My Bucket List

[tbeck3579]

tbeck,
Welcome to the forum and congrats on working your way through your Bucket List. Some have suggested that other than mask, fins and snorkel, hold off on buying your gear till you have decided if this is a long term hobby (obsession) or a short term check on the bucket list. even if it is a long term hobby, there is some wisdom in getting a few dives in to try different things and see which works best for you. (Many things in diving tend to reflect personal preferences and what works great for one person may be horribly awkward for another.) The are two things though in addition to mask fins & snorkel that I would recommend that you get. Get a regulator mouthpiece and some zip ties. When you rent a reg set, you never know how well the local dive shop has sanitized the mouthpiece (especially in some of the corner of the world that have amazing diving). When you rent a reg set, simply remove their mouthpiece & put yours on and then when you are done, put theirs back on and keep yours. The mouthpiece fastens to the reg with a simple zip tie.

Welcome to the sport, and to the forum.

Thank you! I'm okay with (what is jokingly referred to) "the 30 second rule". I would rather pick something up off the floor and stick it in my mouth than, say, something that has been in another human's mouth. My ex lost his leg from an antibiotic resistant infection acquired in a so-called "sterile" operating room. I'm sadly too familiar with the germs humans carry and the speed at which they grow.

I've been looking at regulators for many reasons, including this one. So far I have been leaning toward the Scuba Pro MK21/350 -- first and second stage. My dad is on oxygen, I know it is different, but I fill his portable tanks the main machine, attach his regulator, adjust oxygen output, etc. The connections and the service for the regulator are a concern and I would like to see the various options. I can really use some input -- I do like the Shearwater dive computer and blue tooth wireless integration with tank -- this is quickly becoming my favorite option. Making sure the equipment I buy has the capacity to adjust to ever changing needs and initial purchasing mistakes, while still being comfortable, etc.... I do appreciate everyone's input because I am looking at things I hadn't previously considered; things that appear to be a better option.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Welcome! I will be at the scuba show also!! Let's meet up, you too @PunkabillyTurk . I think it is totally worth it to try out a few types of BCD before you dive. I tried a jacket--so not made for booby women, constricts the hell out of you and combined with a 7ml wet suit Gasp/wheeze when inflated at surface, seriously I could only breathe from the top of my lungs. Then a vest type, that was ok but still squishy. I ended up with a scubapro lady hawk. I'm pretty comfortable in it, but need to add a crotch strap because the bottom end does get floaty (not sure if it's my bottom or the BCD's but I'm blaming the BCD). I don't have problems with it putting me face forward with the use of the trim pockets and sitting position at the surface. I do wish it had more room for gadgets, but Im good with sewing.
Scuba show is great for finding gear. I drove all over the place to different shops trying on gear. Also gear feels very different in water, then it feels different at the surface, and different at depth. So complicated.
My first purchase (big) was a wetsuit. Im a nurse, don't like rentals.
2nd was regs and BC.
I have a deep six reg set up waiting for me---cant wait to try it out but we are dry docked for a couple more weeks.

I would suggest you also look at wetsuits that will be for warm water (3ml), so you will know what fits you in case you find you NEED another wetsuit

The Chairman is right. Getting the best training is awesome, retraining yourself out of bad habits, not so great.

Dive safe!!!

 

[tbeck3579]

More important than gear is getting the right training from the start. One of the finest instructors on the planet, and my favorite in California is Robert Arak who owns www.ScubaTude.com. Most instruction is started out on your knees and very little stress is put on getting neutral. I have nothing bad to say about any of the other shops in the are... only super high praise for Robert and his crew. It would be worth paying for your class all over again if it means that, especially if you want to make this a permanent hobby.

As for BCDs, my favorite is a hybrid called the Zeagle Express Tech. Whatever BCD you go to, make sure it has or you can add a crotch strap. Nothing stabilizes a BCD on a diver like a crotch strap.

Thank you for the referral and I will look into his classes! Buoyancy is a big deal with me -- a huge deal. From the beginning I knew that floating effortlessly is going to make or break my experience underwater. I am taking "private" lessons so I can, hopefully, push this issue during the confined dives. This is yet another reason I would like to start out with my own equipment from the beginning. I will undoubtedly make some purchasing mistakes, but you can't get buoyant in one set of gear, then change what you are wearing and expect everything to work out. There is a lot to be said for doing it right the first time. I do want to take the Buoyancy class as one of the first classes in my advanced. It's like most anything -- the tools you have can make it a pleasure, or it can make it feel like that four letter word "work"

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Just FYI, I am super floaty on the surface, I too can float and float ....., super chill in water. Thought I would be a mermaid! Scuba sure humbled me. I LOVE IT!!

 

[BreeAbyss]

It's made for women -- we do have curves and bumps in different places and we don't have the upper body strength a man has -- well most of us don't I can't compensate with my biceps if something is hitting me wrong on my shoulders; well I can but not like a man can..

Congratulations on beginning to dive! I'm sure you will enjoy it, it's my favourite thing to do. I laughed at this part of your post because I was just on a dive trip and my husband was trying to explain what 'wussy' meant to someone and used the common (but crappy) phrase of "girly or like a girl". (He totally doesn't think girls are wussy at all, just that it's a common phrase that you hear).
I replied to him and the rest of the boat that "If he dove like a girl he'd be using doubles like me". It was pretty much the only witty moment of my entire life and everyone laughed.
My point is don't limit yourself to gear choices because you are a girl! Fit is important to everyone and everyone has a different level of strength and different bumps and curves.
Rent some different types of BCs and gear if you can and try them out. I only bought mask, snorkel, and computer for my OW class.

 

[tbeck3579]

Just FYI, I am super floaty on the surface, I too can float and float ....., super chill in water. Thought I would be a mermaid! Scuba sure humbled me. I LOVE IT!!

I didn't think it would be easy or come naturally (wouldn't it be nice if it did) but I'm ready to work on it. I would rather do the hard work now so I can more fully enjoy my dives in the future. It appears to be a skill, and like most of the skills I've acquired in life I need to work hard to overcome the disappointments and unexpected -- always worth the effort though. There will be things I can't do (sadly), and things I can do. I sure hope getting myself buoyant isn't something I can't do -- banish the thought

 

[tbeck3579]

Congratulations on beginning to dive! I'm sure you will enjoy it, it's my favourite thing to do. I laughed at this part of your post because I was just on a dive trip and my husband was trying to explain what 'wussy' meant to someone and used the common (but crappy) phrase of "girly or like a girl". (He totally doesn't think girls are wussy at all, just that it's a common phrase that you hear).
I replied to him and the rest of the boat that "If he dove like a girl he'd be using doubles like me". It was pretty much the only witty moment of my entire life and everyone laughed.
My point is don't limit yourself to gear choices because you are a girl! Fit is important to everyone and everyone has a different level of strength and different bumps and curves.
Rent some different types of BCs and gear if you can and try them out. I only bought mask, snorkel, and computer for my OW class.

I agree! I purchased my first pair of men's pants (Levis) when I was a teen because I am tall and long in the torso. Women's pants always cut me - I won't mention where. I wanted comfort and style. If that meant going to the men's department, grabbing a pair of jeans and taking them to the ladies fitting room, so be it. Of course I NEVER told anyone they were men's, hehehe.

 

[tbeck3579]

Welcome! I will be at the scuba show also!! Let's meet up, you too @PunkabillyTurk

Thank you, I would love to!

You have me looking at regulators -- thanks for the tip I have so many tabs open on my computer right now -- too funny.

 

[RayfromTX]

I've been monitoring this thread because I suspected you would be headed in the direction that, as it turns out, you are. I will now add my advice. Buy nice, not twice. You are able to get the good stuff and as it turns out, that doesn't cost more. I've posted recently about where my wife and I have landed and where she is headed with regards to gear. For you, I will recommend the Deep Sea Supply BP/W with a few mods. I like my Deep6 regs but my wife loves her Aqualung Micron because it is very small and fits her mouth better with the small mouthpiece. We love love love out Shearwater Perdix AI and feel in spite of the cost it is the best money we have spent on diving. If you PM me I will give you my phone number and we can chat. I am adding a link to my recent post.

New BC for travel.

 

[tbeck3579]

I've been monitoring this thread because I suspected you would be headed in the direction that, as it turns out, you are. I will now add my advice. Buy nice, not twice. You are able to get the good stuff and as it turns out, that doesn't cost more. I've posted recently about where my wife and I have landed and where she is headed with regards to gear. For you, I will recommend the Deep Sea Supply BP/W with a few mods. I like my Deep6 regs but my wife loves her Aqualung Micron because it is very small and fits her mouth better with the small mouthpiece. We love love love out Shearwater Perdix AI and feel in spite of the cost it is the best money we have spent on diving. If you PM me I will give you my phone number and we can chat. I am adding a link to my recent post.

New BC for travel.

I've stayed on my computer too long, now I have to get ready to go to the doctor... Lot's of doctors in old age (dad, and he hates docs). Your tag/signature line pretty sums up my thoughts/conclusions on the medical science in general I need to leave the fun of cyber diving for a moment, but I'll be back.