.

3.) Mask - be aware high cost doesn't mean better seal. My favorite mask cost around $30 online. And while low volume/low profile masks seem popular, seems to me when a little water gets in them, they seem to 'fill' faster, bothering me more.

4.) Computers are a biggie; you've got console, 'puck' (wrist) and wrist-watch options, air-integrated or not, and some can log your dives and upload them to a dive log program on your computer. You pay for more features. I like air-integrated, and I like uploading to my computer. This gives me my SAC rate, average depth that dive rather than just max. depth, and I can look at a profile and see if I dove a fairly smooth vs. sawtooth course. You'll see on the forum that the Shearwater Teric (watch style) and Perdix A.I. (puck) are very well thought of, but they do cost money and you can dive with something much cheaper. The recent Deep6 dive computer offering would draw my attention at the lower end, Shearwater up high, if I were shopping today.

5.) Wetsuits need to fit. I like my front-zip shorty. Most wetsuits are rear zip.

6.) The whole jacket BCD (most common) vs. BP/W and other options (e.g.: back inflate) is a big topic in it's own right. If you're staying rec., no tech., a jacket should do fine. You might want a BP/W later; I dive one now.

7.) Get an SMB and put it on a finger spool, and stick that in your BCD pocket or clip it to a D-ring. If you get separated from the boat at sea, an inflated SMB makes you far easier to spot in the distance. When diving large water bodies, have one on you.

 

[Soloist]

Research! Don’t be intimidated or afraid to buy used gear. Realize “most” local dive shops are motivated to sell you something from their current inventory. Unfortunately you will discover a year from now what seems like a good idea today was not the best choice. Buy gear with the capability to adapt to future demands as your diving progresses. As said before, talk to other divers and experiment with as much equipment as possible. Good luck!

Consider a backplate and wing!

 

[MrBigfins]

Mask is the place to start and one of the most personalized piece of gear. I have a rather large nose and bad fitting masks are the norm for me. This is important to try in person and ensure a good comfortable fit. If you flip the strap in front of the mask and situate on your face then enhale with your nose the mask should seal and stay in place. I prefer black skirt and frameless.
I've switched fins 3 times, I'm fairly foot heavy and finally settled on RK3s and wish I had gone that route from the beginning.
Computer should be your second purchase, and buy above the level you currently intend to dive. Air integrated is nice, but if you don't have your own regs yet then it may be a feature you won't use for awhile.
Regs depend on if you intend to dive warm water only, cold water, travel, price point etc.
Bcd is a divisive subject on this board. I settled on the hydros early on after diving my instructors hydros during AOW. With a mix of cold water and alot of traveling, I'm still happy with my choice even if it is a pricey option (it has probably saved me it's cost between luggage fees and rental costs if I would have chose not to bring another bcd because of size)

Most important is take your time and research each piece while keeping in mind how your diving may grow in the future. Don't be afraid of used gear, it can save you a ton.

 

[David_Ramsey]

Which shop are you planning on going through and what brands do they sell? There are certain things that I think are worth buying from your LDS. Masks and wetsuits are two of them. What are your ultimate diving goals? Where do you intend to dive, what kind of diving are you interested in? Will you be diving a lot locally in the PDRA quarries? Those are the kinds of things that help us narrow down some interesting choices that you may want to look at.

Thank you for all of the great advice everyone.

I'd have to say the most convenient dive shop to us right now is Divers Supply Charlotte. I believe "Sea Elite" is their in-house brand.

As of now, we'll definitely be mostly recreational and "easy-level", or to sound really banal: let's go somewhere warm and tropical with clear blue water and look at pretty fish. However, I can definitely see growing into more technical and challenging dives as the years go by. For me, the sky's the limit (or I guess the Marianas Trench since we're going the opposite direction.) Here in the Carolinas, we're talking quarries locally or wreck diving at the closest coasts. We're definitely going to travel to dive in other places, probably beginning with Florida and the Caribbean. All of those destinations sound fun to me (quarries and wrecks included) but my wife is definitely leaning more towards tropical reefs and nothing too technical or advanced.

As with any hobby I've ever had, one thing I've noticed is that gear at the lower end can be either really cheap, or a decent value. From there, you might purchase something twice as expensive because you want certain features, but you don't always get twice as good quality. You can even spend an awful lot more for maybe 20% better. (Seem like golf clubs are like this. How much better does the extra $500 really make you hit the ball?)

In other words, someone might say, "hey this $50 mask is a pretty good value for the first few years of scuba diving. It won't fall apart but it's nothing fancy. It's not a Yugo, it's a Toyota Corolla, but it's also not a BMW 8 Series. In five years you'll have a much better idea about the $200 mask but not now."

As far as advice, I guess I'm looking for the "hey if you try on a mask, pinch it in such and such a place, or notice how it feels in this spot and this spot, and does it do this particular thing when you put it on? Then you know it fits/doesn't fit well, etc." kind of tips you wouldn't realize just from trying it on for five minutes in the store. (If there are any sort of tips and tricks that help.)

 

[MrBigfins]

Thank you for all of the great advice everyone.

I'd have to say the most convenient dive shop to us right now is Diver's Supply in Charlotte Divers Supply Charlotte. I believe "Sea Elite" is their in-house brand.

As of now, we'll definitely be mostly recreational and "easy-level", or to sound really banal: let's go somewhere warm and tropical with clear blue water and look at pretty fish. However, I can definitely see growing into more technical and challenging dives as the years go by. For me, the sky's the limit (or I guess the Marianas Trench since we're going the opposite direction.) Here in the Carolinas, we're talking quarries locally or wreck diving at the closest coasts. We're definitely going to travel to dive in other places, probably beginning with Florida and the Caribbean. All of those destinations sound fun to me (quarries and wrecks included) but my wife is definitely leaning more towards tropical reefs and nothing too technical or advanced.

As with any hobby I've ever had, one thing I've noticed is that gear at the lower end can be either really cheap, or a decent value. From there, you might purchase something twice as expensive because you want certain features, but you don't always get twice as good quality. You can even spend an awful lot more for maybe 20% better. (Seem like golf clubs are like this. How much better does the extra $500 really make you hit the ball?)

In other words, someone might say, "hey this $50 mask is a pretty good value for the first few years of scuba diving. It won't fall apart but it's nothing fancy. It's not a Yugo, it's a Toyota Corolla, but it's also not a BMW 8 Series. In five years you'll have a much better idea about the $200 mask but not now."

As far as advice, I guess I'm looking for the "hey if you try on a mask, pinch it in such and such a place, or notice how it feels in this spot and this spot, and does it do this particular thing when you put it on? Then you know it fits/doesn't fit well, etc." kind of tips you wouldn't realize just from trying it on for five minutes in the store. (If there are any sort of tips and tricks that help.)

For masks, the nose and the bridge are the 2 points you definitely don't want any pressure. The seal will be the biggest issue as not everyone has the same shape face. I settled on the scubapro frameless and scubapro ghost. YMMV

 

[Belzelbub]

Let's say a new diver is interested in purchasing basic gear like a mask, boots, wetsuit, and fins. Are there any guidelines for each of these to know if it's the right selection for *you*? Aside from trying it on and seeing if it feels like it fits, are there any expert tips that a beginner wouldn't know for selecting the right gear?

Three words. Fit, Fit, and Fit. That is the most important criteria. If they don't fit well, they won't work well.

Below is a bit more on each type you listed.

Mask: Must fit well. The mask should be able to stay on your face without straps by inhaling gently through your nose. If not, it will leak badly. Low volume is easier to clear. Stay clear of clear mask skirts. Black skirts reduce glare so you'll be able to see better.

Boots: Get ones that fit and are of appropriate type for your local waters and type of fins. Closed heel fins don't require boots. Want to make sure they are thick enough to keep your feet warm if necessary.

Wetsuit: Must fit well. Thickness will vary by temperature of water and your own tolerance. The wetsuit should be quite tight, but still allow natural movement.

Fins: Lots of gimmicks out there, so be careful. A standard fin will work fine. The only bad set of fins I got were a version of the Jet fins. Normally, Jet fins are highly regarded. However, these particular fins were made for a firmer sole boot, as the base stopped mid foot. My boots had a soft sole, so they didn't work together.