Alright I understand, thank you!
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However, which fins should I buy after a mask?
Not trying to be curt but ones that fit well.
The local water temperatures should drive your first decision - full foot or open heel design. That’s an important first step.
This is an expensive hobby so I wouldn’t be in a rush to make purchases.
Find an older diver (doesn’t necessarily have to be an active instructor) who can mentor you. Look for somebody that your family would approve of.
That diver is likely to have access to the network of local divers who will have extra equipment they’re willing to sell for cheap (or free).
You’ve got a lot of time in front of you to make this a lifelong hobby. Think of this as a marathon, not a sprint.
Enjoy the journey!
The local water temperatures should drive your first decision - full foot or open heel design. That’s an important first step.
This is an expensive hobby so I wouldn’t be in a rush to make purchases.
Find an older diver (doesn’t necessarily have to be an active instructor) who can mentor you. Look for somebody that your family would approve of.
That diver is likely to have access to the network of local divers who will have extra equipment they’re willing to sell for cheap (or free).
You’ve got a lot of time in front of you to make this a lifelong hobby. Think of this as a marathon, not a sprint.
Enjoy the journey!
Provided that I live in a city that he closest sea is over 60km away, its going to be hard to find someone to be mentored from. Where should I look for one?
Eanxbr
Registered
Personally I would not buy any gear right now, including fins and mask. Your local dive shop (LDS) should have an array of items that you can rent. Use this to try different gear, including mask and fins. Try them out in a pool, fresh water and/or salt water.
Pay close attention on how the mask feels on your face, is it pressing up against your nose, when you smile, will water get in; if you have a snorkel in your mouth, does water get in; is it stable on your face so no water trickles in? Single lens or dual lens?
For fins, try the open heel and closed heel formats. After you figure out what feels best, look into sizes, shapes and materials.
TAKE YOUR TIME when looking at gear. Spend some time at the LDS, talk to the sales team, talk to other divers coming in and get their feedback on features that are available on different types of gear. Talk to the instructor(s) for gear feedback as well.
Should you really get into diving, think about trying out gear before you buy it whenever possible.
Hope this helps, and have fun!
Pay close attention on how the mask feels on your face, is it pressing up against your nose, when you smile, will water get in; if you have a snorkel in your mouth, does water get in; is it stable on your face so no water trickles in? Single lens or dual lens?
For fins, try the open heel and closed heel formats. After you figure out what feels best, look into sizes, shapes and materials.
TAKE YOUR TIME when looking at gear. Spend some time at the LDS, talk to the sales team, talk to other divers coming in and get their feedback on features that are available on different types of gear. Talk to the instructor(s) for gear feedback as well.
Should you really get into diving, think about trying out gear before you buy it whenever possible.
Hope this helps, and have fun!
This really helps, and I forgot to add that the water temperature here varies from 15 celsius in the winter to up to 28 in the summer. It doesn't drop below 20 from may to november.
Now that I think of it, renting equipment makes much more sense. I only fear that I won't find any diving shops willing to rent in my vicinity, but I'll see what I can do.
Antonios (Holy Diver)
Contributor
Welcome buddy - file kalosirthes sto forum! Fellow diver from Messinia here. As others already said, take your time until you are certified and have done some dives. Until then, you can rent all the required equipment from any diving centre. Scuba is an expensive hobby, and there's no need to rush and buy something right now. Wait until you have the money to buy something proper. I am roughly at your shoes - I have sometimes bought pieces of equipment because I didn't had at the time the money required for something proper, and then I regretted my purchase.
Bento.Box
Registered
Three things I would look out for when trying out fins:
1. Length matters. It's like gears on a bicycle or car. If you have much drag in the water, you need shorter fins. Freedivers have the longest.
2. Buoyancy also matters. Fins are at your sternmost station. Choose ones with lower or higher density to cancel out pitch momentum from the rest of your setup.
3. Visibility is also important: If you're in a dark lake, muddy waters and diving with a newby, you want to make it easy for your buddy to keep in visual contact. Use bright colours, ditch the black and camo look.
Edit: One more hint: If you choose bungee straps, keep them out of the sun or regularly change them. UV radiation damages the material over time.
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