leman
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Same time zone. Just driving straight south to cave country.
How does a new diver select the right gear?
- Thread starter David_Ramsey
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Same time zone. Just driving straight south to cave country.
i'm spoiled by public transportation and urban life. y'all are hardy stock.
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@David_Ramsey good to know. Do you know who you're taking class with and which shop they teach out of?
Reasons for asking is that things like masks/snorkels/fins have really high margins and those are some of the items that I try to recommend you purchase from the shop you're taking the class from. You're not going to save any appreciable amount of money by ordering online on those things, so it's worth going for. If you're going to be buying from Divers-Supply I have no qualms about recommending you to buy online on any of those items. It's basically like buying from Best Buy instead of Amazon vs an actual mom-and-pop store.
I'll tell you what I dive
I have each of these wetsuits. They're epic and I love them. They are some of the highest quality suits on the market, come with pockets, are insanely comfortable, and since they're clearing them out, they're cheap. 3mm for travelling or summer diving, 7mm for diving in the spring/fall in the quarries.
Wetsuits - Thermal
I dive these fins. In black. They also come in blue, but as I went to NC State, you won't catch me dead in those things. These fins are powerful, lightweight, and comfortable. You won't find better fins out there, I've been trying to years
Deep 6 Eddy Flippers
These aren't bad either if you want to buy from Divers Supply. Eddy's are better IMO. The one caveat to the Eddy's is if you don't have legs in good shape and try to flutter kick, you'll get cramps. It means the fins are working. Learn to frog kick and you'll be much better off.
Mares Avanti Quattro Fins
Masks. I have a couple of these, and I have a couple of Atomic framed masks that I got cheap. There is no appreciable difference between the stupid expensive mask and the $30. DGX has a liberal return policy if it doesn't fit.
DGX Ultra View Frameless Mask | Dive Gear Express®
Extra $10, but at Divers Supply. I have a couple of these two. They're nice, I wouldn't pay an extra $10 plus sales tax over the DGX one though
Sea Elite Frameless 1 Mask with Box Black-Black
Snorkels. Just get a cheap, basic one. They're hard to find good ones these days because they're full of stupid gimicks. You're going scuba diving, not snorkeling. If diving in the ocean, keep one with you *a rollup one in the pocket of the Deep6 wetsuit is a good place for one*, but for quarry diving, don't bother carrying one. You'll have to for class, but that's it. Get as cheap and basic of a snorkel as you can get. Buy this one since you can fold it into a pocket for ocean diving. It's $16 and cheap
Seac Turtle Folding Snorkel Black
Boots
I have really wide feet so I use the NRS Paddle Shoes which are boxier than most booties for scuba are. If I'm diving warm water, I will just dive barefoot in Chaco's. I'm hunting for cheaper boot options, but haven't found any yet. The Deep6 boots are also REALLY good, and if you get fits and/or wetsuits from them, I recommend getting their booties. They just aren't wide enough for me.
https://www.rei.com/product/881348/nrs-paddle-wetshoes-mens
I think that's it. After that, since you're in Charlotte, before you buy a BCD or regs, send me a message and we'll schedule a day at lake jocassee or one of the PDRA quarries for you to try a bunch of stuff before you buy.
Reasons for asking is that things like masks/snorkels/fins have really high margins and those are some of the items that I try to recommend you purchase from the shop you're taking the class from. You're not going to save any appreciable amount of money by ordering online on those things, so it's worth going for. If you're going to be buying from Divers-Supply I have no qualms about recommending you to buy online on any of those items. It's basically like buying from Best Buy instead of Amazon vs an actual mom-and-pop store.
I'll tell you what I dive
I have each of these wetsuits. They're epic and I love them. They are some of the highest quality suits on the market, come with pockets, are insanely comfortable, and since they're clearing them out, they're cheap. 3mm for travelling or summer diving, 7mm for diving in the spring/fall in the quarries.
Wetsuits - Thermal
I dive these fins. In black. They also come in blue, but as I went to NC State, you won't catch me dead in those things. These fins are powerful, lightweight, and comfortable. You won't find better fins out there, I've been trying to years
Deep 6 Eddy Flippers
These aren't bad either if you want to buy from Divers Supply. Eddy's are better IMO. The one caveat to the Eddy's is if you don't have legs in good shape and try to flutter kick, you'll get cramps. It means the fins are working. Learn to frog kick and you'll be much better off.
Mares Avanti Quattro Fins
Masks. I have a couple of these, and I have a couple of Atomic framed masks that I got cheap. There is no appreciable difference between the stupid expensive mask and the $30. DGX has a liberal return policy if it doesn't fit.
DGX Ultra View Frameless Mask | Dive Gear Express®
Extra $10, but at Divers Supply. I have a couple of these two. They're nice, I wouldn't pay an extra $10 plus sales tax over the DGX one though
Sea Elite Frameless 1 Mask with Box Black-Black
Snorkels. Just get a cheap, basic one. They're hard to find good ones these days because they're full of stupid gimicks. You're going scuba diving, not snorkeling. If diving in the ocean, keep one with you *a rollup one in the pocket of the Deep6 wetsuit is a good place for one*, but for quarry diving, don't bother carrying one. You'll have to for class, but that's it. Get as cheap and basic of a snorkel as you can get. Buy this one since you can fold it into a pocket for ocean diving. It's $16 and cheap
Seac Turtle Folding Snorkel Black
Boots
I have really wide feet so I use the NRS Paddle Shoes which are boxier than most booties for scuba are. If I'm diving warm water, I will just dive barefoot in Chaco's. I'm hunting for cheaper boot options, but haven't found any yet. The Deep6 boots are also REALLY good, and if you get fits and/or wetsuits from them, I recommend getting their booties. They just aren't wide enough for me.
https://www.rei.com/product/881348/nrs-paddle-wetshoes-mens
I think that's it. After that, since you're in Charlotte, before you buy a BCD or regs, send me a message and we'll schedule a day at lake jocassee or one of the PDRA quarries for you to try a bunch of stuff before you buy.
Skulmoski
Contributor
That's sad. Dive shops need to make a living and if they provide a service, I do not mind paying a bit more than what is on Amazon. Support your local dive shop or friendly online dive shop. These people are divers like us.
OP
David_Ramsey
Registered
Thank you tbone, this post had a lot of good info. We're definitely taking our class through Divers Supply Charlotte, just don't know who the instructor(s) will actually be yet.
And it's a deal on the Lake Jocassee trip.
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even if using their instructors, I wouldn't feel bad about not buying certain items through them. With the Deep6 wetsuits, I would certainly not buy any suits they have. They can't compete with that suit anywhere near that price level. Mask/Fins/Snorkel though is going to be a bit of a wash price wise, so if it makes you feel better than fine. What you MUST be aware of though, is don't let them talk you into some fancy-ass $70 snorkel, $250 split fins, or a $150+ mask. If you need a prescription mask, that's one thing, but if you don't, then the ones that I linked are more than sufficient. Since it's a "best-buy" type dive shop though, they shouldn't be pushy about sales, but hold your ground on the rest of them.
Some very good advice here.
These questions get asked pretty often and it's a great that the experienced divers on this board always take time to help.
Personally the only big ticket new gear I have is my wetsuit. All the rest is used but properly serviced where needed. I've particularly taken note of what fellow club divers use and it's great to get that range of opinions.
These questions get asked pretty often and it's a great that the experienced divers on this board always take time to help.
Personally the only big ticket new gear I have is my wetsuit. All the rest is used but properly serviced where needed. I've particularly taken note of what fellow club divers use and it's great to get that range of opinions.
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some of the best wetsuits and drysuits in the world are made very close to where you live in Portland so you can definitely support local business with not only regulators, but also exposure protection.
The stuff you listed is very personal. Number 1 criteria is fit, it needs to fit YOU. For fins style is very personal and I highly recommend trying first from friends demo etc. One shop were I used to live the owner let me borrow his personal ones in the pool, I discovered I hate split fins YMMV. Mask has to fit or it will leak. Wetsuit had to fit or it won't work, same for boots. The plus side is wetsuit and boots can be fitted in store, just bring what your wearing under the wetsuit to the shop.
outofofficebrb
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I think there was a lot of value in having me rent gear for some time to figure out the things I liked, didn't like, etc., and feeling/knowing that part of the experience first hand. I chatted with other divers while on trips or while diving with others to see what they liked, didn't like, suggested. Unfortunately (or fortunately..), we always try to make decisions based on the knowledge and emotions/feelings or situation we have at that moment in time but all those can change or evolve. Sometimes, the first set of gear may not be the gear that you have in the long run, but if it is, great! Buy once, cry once? Buy your second set of gear first? Those are all pieces of advice I have heard myself and seen, and quite actually agree with depending on what it is.
I guess first look at what you're looking to buy, what budget you have, and start from there. Everyone will think the gear that works for themselves is best, but it might not apply and be the case for others. Everyone has preferences and opinions. You know what they say...opinions are like..............everyone has one.......
Share as much detail as you can and folks will try to steer you there.
I guess first look at what you're looking to buy, what budget you have, and start from there. Everyone will think the gear that works for themselves is best, but it might not apply and be the case for others. Everyone has preferences and opinions. You know what they say...opinions are like..............everyone has one.......
Share as much detail as you can and folks will try to steer you there.
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