New, from texas. looking for advice

[gonefishin]

So i registered a few years ago and just now got around to booking my classes. me and my wife are headed to cozumel in september.

I've been looking for any threads on what to look for when buying basic gear. I'm not sure what brands my local dive shop carries. they have a special going $200 for the class if i buy all my basic gear from them. (mask, snorkel, boots, fins, weights, and whistle). A friend told me not to buy weights just rent them.

Anyway any brands or pro's con's to look out for? or just point me in the right direction for a few threads to read?

 

[Wookie]

Fit, comfort, color, in that order. I happen to like a silicon mask with a black skirt, as it doesn't show the grunge. I like a blade fin, I am not a fan of split fins, I prefer a Mares Plana Avanti, I have an Atomic frameless mask, I wear Akona booties, and my whistle is by West Marine. If they are making you buy weights, and you don't intend to do a ton of diving back home, they are ripping you off. Rent weights. Always.

 

[Marie13]

Masks are very personal, due to fit. An inexpensive $30 Cressi mask I got on Amazon fits me unlike the multiple $100 masks I tried. Anything from the usual brands will work, as long as it FITS!

It's odd that they'd ask you to buy weights. It's best to rent weights until you have your own BC and know how much weight you'll need. And if you're only going to be diving on vacation in tropical places, buying weights makes no sense at all.

I have gear from a number of manufacturers. Fins have been Hollis, Apeks, Dive Rite. Wetsuit on order is Bare. Regs re AquaLung and Apeks.

 

[gonefishin]

i'm not wanting to buy weights... I'm going to see if they will let me buy a 3mm wetsuit instead.. i know the suit will be more expensive, but at least i'll use it...

And i don't really have anyplace to dive locally. Or have any friends that dive.

 

[Wookie]

Where in Texas?

 

[Marie13]

i'm not wanting to buy weights... I'm going to see if they will let me buy a 3mm wetsuit instead.. i know the suit will be more expensive, but at least i'll use it...

And i don't really have anyplace to dive locally. Or have any friends that dive.

Nowhere to dive locally? Your profile says you live in Houston. Gulf of Mexico? As for diving friends...you get them through your OW class (if local), your dive shop, SB (I've gotten several this way!), FB groups, etc.

 

[gonefishin]

yes i live about an hour north of houston.

I just don't like water without good visibility. bad experience before in murky water...

And yes i was hoping we might meet some people at my open water class. But it's supposed to be a small group.

and actually i have a friend from work that dives, but he doesn't live anywhere near me..

Thank you everyone for your suggestions so far

 

[Wookie]

Heck, you have the Green Latrine (Blue Lagoon) in Huntsville, but what you really have is the Flower Gardens, some of my personal favorite, and a short weekend liveaboard away. That's the healthiest coral reef in the world, by the way. Deep, and you want a little experience under your belt, but next summer you should be all set. And you have divers all around you.

 

[Marie13]

yes i live about an hour north of houston.

I just don't like water without good visibility. bad experience before in murky water...

And yes i was hoping we might meet some people at my open water class. But it's supposed to be a small group.

and actually i have a friend from work that dives, but he doesn't live anywhere near me..

Thank you everyone for your suggestions so far

I'm not particularly fond of low viz, but I'm learning to be more comfortable with it as that's what we've got in quarries in the Midwest, especially in the late spring/summer. I was diving in a quarry with maybe 20 ft viz yesterday.

 

[gonefishin]

blue lagoon is where i'm doing my open water dives. I heard sometimes it has great visibility and other times not so much...

Yes i've heard of the flower gardens, but i didn't know they were that good. actually i didn't think anything off the texas coast was worth going...