new gear, looking for comments/suggestions

[jcarlson]

First off thanks for all the info. available on this board, I've done a lot of research here the last few months. I was certified last August and I'm about to purchase the full kit. I'll be doing almost all of my diving in the Northwest (I live in Seattle, my buddy lives in Eugene, Oregon, we alternate as to who goes where) so it's all cold water diving. I think I'm pretty set as to what I'm going to buy, but I'm looking for any input/recommendations, so here's the list:

Zeagle Ranger
Scubapro MK25/S600
Uwatec Smart Com (LDS swears he'll have it by the end of march)
Scubapro S-Tek Steamer & Jacket (seperate hood)
(dry-suits just don't have the same intimacy with the water)

Any major arguments? Any additions?

Jesse

 

[devjr]

Suggest you get a wet suit with attached hood.

The Ranger will be a tight fit in any normal sized gear bag, not so great for traveling. However, if you are a big guy and use double tanks it seems a good choice. The Zeagle Scout is really slick, compact, simple, has single bag construction, but only fits a single tank.

Your list is a little short. The Apollo, SP or TUSA splitfins are excellent. Apollo and SP make frameless masks in black silicone.

Edited...

 

[jcarlson]

devjr

Good point on the short list ... I bought fins, mask, booties, gloves when I got my OW cert. Purchased knife, light (and backup) since then. I didn't like the feel of the couple seaquests that I tried on as well as the ranger, though the features were comparable.

 

[devjr]

Many divers say that about the basic gear. Of all the gear you will ever buy, the mask is the most important. If you threw away everything, EVERYTHING except the mask, you could still dive. That is by way of highlighting the importance of getting the widest view, best fit and lowest displacement possible. Look at the buckle. The plastic buckles may break. I saw a TUSA buckle fall apart.

The second most important are the snorkel and fins. When you find fins which fit good and have superior propulsion, hang onto them. When you are a mile from shore and all else fails, these three things will get you home.

 

[bgonderi]

My wife and I recently purchased MK25/S600s. Although we've only dove with them twice, I have been pleased with them so far. What are you getting for an octo? We got R380s. All of them seem to do relatively well in the reviews, were carried adn recommended by our LDS, and appear to be the easiest to have serviced world-wide. At this point, neither of us are experienced enough divers to really appreciate the differences between regs, but I think these are ones that we can "grow into" with no regrets.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Don't buy anything until you talk to Uncle Pug -- he lives near Seattle. Send him a PM, and see if he'll show you his stuff. He's been in your exact shoes (more-or-less).



Mike