New and could use some advice

[seaclear]

Ok let me say a little about me and my experience..... My name is david and new to the site. I am looking for advice on equipment. I took my closed course in 2001 in high school but moved before I could do my open water. I took a resort dive in Jamaica in 2008 and we dove to 30'

I just signed up to redo my closed water and this summer do y open water and get certified fianaly.

I plan to dive 3-4 times a year in warm water east coast and gulf.

I am 5-10 and about 190.

While at my local dive shop I tried on a drift bcd and a medium fit great.
I already just bought mask fins snorkel

My questions
What bcd should I look it? Is used ok?
Any certain regulators or computers?

Sorry if this has been asked before but I didn't see much as I did my research.

Thanks
David


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[AfterDark]

When I look for diving equipment I look for several things:
1. Quality, doesn’t always need to be top of the line but it should be built well enough to stand up to whatever environment you are diving. It should also work reliably and as well as expected. You wouldn’t expect a small backup light to light the way as well as your large primary light but it should work when you need it for example.
2. Value, is the quality worth the price? Insert your opinions here.
3. Service, does it require frequent service? Is it expensive? Can it be done at any LDS?
4. Function, KISS as simple as possible is usually the best. Do-Dads break, wear out and are usually unnecessary.
As far as what BC? I dove for years with a jacket. When it came time to replace it I bought a B/P and wing. I like both but they are different in the fit and feel. If I were diving warm water I’d probably go for a jacket type.

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
BCs like all the rest of dive equipment is mostly personal preference. It all works, some better than others but all of it will get the job done.
Based on what you are telling us, I would suggest an alternative option. For now at least, just rent gear. There is an annual cost to owning gear and frankly with only a couple of dives a year, it not worth the cost. If you decide later that you do want to continue diving and to do more of it, then you have some experience to help you decide what gear you prefer.
As for used gear, for the most part it's a good way to start as long as you understand what you are buying. First, look only at current brand names, if the brand can't be found for sale on one of the many web sites, odds are the manufacturer has gone under. I am talking about brands, specific models are not important. Just as an example, if you are looking at Scubapro or Zeagle products, great, they are well known brands that are still in business, on the other hand Dacor (which made great gear in the past) is no longer in business so you want to avoid them. If local service is improtant to you, you may want to restrict your searches to brands that local shops support. Bottom line, there is nothing at all wrong with used gear as long as it's in good shape and well maintained.

 

[TSandM]

Dive gear is a lot like a car -- it loses most of its value the day it leaves the showroom. Used BCs CAN be fabulous bargains, if you get the one that was bought by the person who did one or two dives and gave the sport up (or decided that particular piece of equipment didn't fit or suit). There is not much to a BC, but the things there are HAVE to work and work properly, or there are safety issues. It must hold air (and many cannot in any practical way be repaired if they don't). The inflator mechanism must deliver air when asked, and even more importantly, STOP delivering air when the buttons aren't pushed. The inflator mechanism can be serviced, but add the cost of getting that done to the price of the BC, to decide if you are actually getting any kind of deal. Don't buy very old equipment, or something with a brand name you never heard of, because companies do go out of business, and some gear cannot be serviced (Dacor, for example).

Regulators have to be an extremely good buy to be worth purchasing used, since the cost of service can add $100 or more to the price. And you do NOT want to buy and use a regulator without having it serviced.

Masks and fins can be very good purchases, as their quality and serviceability is immediately apparent on inspection. But unless you know exactly what you want, you can answer a ton of ads before you find a mask that fits. I highly recommend simply giving in and buying your mask new, from a shop which has a bunch of models from which to choose, and make sure you have a correct fit. A mask that constantly leaks is at best an annoyance, and at worst, a stressors, particularly for new divers.

 

[nolatom]

The gearheads may know better, but to me any reputable gear that is comfortable on you, will work fine. I bought from my local shop 14 years ago and am still happy with it, and dive about 5 times a year in the Gulf, Florida, and rarely in New England. So you sound like me in that regard.

Used is okay, but have someone qualified check it out.

Regulators? Mine are Scubapro but any reputable brand (Oceanic, Dacor, anything well-known) will work. When we get low on air and need buddy's alternate reg (low on air not recommended, just an example here) we don't ask nor care which brand so long as it delivers air--and they all do.

Computers--I still have an old Oceanic "hockey puck". Works fine for what I do. Whichever you get, it should be nitrox-compatible in case you get nitrox qualified eventually, as most of us do.

 

[seaclear]

I bought my mask fins and snorkel new at my local shop....

I feel like I might try to find a used bcd but look at new regulators.

I am looking at a used mares dragon bcd I have read good reviews and seem to be a reputable company. Any suggestions

As far as computers go is console vs wrist just personally preference? Or do certain configurations work better.

As far as renting I am a person who just prefers to have my own gear to save hassles of renting gear and I like to know I trust
My gear. I sure most shops take great care of their used equipment but I am sure there are a few who don't.

Thanks for all the advice and help!!! Keep it coming love reading all of this.

I am also going to destin in March should I try to do my open water there??


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[diversteve]

I am looking at a used mares dragon bcd I have read good reviews and seem to be a reputable company. Any suggestions

They are a good company but personally I wouldn't. In the past 5 years I've found two of their red-handled weight pockets near moorings - my friend who dives Mares (not a Dragon) has lost two also. One she had just replaced when on the last dive of our trip it fell out in the surf-line. They're $40/2 to replace. And there's this:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mares-just-add-water/474349-problems-mares-dragon-system.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ma...54-mares-dragon-mrs-plus-weight-releases.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mares-just-add-water/478642-mares-bcd-dragon-out-work.html

Please don't buy an Airtrim either - too gimmicky. It's also non-standard so if it breaks on a trip somewhere, you're renting. Although it's hard to understand - the third thread seems to indicate the OP has a problem with corrosion in his system.

 

[Searcaigh]

Hi David, welcome back to the diving world.

For any wearable gear, if it fits well then it is a good choice for wetsuits and BCDs, although I have to say that after well over 1,000 dives using jacket BCDs you would not get me back in one now since I moved over to a BPW, but that is my personal opinion.

For a computer I would recommend a wrist mounted one and when you set up your rig make sure you spend a few dollars more for a stainless steel clip to secure your SPG on a D ring. A computer in a console probably takes a few more knocks than a wrist mounted one

Integral weights on BCDs may suit other people, but as diversteve mentions above some systems are not 100% secure. I have been on a dive trip where somebody lost their integral weights on a dive and almost had an uncontrolled ascent that fortunately was spotted by their buddy who managed to avert a potential disaster by grabbing him and dumping air from his BCD. Personally I use a weight belt / SS plate / trim weight.

Regulators, well just about everything on the market these days is good, as others have mentioned, what does your LDS sell, get something that suits your budget, you don't need the top of the range if you only plan a few dives per year.

All the best for your choices and enjoy your diving.

 

[DukeAMO]

If you want the integrated weights, Zeagle has a better system.

 

[T.C.]

Borrow gear from the shop for your classes; as it should be included. Use different stuff on different days/dives.

Once you have a good feel for the gear, then you can spend your money. I'd advise you to wait until you're certified and know what you want. Right now, you have no experience to compare gear; and ultimately, it's your gear. I won't wear it, no one here will wear it; YOU will wear it.

As well, you have to ask yourself if this is going to be something you want to do alot of, that will justify your buying gear. This stuff isn't cheap. A crack habit is probably cheaper than diving! Since it took you so long to get certified, ask yourself if this is something you want for a long time.

Don't let the shop pressure you into buying gear. This stuff is always for rent.