How well do we choose gear?

[TSandM]

Seems like one of the most common questions on this board is, "I'm a new diver, what should I buy?" And we all chime in and give lots of answers, and they're all different. But I have this feeling that what we really need to prepare new divers for is that they will most likely end up replacing what they originally buy . . . but I could be wrong. So let's see what the SB membership says about their own experiences. (BTW, I tried to figure out a way to do this as a poll, but I couldn't define the answers well enough.)

So . . . Are you still diving the gear you originally bought, or did you at least dive it until it NEEDED replacement? Or did you replace your original gear, and if so, why? Were you unhappy with your original choices? Did you buy new gear because your diving activities (and therefore needs) changed? Did you buy new gear because something new and better became available? Or did you buy new gear because it's just . . . FUN to buy new gear?

 

[Sasquatch]

A great question.

Here's my answer: I will dive most of the gear I originally bought until it wears out or I decide to upgrade my regs and/or go to doubles.

I really, really shopped & researched to a ridiculous degree for what I wanted prior to plunking down the green. I wanted versatile stuff and the best I could afford for the general rec diving I do in warm and cold water environments.

That said, I eventually plan to upgrade my regs sometime in the next five years. That's it. Oh, I had purchased a mask that seems to only keep water out when I'm in the tropics. Had to buy another for wearing with a hood.

Sea ya!

 

[JustinW]

I have a bad habit of enjoying new gear. I came from mountain biking where the latest and the greatest was almost a requirement. I would go through 2-3 bikes a year at $2500-6000 each. So its wierd to me to be diving a piece of equipment thats more than a year old.

Changing interests in diving style are slowly changing my idea of my perfect setup but I still can't justify ditching my back inflate BC for a BP/W, altough ZKY has his new plates out and I might have to get one of those!

 

[gcbryan]

I got several hundred dives out of my original gear but replaced most of it before it actually wore out just because there was better stuff out there and I did enough to justify (in my mind) replacing it. I still have my original regs.

I don't think I could have done it any differently by getting more advice before I bought. I think it's one of those things where you just have to dive for a while before you know what is right for you.

 

[Brandon]

It'd be nice if we could come up with a generic gear recommendation sticky, no brands, just features / functions to look for. Maybe tailor it to various parts of the world... occassional tropical, warm water, cold water, etc, and what type of diving the person is thinking of pursuing in the future.

Yet to see a dive magazine do something like that, and it'd likely be extremely helpful and maybe keep us from answering the same tired question over and over again.

-Brandon.

 

[Vie]

So . . . Are you still diving the gear you originally bought, or did you at least dive it until it NEEDED replacement? Or did you replace your original gear, and if so, why? Were you unhappy with your original choices? Did you buy new gear because your diving activities (and therefore needs) changed? Did you buy new gear because something new and better became available? Or did you buy new gear because it's just . . . FUN to buy new gear?

I still dive with my very first set of reg (Scubapro MK20 Yoke/S600), albeit with all the hoses changed - sold the AIR2 and bought an R390 instead; my original plastic Scubapro SPG is now going on my deco reg. I have since acquired more regs (Apeks and Scubapro) for use with doubles and to provide gf with gear. I replaced my Scubapro S-Tek harness/TravTek wing with a bp/wing because the harness was starting to fall apart and I needed the bp for Fundies. Am now looking around for a doubles wing... I've been through a few computers and have had very bad luck with strange behaviour/malfunctions. I use Scubapro Jet Fins now but still have, and occasionally use, my Apollo Bio-fin pros. I broke my original mask and gave away my original snorkel; I later bought another snorkel which I always keep in my gear bag. Still using my original wetsuit and gloves. TUSA booties were replaced as I found a more comfortable pair (Oceanic).

 

[jpsexton]

I replaced my mask,fins, and snorkle within 6 months. I bought them during class and just did'nt know. Everything else I bought after much research and so far I'm happy.

John

 

[DiveMaven]

I replaced my original BC within a year (went from jacket to back inflate) and my octo because I didn't want a Dacor. Everything else that has been replaced has been from wear and tear. 13 year old mask and fins had to die sometime.

 

[do it easy]

I have almost all of my original gear. I have replaced the snorkel a few times since I keep losing it, only to need one as a DM. I use the original BC only in the pool or when I dive a single tank, but that's rare. Overall, I'm hapy with the choices I made, although nothing has worn out to the point of needing replacement- yet. My diving has become more technical, but I anticipated that when I bought gear- my first tanks became deco bottles, my first reg was my deco reg for a while, and now it's my argon reg. I guess it's easier to recycle gear when technical diving.

The things that I regret buying and would do differently are my house and my car. I would get a house with a larger garage, a basement, or a wet room and I would get a car that could actually hold all my gear without breaking springs. Yes it has happened- don't do any hard cornering with 2 sets of steel doubles in the trunk!

 

[KBeck]

I am in the process of replacing each piece of my major gear.

However, I think my first set was appropriate for my needs--So Florida tropical diving. Now I am diving deep enough to justify the necessity of "hardier" gear-from a jacket to a BP/Wing/or similar BC setup in order to accomodate a pony tank. Regs that will better handle deeper depths. And of course, the wetsuits get ever thicker as my blood seems to thin.......with the likelihood that I'll eventually wander towards a drysuit/semi-dry.

I suppose though, that I could say that the one (well, two) purchase that was quickly upgraded was from AL80's to my steel tanks. Those AL's haven't moved an inch since then.

So, all upgrades born out of slow advancement of skill level, rather than because I just bought junk (though that could be debated by some, I suppose ) the first go-round. The first set has been sufficient for 4-years and almost 200 dives, FWIW.