just finished my open water cert

[netboy79]

Muhahaha...I just finished my open water certification, just thought i would share it with all of you nice people. now my qestion is....i am now looking for some equipment, but there are sooooo many difernt kinds of brands. I am looking for everything minus the tank. I was looking at a genesis phantom bc, genesis gs 2000 reg, sko octo, and a resource 2 gauge console....good stuff or can i get better for the same money? i dont want cheap stuff but i also dont want to spend a car downpayment on it either....looking to spend around $800 or so .

thanks
netboy

 

[Scubaroo]

Hey netboy,

Congrats on the certification. Welcome to the most expensive hobby in the world

What sort of diving are you planning to do? What sort of diving do you foresee yourself doing in future? Any technical, wreck or caving ambitions? Vacation diving? The type of diving you plan on doing will determine to a large extent what sort of gear is appropriate for you, to try and save expensive mistakes. Also, as a new diver, be aware that some unscrupulous stores will try and push onto you only the gear they have in stock, and that very few places carry all brands, so be wary of anyone that tells you a particular brand X is rubbish, and only go with brand Y, if they are selling brand Y. Shop around, you should be able to get a list of the stuff you want and negotiate a package discount.

Post on here what sort of diving you'll be doing, and the suggestions will pour in.

And have you heard about DIR yet? :tease:

Ben

 

[netboy79]

i only plan right now just to do recrational diving...just for fun to see the pretty little fish and animals. I do plan on at least getting my advanced OW, maybe rescue...who know from there. Right now I will be doing most of my diving in the N. carolina, S. carolina, and georgia area, and occasionally florida. This is until i move back to california next year (time to get out of the army). right now i am in guantanamo bay, cuba. All i do here is shore diving, the corals are all realy close to the beach so everything is easy to get to just by snorkeling.

DIR? I type that in ms-dos prompt to get a directory list...

thanks
netboy

 

[Scubaroo]

Camp X-Ray huh? Don't fancy that gig. Well, at least you're somewhere to take advantage of buying online Guess there's not too many dive shops in that part of the world.

Depending where in California you're talking about, it sounds like you could purchase a warm water regulator, which will save you a few dollars. Scubapro and Apeks are two of the most respected regulators around, but with warm water regs, you have a lot of choices. Go to Rodales for reviews on a whole heap of different regulators. The GS 2000 was rated highly. Out of this group reviewed, I own the Apeks TX50 (along with a lot of other people on this board), and I give it a big thumbs up. Also consider using a long hose for your primary regulator, and a necklaced backup regulator (regardless of what brand you buy) - you'll never ever have to fish around behind your back for an errant octopus regulator. Go to this website for a brief introduction of that particular configuration.

Consider a back inflation BC or a backplate and wings setup, instead of a regular jacket style BC. The back inflation gives you a more horizontal attitude in the water, which equals a more streamlined swimming position, which equals less energy expended for your effort. If you ever decide to progress to double tank diving, the backplate is definitely the way to go. It's also very simplistic in design, and one size fits all unless you're outside of the 4-7' range! They're also a lot more comfortable than they look. BUT if you decide it's not your thing, a back inflation BC is still a good way to go. Don't get sucked in to buying something with a gazillion D-rings, plastic quick-release quicker-break buckles, and pockets you can't use once you put weight pouches in. Simple is better. A lot of tech divers get away with only 3 D-rings on their rig - why will a rec diver need 6?

Anyway there's a start for you.

Ben

 

[jonnythan]

Listen to what bengiddins says. Keep hanging out on here, read the technical boards.. you'll get a feel for what's good and not good just by reading the comments of the more experienced divers around here.

I definitely recommend a back inflate BC.. don't be afraid to buy it online or haggle with your dive shop on the exorbitant prices they usually charge.

Anyway, for the gear you're looking at.. the Resource is a good little computer.. You might want to shop around online for a wrist mount, and ditch the cumbersome console (which usually ends up dragging 2 feet below you) for just a pressure guage.

The net is your friend.. leisurepro.com simplyscuba.com scubatoys.com diveinn.com ... if you don't feel comfortable buying online, you can use their prices as a bargaining chip at your LDS

Good luck!

 

[netboy79]

still havent figured out what DIR means...unless directory was correct

 

[Welshman]

Congratulations Netboy 79.

As already suggested by others think carefully about the type of diving you'll be doing before buying all your equipment. I assembled my equipment over many months. I started with my own regulator set and then added the BC, Dive Computer etc when I was sure that I knew what I wanted.

Rodales Scuba Diving is an excellent source of tests on scuba equipment: www.scubadiving.com

Also it's not the most expensive hobby there is. They say ocean going yacht racing has everything else beaten hands down - once described as the same as standing in the shower tearing up £20 notes.

 

[JamesK]

DIR stands for "Doing It Right". It is a gear configuration and diving style used by many technical (cave, wreck, deep) divers today. The phrase was coined by a group of cave explorers called the Woodville Karst Plains Project, or WKPP. They are led by a man, who you either love or hate, named George Irvine. The gear style includes the use of a backplate and wings instead of a BC, using a 7foot hose for your primary regulator, a bungee necklace holding your backup regulator under your chin, donating your primary regultor to an out of air diver, and many other requirements on what type of gear used, and where you place the gear.

DIR is a very controversial subject. It has a very strict guideline on what you do, and how you dive. If you break from this, you are considered, by it's name, to be doing it wrong. DIR advocates feel that this is the safest, and only way to dive. Some will go as far as to say you are unsafe if you do not follow this style. However, that is a very small, but very vocal, portion of the DIR crowd. Unfortuneatly, as vocal as they are, they tarnish DIR in the eyes of the non-believers. If you want to see a good fight, get a vocal DIR advocate, and a vocal anti-DIR diver and put them together.

*Note* I do not consider myself DIR or anti-DIR. I feel there are many ways to dive safe, depending on the type of diving you are doing. I dive a DIR style rig, or modified Hogarthian, but do not preach it as the only way to dive. However, I do feel it is the safest for me and the diving I do, and makes the most sense for the style of diving I do, cave diving.


If you want to see how vocal DIR/anti-DIR can get, check out the following threads.
http://www.scubaboard.com/t8229/s.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/t8260/s.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/t8597/s.html

 

[DivingGal]

Congratulations on joining us in the world down underwater...

 

[Arduous]

Hi netboy79:

Welcome to the club from the cold waters of New England USA
Dive Safe......................Arduous