More Expensive than I thought

[gcarter]

When you give up diving or die, whichever comes first.

If I calculated all I've spent on diving Im sure it would be more than a deposit on a house, but I don't regret any of it, for me diving and all that goes with it is one of the main things that makes my life more enjoyable

Welcome to Scubaboard.

Owning tanks is nice but not absolutely necessary, there Ive just saved you a few hundred dollars

Owning tanks is a no-brainer for the convienience if every LDS would do what this one does Scuba Tanks and cylinders - Sharky's Scuba

Fill for the value of the tank purchase effectively makes it free over time. They do the same for their used rental tanks. I picked up 4 AL80s last year with fresh hydro stamps and fill cards for the value of what I paid.

A month later I was in Victoria with my brother and we went into his LDS. He asked for some similar consideration for tanks, and although he didn't get as good a fill deal, it made it worthwhile.

Never hurts to ask, and I have just given y'all a link to point your LDS to!

 

[bbarnett51]

All hobbies are expensive. I'm into photography and hunting.Those both dwarf scuba!

 

[fjpatrum]

It ends when you realize that your LDS is not there to keep your best interests in mind. They are there to make money, generally, at your expense.

Buy used gear and pay half price. I think I've spent a total of about $1200 now and I have 3 sets of regs with SPGs and 2 consoles, 5 BCs, 3 tanks, 2 computers, an SMB, 4 cutting tools, 4 sets of fins, 3 masks, 3 new wetsuits, 2 lights, and a ton of other miscellaneous crap. With another $400 I got a DC1200 camera. The rest of the money I've spent has been getting to the dive sites.

 

[TMHeimer]

Also, whatever you buy, wash it thoroughly inside & out after EVERY dive. After my initial outlay 7 years ago, I've basically bought a shortie ($75-used), a body suit($50 new), a new hood (used $20) & a new knife (old one lost--$40). Oh, computer- $275, a couple of years later, but nowadays that's considered something you buy right away). It's not that much at all.

 

[TSandM]

You don't have to hare off to exotic places to do fantastic diving. Honestly, I've seen some videos from diving off the Carolina coast that had me drooling. Yes, they were boat dives, but they were fabulous.

I love shore diving around Seattle, over in Hood Canal, up on Whidbey Island, or even down into California. Pt. Lobos State Park in Monterey is amazing!

You can do a ton of really astonishing diving without spending a great deal of money. Take a look at the long-running thread on the Blue Heron Bridge here on SB. Shore diving, with sea moths.

Oh, and $1300 for acquisition costs isn't bad at all . . . That's a third the cost of a good dressage saddle.

 

[freewillie]

It ends when you realize that your LDS is not there to keep your best interests in mind. They are there to make money, generally, at your expense ......

Please, let's not start another LDS v online hijack.

The sport is as expensive or as economical as you wish.

You can spend a lot on brand name gear, or you can do research into more economical choices, or try buy used. Keep in mind many online sites also have closeout specials. Personally I like scuba.com and scubatoys.com.

Local diving does not cost much. Once you've purchased your own gear it's simple cost of air fill and gas to dive site. Most of my dives are local beach dives, doesn't cost much at all. If don't have all your gear rentals fill in the gap.

What I've noticed in dive magazines is they are like car magazines. Who can reasonably afford Ferrari's or Lamborghini's? But we like to read about them. I may not be able to afford trip Great Barrier Reef or Yap but I can put it on bucket list.

Right now it is one family vacation a year and hopefully squeeze in a few dives. In the meantime local diving helps feed the addiction.

 

[ajduplessis]

If you love diving and is a bit of a gadget geek it will never stop.

 

[grantwiscour]

After your initial spend the financial strain should start to ease. Take advantage of local diving opportunities. There should be many places close to you that have good diving. As your diving progresses you can determine what other, if any, gear you need to buy/improve.

Try not to let the $$$ beat you down. It is a great sport and hobby but like any if has some start up costs...

Dive Safe

 

[Bob DBF]

As a brand new diver and new member of Scuba Board, I noticed that a majority of the posts involve travels to distant and exotic places. I thought I was knowledgeable in geography, but quite frankly some of these places divers travel to, I have never heard of. This observation and the price of equipment leads me to think that this is a rich man’s sport / activity.

So far I have spent $1,300.00 on equipment and I still need exposure protection, tank, knife, and weights. Where does it end?

It's worse once you decide that you like diving.


Bob
---------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[rhwestfall]

hell, throw a boat into the mix......... now we are talking money [wasted].....