Hello,
I agree with a lot of the things said here in this post. I, too, cannot recommend one of the dive shops over another as I do not live in your area. I would not purchase any equipment besides the mask, fins, snorkel, and dive boots until after you completed your certification. The previous advice that another diver gave with regards to masks is correct. However, I would like to add one thing to what he said which is comfort. As for the rest of the equipment, it is expensive, and you might realize after you try diving that it is not necessarily something you truly want to do. Hopefully, that will not be the case, but I would wait to purchase everything until after your class!
I also understand that people really have not recommended any equipment brands. I would recommend any of the major brands. All of it is really pretty good now-a-days. It just depends on what your dive shop sells as you want to be able to get it serviced easily. All dive shops service what they sell. Some of the major brands are Aqua Lung/Seaquest, Apeks, Zeagle, Scuba Pro, Sherwood, Oceanic, Mares, Cressi Sub. There are a few others, but I do not think that you could go wrong with any of those brands. Let your dive shop know that you are planning to buy equipment, and ask them if it is OK for you to try different types of basic Buoyancy Compensator Devices during your class. There are a few major classifications of those. Back inflate, which I prefer, as I think it is easier to maintain proper buoyancy and is a more comfortable. The next category is jacket style. Try both styles if you can as it is a matter of user preference. One other classification of Buoyancy Compensator Devices is weight integrated or not weight integrated. I prefer the weight integrated ones as I do not have to wear an uncomfortable weight belt. Once again, that is user preference. I do have some advice for you. After you complete your certification and you decide that you want to purchase gear, plan on buying stuff that is higher end than you would expect even if you have to buy a piece here and a piece there. By doing that, you can grow into your equipment rather than outgrowing it in a few certifications. While it costs more upfront, it is cheaper in the long run as you do not have to replace gear that no longer meets your diving requirements. Also, it is a good idea to ask yourself what kind of diving you might eventually want to get into. If you do not know the different types, ask at your dive shop as they should also be able to help you out. That way you can start purchasing stuff geared for what you want to do. I find that the most important qualities of any piece of dive gear is that it fits correctly, comfortable, easy to use, meets its intended use, easy to get serviced, and is durable. I hope that helps!
kfilly
