My new equipment

[diverlady]

A bit of advice for future purchases (this is my plan of action for new purchases and not just for dive gear - did this for my new vehicle too):
do some serious research BEFORE purchasing. You would probably have figured out that a 100# bladder was overkill at that point.
Try equipment out BEFORE purchasing. you didn't like the jacket style - fine. Did you try a back-inflate? Did you try the backplate/wings combo?
Ask a lot of people (not just your instructor) for their opinions or about their gear. See what they like/don't like, why they purchased what they did, maybe borrow a friend's gear to try it out or rent gear to try it. What works for one person, might not work for you.
Apply everything you're told about gear to YOUR type of diving (cold water/www, mixed gases, tech, etc).

Finally, be aware of what your asking on messageboards. The question you want answered may not be the question you actually asked in the first place! But I think you already figured that out!

Diverlady

FWIW - IMO there are better regs out there than Dacor and the Suunto Vyper would be a respectable choice of computer but there are others out there that are comparable.

 

[MikeS]

xnight...you asked the board what we thought of your gear.

See any disconnect here?
QUOTE]

The disconnect I see is that a diver who admitted to being a novice asked for our advice and got “Mfhm hmmfhmmfhmmm” in response. It seems that offering alternative solutions with explanations would be more productive than “making fun of the new kid.”

Mike

 

[d33ps1x]

Mfhm hmmfhmmfhmmm.

*Me think I have behaved nicely*

 

[Warren_L]

xnight, it seems like your initial choices were way off the mark with respect to what you really need. It's a good thing you sought more than one opinion. It is difficult to pick the right gear the first time around with little or no experience under your belt. I wouldn't feel bad, though. I think a lot of people go through this as this is probably the norm to have to go through at least a set of gear before finding what you will settle in with over the long term. I know I did. Kind of a rite of passage in a way.

 

[d33ps1x]

Ahhh...

Perhaps I just don't want to open my mouth because talking about all my collossal wastes of $$$ on silly purchases such as, but not limited to, force fins, makes me want to break out in tears.

I wouldn't call myself much more than a "new kid" myself. I get made fun of from time to time as well. At least, unlike me, this "kid" can still return his stuff and get something more sensible than his instructor is suggesting.

Anyone in the market for a coupla pairs of Atomic splits?, Light Cannon?, Regulator Cozy...damn.....

Now you've done it! Wheres my tissues!

 

[mempilot]

Anyone in the market for a coupla pairs of Atomic splits?, Light Cannon?, Regulator Cozy...damn.....

I'll take the regulator cozy. What color or colors is it? My regulator is always complaining of getting cold. I've been telling it to shut up, but then I realized that's why my wife left me. So, I figured I'd do something nice for my reg, since I like it better than my ex.

 

[mempilot]

...collossal wastes of $$$ on silly purchases such as, but not limited to, force fins, makes me want to break out in tears.

Hey, speaking of Force Fins, he could hang a set of those off his harness as a spare set of fins. They're small enough, and that would look way cool.

Sorry.

 

[d33ps1x]

I'll take the regulator cozy. What color or colors is it?

Plaid to match the ol' golf shorts.

Hey, speaking of Force Fins, he could hang a set of those off his harness as a spare set of fins. They're small enough, and that would look way cool. Sorry.

Nothing to apologize for! I do think you are on to something!

Throw in a spare air and hit the inflator hard on that 100 lb bad boy lift bag...err...bc...and you could get orbital! Imagine! Not only the first scuba diver in space but one with a full 20 seconds of air redundancy AND kick ass duck feet!

 

[MikeS]

Ahhh...
Perhaps I just don't want to open my mouth because talking about all my collossal wastes of $$$ on silly purchases such as, but not limited to, force fins, makes me want to break out in tears.
QUOTE]

I apologies if I misinterpreted “Mfhm hmmfhmmfhmmm,” I couldn’t find it in the dictionary. Perhaps I was wrong but it appeared as if some members were making fun of his gear selections without even explaining why. What’s to be gained from that? Now I’m all for making fun of gear selections by supposedly knowledgeable divers, but when someone admits to being a “novice” and asks for help, making fun of them is out of line IMO.

Mike

P.S. If you ever get to the Washington D.C. area we can go diving at scenic Lake Millbrook. Reports of Zebra Mussel sightings are not uncommon!

 

[Wendy]

well this is the kind of reply i was waiting for.............i did sound like a kid because its my first BC and i have the cash to buy it......anything wrong with that, thats the original reason i came in here for...........the instructor has no clue what i ordered, he just told me that OMS was a good investment, im the ignorant one here.............but it took a lot just to get a simple answer.....and im changing the wing to the 45 lb lift..............and im on my way to find a forum more Novice oriented

What size tank you plan on using? I still feel that a 45lb wing is too much lift for a single tank unles syoua re planning on using some monster steel tank, which I hopefully doubt. Try to find something in the 28-40 of lift area. A wing that is made for single tanks specifically would also be a good idea.

Other than your instructors recommendation is there a reason why you are set on OMS brand gear. You may be able to use the harness you want with another brand wing like Halcyon, Oxycheq, or I hear that dive rite has even come out with a new single tank wing.

Shop around first. Try stuff out before you buy. Just cuz you have the money doens't mean you need to spend it right away. I think the bottom line of what ever one here is trying to say is that they don't want you to get gear and 1 year down the road you realize what a waste of money it was and you end up buying all new gear and saying, "gee guys you were right, I should have listened".