New diver: gear

[Macan]

As an Instructor, I've seen too many excited new divers make major gear purchases early in their training. They were sales-talked by their dive shop, and sadly, even their own instructors.

In many instances, It doesn't take long before they realize that they made a mistake. Buyers remorse sets in. They try to live with what they bought but they eventually break down and then make another purchase of what they should have bought in the first place.

I advice all of my new divers to do two things:

1. DO NOT buy a BCD, Regulator, Fins, and Computer until they get certified, dive with other divers, and have a few dives under their belt. It's ok to buy exposure suits and masks early in their training.

2. Rent/borrow a BPW, Long hose primary and necklaced backup reg setup, Jet Fins or variants (OMS Slipstreams, etc). Try them out.

Almost all of my students end up purchasing a DIR rig, only 2% still prefer a jacket BCD and recreational reg setup.

Buying BCD, Regs, Fins and a computer will cost a small fortune. These are purchases best made after the student complete training and has had the chance to try different gear and observe other divers.

It's not instant gratification but it'll save them money.

 

[Reku]

Depending on your end goal you may not end up with all the same manufacturer for your gear.

For example I use a collection of gear from different manufacturers because it works for what I'm doing.

Hollis - harness softplate SMS75, F1s
Aqualung/Whites - expsoure protection
Halcyon - dsmb, odds and ends
Shearwater - computers
Poseidon - cyklon 2nd stages
Hog - D1 1st stages
UWLD - lights
Global - re-purposed serrated paring knife.

That isn't to say you couldn't buy everything from one manufacturer but if you want the best of the best you most likely will end up mismatching gear.

No one company makes the best of everything ( although a certain blue H would say otherwise )

Good Luck with your purchases.

 

[tbone1004]

I'll disagree with Macan above on the order of operations saying that if you start with a "DIR" type rig which I hate the term, but the basic GUE style rig, it is highly unlikely you will have buyers remorse except for maybe the fins if you aren't in shape. I have never seen someone buy a bp/w and "tech" style regulator setup and move back to a recreational setup unless they work for a shop that forced them to. My students learn in the "DIR" type rig, and they are encouraged to purchase if they are serious about it, even before their class.

 

[Subcooled]

We have heard some brands tend to loose their pairing more often than others

Pairing of pressure transmitter and air integrated computer?

Consider having a separate analogue submersible pressure gauge,
and a dive computer that counts only time, depth and no-mandatory-decompression-limit/decompression stops.

Putting too much information on one screen gives you nothing but clutter (in my opinion).
Some people love air integration, though (e.g. for removing that extra hose).

Dive computers can extrapolate the air consumption and give you a prophecy about the time for which you have air left.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Pairing of pressure transmitter and air integrated computer?

Consider having a separate analogue submersible pressure gauge,
and a dive computer that counts only time, depth and no-mandatory-decompression-limit/decompression stops.

+1. I have a wireless pressure transmitter but I will always use a SPG. Wireless transmitters are convenient, a luxury/nice to have, but it cannot be 100% relied upon. I also have depth on my SPG. A dive computer that also counts dive time and depth, maybe temperature is also known as "gauge mode" in case you are looking at features on dive computers.

 

[scrane]

Decertified? I don't understand.

 

[dmaziuk]

Decertified? I don't understand.

Could be either a typo or a braino. On a full-size keyboard I'd go for the latter but on a mash pad of an auto-spill-chucking iPax all bets are off, really.

 

[Neilwood]

Maybe the OP thought the cert is only valid for a certain period without actively diving.

 

[tbone1004]

if you read the original sentence, I think he missed the R by one letter and meant recertified...

 

[Neilwood]

if you read the original sentence, I think he missed the R by one letter and meant recertified...

Agreed - on re-reading it that explanation probably makes more sense.