Need advice on new equipment

[LOG-SPLITTER]

I`m new to diving and just love it.
I want to take the big plunge and purchase some very good quality equipmentI have the mask, fins, and snorkel, right now.I don't plan on going ice diving anytime soon.I live up north in canada and will be diving in pretty cool water.

I would like to start off by purchasing a good

1.tank
2.regulator
3.bc
4.computer


not in any order as i`m going to purchase it all.I just need some good advice from from the experienced.

A big thanks! to anyone who would be willing to help me out plz!
Thx

 

[spectrum]

Lets start with somehting easy, the tank(s) Cold water, single tank diving has steel written all over it. If you're going to be diving with an AL-80 crowd then there's no point spending the $ for 100 CF cylinders. The PST E7-80s will not break the bank, they'll take about 7 pounds off your weight requirement and you'll be 12 pounds lighter walking across the beach compared to an AL-80. The newly released Worthington (sea pearls, x-s scuba) are very comparable to the metioned PST cylinders.

If you think your diving will go beyond average then look further up in these cylinder lines. The 100CF is a darling but the price difference is something like $205 vs $349 for 20 CF more capacity. Check around to make sure you have local shop(s) capable of doing a good 3442 PSI fill. Most but not all can. All $$ are US.

I`m new to diving and just love it.
I want to take the big plunge and purchase some very good quality equipmentI have the mask, fins, and snorkel, right now.I don'tplan on going ice diving anytime soon.I live up north in canada and will be diving in pretty cool water.

I would like to start off by purchasing a good

Computer... I'd say wait until you have more dives and a need for it. I don't believe in ditching your depth and pressure gauges for electronics so IMO it's not money spent twice. Just use a cheap watch that's rated for enough depth and have at it. As a new diver you will end your dives for air, not your NDL so it's really just for personal info. Running in analog for a while will make you learn what you're really doing down there. This will buy you some time to see what other use and like. Exception to waiting.. if you plan to go take that warm water dive trip and dive 3-5 times per day then get your computer (though you can usually rent one) to get the most out of your vacation money! In all likelyhood you will advance to nitrox so buy for that.

BC and Regulator.... Im happy with my Sherwood Blizzard Regulator and Sherewood Avid BCD. You'll get plenty of other opinions.

Regulator, Make sure you can get it serviced locally. Go with a conventional alternate second, not an inflator combo IMO.

BC, Try it, at least in a pool before buying. Weight integrated is nice. You will still want a weight belt but it's nice to have the placement options.

You won't go too far withiout a compass... Console, wrist, retractor or slate mounted it's all up to you.

See the individual gear forums for more info than you can absorb. Make informed decisions.

Pete

1.tank
2.regulator
3.bc
4.computer
5.computer

not in any order as i`m going to purchase it all.I just need some good advice from from the experienced.

A big thanks! to anyone who would be willing to help me out plz!
Thx

 

[seaboyforever]

Aeris ATmos XT, BC is awesome for cold water spearfishing, so many features I use
Alum 80-all around good
1st and 2nd stage i use aeris trimetal
for a computer, i would stick with Sunnto cobra
for a back up computers i have a citizen watch aqualand, awesome little thing

keep shopping, do your research and the more you know about what your getting the more you will be confident in your dive.

LIVE TO DIVE AND DIVE TO LIVE

 

[markfm]

I wouldn't stress over steel tanks right off the bat. AL80 is the norm for starting out -- relatively cheap, decent, does the job. An E7-100 is nice if you're burning a lot of air, but often isn't going to help if you're diving with a buddy who either has similar air consumption or doesn't also have the larger capacity tank.
If you do choose to go steel tanks, you need to watch the sizing. E7 series PSTs are the same diameter as AL80s -- fine for boat charters. If you go to the larger diameter E8s, you may have problems on any given boat charter, need to check.
Buying a steel 80 just doesn't make sense to me, personally, but that's because I dive primarily fresh water and when it's warm my weighting is already light. I'd rather spend the steel 80/AL80 price difference on a widget.
I went with a pair of AL80s, absolutely fine all Summer. Just bought an E7-100 set up for Nitrox -- longer dives, moderate depth, things I'll be doing with other similarly-equipped divers.
For regulators, it can be handy to buy things supported/serviced by a local dive shop (LDS). Where I live the Sherwoods are popular -- good cold water performance, decent price, service readily available.
BCDs are another case of a lot of good product, depends on what you want to do. I went with an Aeris Reefrider back bladder type. Comfortable, travels well (compact). If I was staying strictly local I might have bought something else, but the Reefrider does have enough lift for me even in drysuit.
Good luck!

 

[doole]

Sounds like the folks have got you covered, but one more thing: do NOT select the reg by price. Get the best quality you can afford in that department.

There actually aren't all that many good ones. Especially look for sturdiness, serviceability, reliability and ease of breathing at depth. As an example, I particularly like Apeks or Zeagle. If there's any plastic on the first stage, I'd keep walking. You might also want to consider staying away from upstream valve designs and weird port sizes.

You might want to check into parts availability, too.

I would also avoid any that seem gimmicky - like the plague. Consider getting a DIN mount, too. Much easier to convert that to a yoke than vice versa. If it isn't available in a DIN mount - again, keep walking.

 

[spectrum]

I don't plan on going ice diving anytime soon

Ice diving or not you will need a cold water regulator to dive at home. Due to the cooling effect of decompressing gas in the regulator ice problems can occur in the low 40F range and of course below. These temperatures are easy to find a thermocline or 2 down in lakes in the mid summer here in Maine. I'm sure the same is true in your neck of the woods.

Pete

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Scuba Labs can help narrow down your choices:

http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/regulators/best_new_regs/

DISCLAIMER: rapidiver.com sells ZEAGLE Products

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

You've forgotten:

5. A drysuit....

Keep in mind that if you really want to enjoy diving in your neck of the woods, doing multiple dives per day, then dry is the only way to go: it completely changes a persons attitude to cold water diving. I'd buy the gear you list but I thought I'd warn you of an ever bigger purchase thats waiting down the road for you. Better start saving now...

With that in mind I'd go with a steel 85 or 100: probably the 100 - as a new diver you will be using up more air than others, and as you become experienced you may need the extra air for deep dives: try both an 85 and 100 out and see which one you like.

Most top of the line regs from majors are fine. Make sure both the occy and main 2nd stages are metal, and if you are planning to dive in waters below 5C, that the 1st stage has been environmental sealed for cold water. Apeks, Scubapro, Posidion and Mares all have their supporters: look in the regulator forum for lots of info.

BCs: do a search in the BC forum for jacket vs backplate-wing. Its a subject that’s been beaten to death. I started with a jacket (Mares vector 1000 - a hard wearing no gimmick BC which I still use and love - probably the last no gimmick one Mares ever made. Remember all bcs are the same - they are just a harness and an airbladder: ignore the manufacturers hype and acronyms) but wear a backplate-wing when diving dry, poking through wreaks and soon, diving doubles.

As for computers - most people love suunto, and their stinger is a classic dive watch/dive computer that you can wear between dives. If I started out again I would of gotten a stringer.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[BigWhiteSquare]

1.tank
2.regulator
3.bc
4.computer

1. Two al 80s
2. Mares Proton Ice w/ octo
3. Zeagle Brigade
4. Aeris Atmos AI

$1720.00 (US) at Scubatoys.com. Can't beat 'em.

___

 

[Zero]

1. Apeks series primary & secondary regs with a decent SPG console
2. Drysuit
3. Compass
4. BP/W or Rear inflation BC - You decide which to choose
5. Suunto Vyper Computer

I would rent your tanks. Save some cash until you decide to purchase a single or double tank configuration.