Just finished my PADI Open Water Diving Course. Now what?

[toddthecat]

You do realize that the cost of living in Vancouver is just a little different then New Mexico, right?

Yes. But I didn't know how much. I just looked up some median costs on things. Outside the city center a 1 bedroom apartment averages 950 C$/month? That would suck. Good to be enlightened on the situation though...

---------- Post added August 13th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ----------

The course price should be considered separate from the gear. For AOW, that's not much, IMO. And when the OP says "gear rental each time" that's quite possibly two times, or even one time if he did AOW over a single weekend... There's not enough information there to give the shakey face, maybe that's just me.

There aren't rules to using the faces :banana:, though you could very well be right. Hopefully the OP will chime in with additional info...

 

[Henry]

The Economist magazine lists Vancouver as the most expensive city in North America to live in (although admittedly we are not even in the top 10 in the world). In my area of the city, the average price of homes is at the one million dollar point. That's just the average. We are talking probably three bedroom, two bath, and maybe 1,500 - 2,000 sq ft. The expense of the real estate is directly connected to the cost of doing business. Hence the cost of everything is more than New Mexico. BTW, $950 for rent? Good luck. $1,100 would get you a basement suite without much light in my area.

I don't want to get in to an online debate with you but when you criticize the diving course prices in our city as by far the most expensive you have ever heard of perhaps do some background checks so you understand where we live. Oh and just to give you a bit more understanding, Elysium Room (coffee shop) down the street from me has a cup of coffee that sells for $35.00 per cup. Whole Foods sells a loaf of bread that is $35.00.

 

[Karibelle]

There aren't rules to using the faces :banana:, though you could very well be right. Hopefully the OP will chime in with additional info...

That is true. And I barely know where to find the dancing banana, let alone how to use it properly in a sentence.

 

[toddthecat]

The Economist magazine lists Vancouver as the most expensive city in North America to live in (although admittedly we are not even in the top 10 in the world). In my area of the city, the average price of homes is at the one million dollar point. That's just the average. We are talking probably three bedroom, two bath, and maybe 1,500 - 2,000 sq ft. The expense of the real estate is directly connected to the cost of doing business. Hence the cost of everything is more than New Mexico. BTW, $950 for rent? Good luck. $1,100 would get you a basement suite without much light in my area.

I don't want to get in to an online debate with you but when you criticize the diving course prices in our city as by far the most expensive you have ever heard of perhaps do some background checks so you understand where we live. Oh and just to give you a bit more understanding, Elysium Room (coffee shop) down the street from me has a cup of coffee that sells for $35.00 per cup. Whole Foods sells a loaf of bread that is $35.00.

Good to see you're proud of your city's outrageous cost of living! Always nice to have something to use as a status symbol, especially true of an overpriced home...

Sorry to see that you interpreted my post as "an online debate". I wasn't being sarcastic when I told you I looked it up (which you referred to as background checks). A few places sell coffee and bread for $35. There are places in the U.S. that sell gourmet hamburgers for $70. I'm sure the same places have affordable coffee and bread just like the place with the $70 hamburger regularly sells ones that are $7.

---------- Post added August 13th, 2013 at 01:21 PM ----------

That is true. And I barely know where to find the dancing banana, let alone how to use it properly in a sentence.

The dancing banana is tough to use in a sentence, but it can be done...

 

[convolution]

That DEFINITELY takes the record for the highest I've ever heard. $600 for advanced? That takes 1st by a very, very wide margin. I don't even want to know what they charged for Open Water

Well, the reason why I did the open water was because I thought it was cheap. It was $399, but I got a Groupon for it for $299. All gear rental was free, and I got 5 pool sessions and 4 open water dives.

And I guess it seems the consensus is for me to just go out and just dive with a buddy. As for gear, get it gradually, and get some of the stuff used.

So I would imagine I should get:

Used:
-Fins
-Mask
-Wet Suit
-Tank
-Gloves
-Boots
-Weight Belt

New:
-BCD
-Reg
-Dive Computer

Am I correct?

 

[Karibelle]

Get a new wetsuit. Every time your wetsuit goes on a dive it loses a bit of its ability to return to normal... so over time it gets less and less useful in terms of warming properties. I'd switch most of your list. New fins, mask, suit. Used reg and computer. BCD - new if you can afford it. And if it were me I'd skip the tank and expect to rent that.

My gear purchases, over time, went like this:

mask and fins new for OW class

used computer
used regs
new wetsuit
first camera

then new bcd
then another new wetsuit
new regs
another computer - which was air integrated, necessitating a new set of regs
more wetsuit
new bcd
second camera

drysuit
new bcd

another computer
sidemount rig plus the two sets of regs
third and fourth camera

Good luck. This gear purchase train never, ever ends.

 

[TSandM]

Be careful with the wetsuit used, especially where you are. Neoprene has a life cycle -- each time it's compressed, it springs back less than the time before. You'll be aware of changes in insulation capacity sooner in very cold water.

On the other hand, a used dive computer can be a great buy. So I think I'd swap those two.

 

[Brewone0to]

Welcome to your new addiction, er sport/hobby.
Whatever you you do, just remember
to have a good time and keep diving.

 

[toddthecat]

Yeah I'd switch the list as well. Used mask, snorkel, fins, and suit is a really bad idea in terms of fit. I wouldn't get used gloves or boots either. Consequently, your new list is fine as used. BCDs, regs, and computers can be just fine used. Your list is close, just opposite. It's sort of like, "well I need a suit for a job interview so I'm going to buy the suit used but get the undershirt, underwear, socks, and shoes used"...

 

[DaleC]

Used snorkel is a bad idea because of fit?

Again, even just for gear sourcing, I would urge joining a club. There are also some in Vancouver. You can either spend a lot or... less of a lot and perhaps avoid buying things twice. Other members will also be able to give good feedback and lend items for you to try.

Look on Craigslist. See all that gear for sale. Wonder why it's there.