intermediate/professional setup help

[Toonces]

hello scubaboard!
i'm new to the board, have been reading up tonite. there's some good stuff here!
the reason i am posting is that i'm in the market for a complete setup from scratch, and i could use some advice and help with equipment selection.

just a quick background about myself, i'm a very soon to be ex-navy pilot getting into the marine biology field. i'm moving to south florida shortly, and i expect to be diving alot- several times a week. i expect diving to be a very important part of my research and hopefully my new career.

so, having said that, what i'm looking for is a professional setup. i'm ready to spend some money on this, as i expect this gear to get alot of use. there is a limit to what i can spend, but i don't want a "bargain". i think middle of the line, at the upper end of recreational into the ranks of professional level gear would be appropriate.

as for my diving experience and current gear, i'm OW1 certified, although i'm taking scientific diving beginning in the fall. i've done dives all over the world in a variety of conditions, both solo and buddied up. my gear is a starter dacor package bought back in early 1989 which is in storage and is basically "dead". the whole gear revolution pretty much has passed me by, as once i got my gear (a graduation present) and certification, i pretty much didn't go to dive shops much more than to get my tanks filled. i'm perplexed by all of the new options out there!

i've done alot of searching online tonite, and it seems like a good setup would be:
apeks tx-100 reg
atmos xt bc
suunto computer

for big ticket, with mask, fins, etc all being more personal preference.

ok, thanks in advance for the help.
mike

 

[Toonces]

incidently,
i know how frustrating it can be to get a question from a newcomer on a board that's been answered ad nauseum previously. please feel free to point me to previous threads if you think they answered the question! i did search through this forum a bit first, but i may have missed something!

thanks guys.

 

[junior diver]

What depth are you going to be diving at, what gas and will you be diving doubles? Reading your list I assume its a single tank but I could be wrong. A side exhaust reg though is something I must recommend. I think it's great or if you don't get one for primary at least get one for your octo, octo side-exhausts must be one of the best inventions ever. Also as well as a computer I would recommend some gauges and tables as back-up. All of this is very basic and probably won't help you but I thought I'd better say it anyway.

 

[Toonces]

thanks junior diver!
i would think that for the next year, my primary diving will be in relatively shallow, ie. less than 100' and probably 60' or so. i imagine most of my recreational diving for fun will be solo from the beach in less than 30'. so, i'd say definately single tank (it seems steel is the way to go?), but i'd like the option to strap doubles on.

reading about some of the bc combos, it implies that some are convertible to doubles. how easily? everything i'm reading suggests a backpack/wing combo is the way to go rather than a traditional bc (which i had). are these generally convertible between single and double easily?

finally, i'm going to go with a pony setup for solo diving i'm certain.

 

[Wendy]

thanks junior diver!
i would think that for the next year, my primary diving will be in relatively shallow, ie. less than 100' and probably 60' or so. i imagine most of my recreational diving for fun will be solo from the beach in less than 30'. so, i'd say definately single tank (it seems steel is the way to go?), but i'd like the option to strap doubles on.

reading about some of the bc combos, it implies that some are convertible to doubles. how easily? everything i'm reading suggests a backpack/wing combo is the way to go rather than a traditional bc (which i had). are these generally convertible between single and double easily?

finally, i'm going to go with a pony setup for solo diving i'm certain.

for a backplate and wing set up I would recomend getting two wings, one for singles and one for doubles. The harness and backplate can be used for both.

where in south florida are you moving to?

 

[Toonces]

i don't mean to sound totally uneducated, but i'm not following you. do you mean two complete bc setups, 1 for single, 1 for double? i was under the impression that the harness/wing combo was one piece of gear. i guess this is why i'm looking for advice. i can't remember what setup (i think it was the atmos xt) which got rave reviews on scubadiving.com and on scubatoys.com it said could be used both single and double. this is strictly internet knowledge so far...

i'm moving to the stuart/wpb area. i'm getting my master's through nova in ft. lauderdale. my research will be in using sonars to map benthic habitats, and groundtruthing on scuba (and video and other methods). i've dove wrecks/reefs off the beach from vero south back in the day...and i hope to do alot more once i get there in sept. after leaving the navy!

 

[Wendy]

i don't mean to sound totally uneducated, but i'm not following you. do you mean two complete bc setups, 1 for single, 1 for double? i was under the impression that the harness/wing combo was one piece of gear. i guess this is why i'm looking for advice. i can't remember what setup (i think it was the atmos xt) which got rave reviews on scubadiving.com and on scubatoys.com it said could be used both single and double. this is strictly internet knowledge so far...

i'm moving to the stuart/wpb area. i'm getting my master's through nova in ft. lauderdale. my research will be in using sonars to map benthic habitats, and groundtruthing on scuba (and video and other methods). i've dove wrecks/reefs off the beach from vero south back in the day...and i hope to do alot more once i get there in sept. after leaving the navy!

although they say that the wing can be used for both singles and doubles, i believe it is best to have a different wing for each. if a wing can be used for a single tank and doubles then you have to think that its eaither too big for a single tank and/or a little small for doubles. If you do a search on the board for bp/wings there is a ton of info. If you want to see the type of set up I am talking about, check out www.halcyon.net not saying you have to get the halcyon gear, I dive it and its great, just wanted to be able to show you examples of what I am talking about. anyway, you only need one backplate and one harness that can be used for both set ups, only need two different wings.

also the harness doesn't have pockets, although you could add some to it, but I like the simplicity of it. My pockets are loacted on my wetsuit.

 

[junior diver]

I think the Northern diver range of BCD's have the option to apply doubles to a normally single set-up. But not to sure how easily northern diver BCD's are acquired in south Florida. My friends had double 12ltrs on his but not sure what that is in sq ft. Heres the link http://www.diveshop.co.uk/pages/accessories/buoyancy.html and its the Guardian what he had them on.

 

[waterwraith]

hello scubaboard!
i'm new to the board, have been reading up tonite. there's some good stuff here!
the reason i am posting is that i'm in the market for a complete setup from scratch, and i could use some advice and help with equipment selection.

just a quick background about myself, i'm a very soon to be ex-navy pilot getting into the marine biology field. i'm moving to south florida shortly, and i expect to be diving alot- several times a week. i expect diving to be a very important part of my research and hopefully my new career.

so, having said that, what i'm looking for is a professional setup. i'm ready to spend some money on this, as i expect this gear to get alot of use. there is a limit to what i can spend, but i don't want a "bargain". i think middle of the line, at the upper end of recreational into the ranks of professional level gear would be appropriate.

as for my diving experience and current gear, i'm OW1 certified, although i'm taking scientific diving beginning in the fall. i've done dives all over the world in a variety of conditions, both solo and buddied up. my gear is a starter dacor package bought back in early 1989 which is in storage and is basically "dead". the whole gear revolution pretty much has passed me by, as once i got my gear (a graduation present) and certification, i pretty much didn't go to dive shops much more than to get my tanks filled. i'm perplexed by all of the new options out there!

i've done alot of searching online tonite, and it seems like a good setup would be:
apeks tx-100 reg
atmos xt bc
suunto computer

for big ticket, with mask, fins, etc all being more personal preference.

ok, thanks in advance for the help.
mike

First of all congrats on entering the field of Marine Biology. Being a Marine and Freshwater biologist myself I can safely say that there is no better way to earn a living.

You will not regret getting an apeks reg set or a suunto computer. I have the atx50 and would not trade it for the world and if I could afford a dive computer right now I would get the Vytek with the transmitter.

For scientific diving I would recommend a back inflate BC or a BP/wing set-up for ease of movement. Jacket style BC's can be used for scientific diving but many restrict movement that you may need. An exception to this rule is the Sea-Quest pro QD which fits so close you don't feel like you have it on. For back inflate BC's I would recommend the Sea-Quest Balance or Black Diamond. For a BP/Wing just do a search on this site you will find out more than you ever wanted to know

 

[northcoast_diver]

People usually learn scuba with a jacket B/C, aluminum tanks, and rented gear. If all their diving is then warm water single tank diving, that is all they ever need.

If not, there are 5 directions they can then go from there:

1) back-inflation B/C (a fabric harness)
2) backplate and wing (a B/C-less B/C)
3) side-mounted
4) a semi-closed circuit rebreather
5) a fully closed circuit rebreather

What you will do depends on what you want to do next, after you get trained. Although I have never seen a scientific diver in a side-mount, if you like that sort of thing, it seems perfectly feasible to me. Same is true of the CCRs and SCRs.

Since you probably do not have a crystal ball to see the future in, I suggest you rent all your gear, until you finish your training, and try out various items before you buy them.

Try swapping gear, or borrowing it, from your friends in the course. Most divers would not mind you trying out their gear once. They would then be flattered if you acquired the same gear for yourself.

Most people would agree with your Suunto purchase. Suunto makes good compasses too. And they fit together nicely on one wrist band, without interfering with each other at all.