Just got certified, need help getting gear. New or used?

[scubamikey]

My girlfriend and I just got certified and now it's time to buy 2 complete sets of scuba gear so we can go diving. Should I buy new or used, and should I get entry-level gear or better stuff? On the one hand I could buy all new gear for both of us and get nice stuff (e.g. Seaquest Pro QD+ or Pro Unlimited, Apex atx200, Suunto Cobra), but is that "going overboard" (haha) so to speak? Would I be better off with slightly used, entry level gear until I had more diving experience? Maybe then I would be better qualified to choose the high-end gear and know what I want/need? Or would I be better off just getting the better stuff now and not upgrading in the near future?

Most of our diving will be summers in upstate NY and some winter trips to Florida. I may try some colder water at some point, I'm sure my girlfriend will not. My work schedule allows us to dive quite often if we want.

What are your thoughts on this? Many of you have probably gone throught this process.

Also, specific gear suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks very much for the help.

 

[Web Monkey]

General suggestions:

Cloth and rubber stuff like BCs and wetsuits should be new (or at least in very good condition), since the cloth & rubber degrades over time.

A good used regulator that you have rebuilt by a trained technician, using factory parts will be every bit as good as new. Whether you buy new or used, don't buy a crappy regulator, you'll just end up dumping it in a year or two. A good one will last forever.

I'd select the regulator brand based on what your favorite local regulator tech does a lot of and likes.

Used fins are just fine, as long as they're not degrading (getting hard/crusty/rough/brittle, etc.), and you like the way they work (long/short/rigit/split, etc.).

A used mask and snorkel would gross me out, but your mileage may vary.

Terry

My girlfriend and I just got certified and now it's time to buy 2 complete sets of scuba gear so we can go diving. Should I buy new or used, and should I get entry-level gear or better stuff? On the one hand I could buy all new gear for both of us and get nice stuff (e.g. Seaquest Pro QD+ or Pro Unlimited, Apex atx200, Suunto Cobra), but is that "going overboard" (haha) so to speak? Would I be better off with slightly used, entry level gear until I had more diving experience? Maybe then I would be better qualified to choose the high-end gear and know what I want/need? Or would I be better off just getting the better stuff now and not upgrading in the near future?

Most of our diving will be summers in upstate NY and some winter trips to Florida. I may try some colder water at some point, I'm sure my girlfriend will not. My work schedule allows us to dive quite often if we want.

What are your thoughts on this? Many of you have probably gone throught this process.

Also, specific gear suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks very much for the help.

 

[spectrum]

I like a lot of what Webmonkey suggested.

There is also a common wisdom to avoid rock bottom enty level gear that as you realize you are likely to outgrow far too soon. The other common point is to try before you buy, preferably get it out for a few dives before commiting.

I'm thinking mostly about BCs here. Is renting your selection an option? Will the shop do something to give you a painless swap should you or your GF dislike the thing when it gets wet?

If it's the right gear it's not overkill. Any decently deep lake in NY will probably get you into a cold water enviornment (even today!) so a cold water regulator like you chose is money well spent. I'm not an Apeks expert but I do keep seeing that you can get the same performance from a lesser Apeks model. Someone help me out here.....

Some money saved can get you diving dry sooner too.

There should be no need to dump $$ into a computer yet. You will have enough new stuff to concentrate on for a while.

Pete
PS Are you buying both sets? Who get's custody if you should.... you know?

 

[Mantasscareme]

Try searching some online catalogs, maybe you'll find some particular gear that you like. http://www.unrealfind.com/ and http://www.scuba.com/ are both pretty good. http://www.scubadiving.com/ also rates gear. By the way, if you have the $$$, I'd try find a dive computer before getting the dry suite. Most of the more experienced guys out there would argue with me on this one, but I'm also new and have serious ascent rate issues, so I find it helpful to know exactly how fast I'm ascending and how fast is too fast from a given depth. Although I guess that if you live in Upstate New York, you probably worry more about not freezing to death, and can always just rent the computer.
Anyway, good luck
-Mantasscareme

 

[AndyNZ]

Start with your wet/dry suit and buy what fits, irrespective of the cost! Being cold is no fun.

If you pick some regs/BCD etc out of a range, don't go for the bottom fo the range but look at the mid-range ones at least. Choose the one that is going to suit the diving you want to do - and then buy the next model up. There's nothing more frustrating than outgrowing your gear and replacing something with in the first year or so....

Personally, there's very little I would buy second hand - but that's because I'm paranoid (actually, they ARE out to get me!) and like to know the history of what I'm diving with.

 

[Web Monkey]

I'd probably go with a good drysuit first. A computer is really nice to have especially when you can download your data and see where you're working too hard, ascending too fast, and any number of other useful facts, however, if money is an issue you can time ascents with a watch and depth gauge, or just ascend slower than the slowest diver you can find in the group.

A good drysuit will get you about 10 months of diving here (or 12 if you're a masochist)

Terry

Try searching some online catalogs, maybe you'll find some particular gear that you like. http://www.unrealfind.com/ and http://www.scuba.com/ are both pretty good. http://www.scubadiving.com/ also rates gear. By the way, if you have the $$$, I'd try find a dive computer before getting the dry suite. Most of the more experienced guys out there would argue with me on this one, but I'm also new and have serious ascent rate issues, so I find it helpful to know exactly how fast I'm ascending and how fast is too fast from a given depth. Although I guess that if you live in Upstate New York, you probably worry more about not freezing to death, and can always just rent the computer.
Anyway, good luck
-Mantasscareme

 

[Spoon]

i would get brand new but do your research first. study and solicit the opinions of diff people in the end dont jump into buying your gear or let some DM or instructor talk you into buying a particlular brand. be open minded and good luck. post back on what you get.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Send me $10 000 and I will get you the best gear money can buy..........did anyone say BP/W and APEKS????

Rent for a while, understand what it is you want from diving, and then buy right the first time.

 

[RonFrank]

You did not really say what you had to spend?

If you KNOW you are going to LOVE to dive, then IMO buy once. I actually don't agree with renting UNLESS you can rent quality gear. If you are diving in FL for example, there are some really good DiveOps that offer state of the art quality gear. If you are diving out of the states, I'd make damn sure of what you are getting before arriving as I've read some real horror stories on rental gear (as in unsafe).

Keep in mind there are some real gear heads out there who are never satisfied with what they have, and a lot of people who think they are going to dive often, purchase all new stuff, and go once a year for a couple years, have kids... need money ... YadaYada....

What I guess I'm saying is that there is no shortage of gear that is less than five years old that has been dived less than a dozen times.

I purchased my BCD/OctoPlus.. used (Ranger so fairly high end), my Reg New, my fins used, my Semi-Dry used, my mask/snorkel new, my 3mm new, my computer new... so I picked and chose deals as they came, and when I was not going to save more than $50, I generally purchased new, BUT not from my LDS who wanted HUGE markups compared to online competition.

If you want a great deal, and have the $$$ to purchase new, Talk to Larry At Scubatoys www.scubatoys.com.

IMO if you have the bucks to purchase everything at once, that's the way to go, and Larry will give you a great deal on a complete package.

 

[scubamikey]

Send me $10 000 and I will get you the best gear money can buy..........did anyone say BP/W and APEKS????

Rent for a while, understand what it is you want from diving, and then buy right the first time.

Since I'm new to this, are you saying that Apeks and BP/W (I don't know what that is) are very good?

My local shop sells Seaquest and Apeks mostly, but also Aqualung, XS scuba, Suunto. Other things equal, I'd like to get Seaquest/Apeks since I know my dive shop specializes in that. Too bad the local shop prices are 25-30% above online prices (and that's before tax). I really want to support my local dive shop, but sometimes I have to limit how much extra I spend just to keep the money local.

I learned with a Seaquest pro qd+ BC, Apeks reg (tx-20 or similar, usually) and Suunto Cobra (maybe) computer. I want a nicer reg, but the other gear was fine.

I could buy all new gear for both of us and get nice stuff- I'm guessing that would be about $5,000 for the two of us. I like RonFrank's approach to used/new. I noticed the Seaquest Pro Unlimited could be bought for 1/2 price only slightly used. But I like the idea of a new Reg. I don't have $5000 burning a hole in my pocket, but I could spend that if I wanted.