How many people are happy....

[CD_in_Chitown]

I don't like/trust the AI 'puters. If I have to have an SPG anyway, why go all out on an AI computer? I can calculate the gas requirements and PSI turn points. I don't buy the streamline benefits as I want an SPG in addition to an AI computer. Wearing a non-AI on the wrist and an SPG is the ticket, IMHO.

As for the gear, did you ever skate/ski/snowboard/bicycle/etc as a kid. I can't remember how many times I told my mother, "If I buy this, I won't ever have to buy another...."

I finally threw all that old junk away to clean out space for the dive gear when I told my wife, "now that I own all my own gear I'll never have to buy another."

Now I've had to throw out all the old X-mas ornaments and winter clothes that were hogging basement space to accomodate the three sets of kit and interchangeable accessories that I've acquired through the years. That reminds me, my argon bottle is waiting at the LDS just got back from vip/hydro......Gotta Run.

CD

 

[dlwalke]

... who have bought equipment without extensive renting?

.

I bought without extensive renting and am very happy with what I have. Several points: Many people are sincerely enthusiastic about SCUBA, but after certification and a trip or two, basically don't end up pursuing it, so a period of rentals for a year or so might save you money if you don't end up diving routinely. Second, much of what you would like to buy may not be available to rent. I would assume by what you said that you are looking for some of the higher end equipment and I would guess that the motivation of many dive shops in terms of what they purchase for their rental stock, will be different from your's. Anyhow, provided that you do a good job of researching what the different options are, and the advantages/disadvantages of different types of equipment (e.g., back inflate vs wraparound BCs, split vs conventional fins, different regulator mechanisms, etc.), I think that you will end up with equipment that you really like and are happy to dive with.

Dave

 

[Damselfish]

I pretty much bought what a LDS recommended, mostly all ScubaPro, what we did our OW dives with and rented a few times with little research. I didn't do too bad considering, but in hindsight I would have done it differently, more research. I'm still using the reg 14 years later, but the BC I hated and dumped it within a couple years. Most of the rest I have replaced simply due to wear/breakage, loss, or sometimes just a preference for a new toy.

 

[xSandman3]

I researched like crazy before I even began ow training, as I had to wait 3 months after signing up to start. During the class, my wife and I both bought all of our gear, and we are very happy with the choices we made. I think most people who buy before they should probably "cheaped out", figuring they would upgrade later. If I can offer any advice, it's buy quality gear the first time, know what you're buying, and shop around.

 

[midwest_matt]

Definately buy the gear, if you can't afford to plunk down the nickels all at once local dive shops will sometimes finance you. If I rented all my gear, I'd only get 30 days worth of diving before i exceeded the cost of my purchases. (About 50 bucks a day to rent everything here). To me it's not worth it to throw away that money to use gear that's well... not your own, in general not going to be as nice as your own, and your not going to be as familiar with it as your own. If i'm diving, I want to know my gear, inside and out, asleep or awake. Not that i'll be diving asleep of course <chuckle> Seriously though I'd rather be ready for any contigency with familiar gear than have to fiddle with gear that I don't know very well in an emergency, because last time I checked....I can't breath underwater....without life support gear.......

Those are my 2 cents anyway

 

[MSilvia]

I'd steer clear of the air integrated computer. There are plenty of threads here to explain why, but I think you're much better off with a brass SPG and a good depth gauge and timer or non-AI computer. Consider wrist mounting (everything but the SPG) too... they'll be more accessable, and less dangly.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

learn to be happy with it?

I'll sell to you, at a nice price, all the equipment that I no longer use. You'll save a bundle and I'll no longer own equipment, perfectly good as it is, that I could never 'learn
to be happy with'.

 

[razor]

... who have bought equipment without extensive renting? I have been looking at regs and bcs and found some specs that I liked. I then checked the reviews and found that the ones I liked are near top of the line units that received good reviews. I am very tempted to go ahead and 'take the plunge' so I can use my own stuff for the rest of my classes. I know that the best advice is to rent a bunch of different stuff before you buy, but how much risk is it to buy good equipment and learn to be happy with it? Like most people, I have a budget to work with and if I spend a good portion of that budget renting, I may not have enough for really good equipment. Is this making any sense?

Dave I bought my equip BC/Reg/computer/mask/fins very early on. I did my OW in Cancun and the rental equipment was very used. The dumps on the BC were not in the same place as my equip that I was used to using in the pool, the BC was very worn and ill fitting, the guages were questionable. I guess what I am saying is I want to be very comfortable with the equipment that I am using for life support at 100 ft. I did not buy the very best but I did try to get equipment above average in price and quality. I did buy my regs and computer from liesure pro and I am very satisfied with perfomance, durabilty and quality. I also understand that they offer good packages as well. I bought most of my equipment after 2 dive trips and I am very glad that I did. Scuba equip is expensive but its your lifeline down there. BTW I have around 35 dives now so I am pretty much a newbie as well so take my opinion with that in mind.

Good luck

 

[razor]

I'd steer clear of the air integrated computer. There are plenty of threads here to explain why, but I think you're much better off with a brass SPG and a good depth gauge and timer or non-AI computer. Consider wrist mounting (everything but the SPG) too... they'll be more accessable, and less dangly.

Why do you recommend against the AI dive computer. I have an Aeris AtmosII that I like alot. What should I be aware of, what problems have you seen? Are they related to one brand of computer or all AI computer? Thanks for any heads up you can give me!

 

[MSilvia]

Why do you recommend against the AI dive computer. I have an Aeris AtmosII that I like alot. What should I be aware of, what problems have you seen? Are they related to one brand of computer or all AI computer? Thanks for any heads up you can give me!

Simply put, there's a lot more that can go wrong with one than there is with a regular gauge.

With AI, you could have a battery failure at either the send or recieve end, which would mean no pressure info and an aborted dive. SPGs don't need a battery at all, and don't rely on electronics.

AI updates regularly, but not constantly... an analog SPG always tells you what the current state of your gas pressure is.

That's obviously not an exhaustive list, but the bottom line is I just don't trust their reliability as much as I do with a standard brass gauge. In my opinion, anything that can fail (like batteries) should be eliminated in favor of something that can't if the opportunity is available. Spending extra in order to introduce new failure points just seems like a bad idea to me if there's an inexpensive and simple solution to the problem.

I'm sure they're fine for most recreational diving, but I do some deco from time to time, and I want to be sure my gear isn't going to spaz out on me.