New gear purchase survey 2010

[mselenaous]

Have you purchased any NEW dive gear in 2010? If so please tell us what item (make/model) and what influenced your decision and why did you choose that particular one make/model over all the other brands.

 

[Token]

I bought a Zeagle Ranger BCD which I found on sale. I'm not perfectly happy with my Aeris 5 Oceans BCD, and went to my LDS to discuss the matter. I think they saw me coming... The Ranger fits me well and has pockets [the 5 Oceans doesn't], and it's excellent quality.

I also bought a Bare Velocity 3mm wetsuit...it fit perfectly and seems to be a top quality item too.

In both cases my LDS is a official dealer for the brand, and their recommendation counted for a lot with me [I also did my OWD training there.]

 

[tomboyy]

I bought a Din conversion kit for my MK25.

my decision was influenced by...by..by.. nothing. It was actually a impulse buy. I was price checking regulators and saw it and couldn't figure out how I had stayed alive this long without one. My wife is gonna be mad

 

[kathydee]

Recommendations from friends, Instructor & equipment with an excellent reputation
DUI TLS 350 drysuit (Was custom made for another customer, so came with a very sweet sticker price)

Picked up my doubles rig
Luxfer 6cf Argon bottle & Highland Mills Argon Reg
Scubapro MK25/S600 & G250V reg (X3) (found one brand new MK25 on craigs list for $150!)
HP100’s Worthington doubles /Highland Bands/Thermos manifold ( was in a rush to pick up some doubles & the tanks belonged to my dive partner and only had a few dives)
XL Scubapro Jet Fins (upgraded from L Jets - great price on Scubaboard)
Halcyon Al Backplate/Harness & Evolve 40lb wing
Halcyon drysuit pockets


Salvo (light monkey) 400’ reel (almost new for $90)
Oxycheq O2 Analyzer
Clear Atomic Frameless Mask
Highland Mills 2.5” SPG – it's what my LDS had in stock

All this equipment is excellent quality! I'm thrilled to dive it & highly recommend it.

I do find myself favoring my Black Atomic Frameless Mask over the Clear mask. It's much easier to see my partners light signals from behind in the clear mask, but I'm not quite use to the reflection.

By scanning the classified ads daily for these specific items - I was very lucky to pick up most of it second hand (but almost new) ;-).

It seems after all these purchases my shopping list would shrink a little - instead, it appears to just keep growing longer !

 

[BB1]

DSS Long BP with HOG Harness and Taurus 26lb wing

Influences:

The fact they make a long plate for us tall guys - the difference is significant imho

Pre sales support from DSS was awesome - answered every stupid question I had and gave good solid recommendations for what we needed and not what he could convince us to buy - invaluable!

Hollis F1 Fins because I was folding up my mares volo's in current when pushing hard - nice fins terrible distributer.

Ikelite housing - expensive and a small non critical problem with it but sorted now and good item

Watch this space - I feel a spending spree coming on!

 

[FireInMyBones]

Dive Rite Z-knife. Needed a secondary cutting tool. It was cheap.

 

[ligersandtions]

Have I bought new gear in 2010?? Oh boy have I....and I'm pretty well banned from buying anything else anytime soon!

Let's see if I can even remember what all I've bought....I'll start with the big stuff.

Double Worthington LP85's (two sets, cause my husband dives them as well) -- I bought these because we were entertaining the idea of doing some partial pressure blending. While that hasn't happened yet, it's still in the works. And I have shops who are willing to overfill, so I am getting the equivalent of double 100's most of the time.

Two MK25's/S600's to go with said LP85's. I had the HOG regs for my doubles set-up, but decided to go with the SP stuff and convert the HOG's to my singles regs.

A TLS350 + 400g Thinsulate undergarment -- I found this on craigslist for $400 and it was too good of a deal to pass up, so I bought it. The suit was made in ~2000 but only used a handful of times (and it shows). Besides, my CF200 zipper is going going gone, so I now have another suit until I get that one fixed! Also bought, and am in the process of installing, pockets for the drysuit as it came with the crappy flat pockets that you can't actually fit anything in.

I bought a Salvo 400' reel....will be using it this weekend and hopefully not making too big of a mess!

I bought a she-p and p-valve. I really want to love these, but so far I'm having lots of problems. Hopefully will be getting that figured out this weekend with some advice from some buddies

I bought my husband a DIY O2 analyzer cause he loves DIY projects.

Add in some training, some boat dives, and some overnight trips out to the islands....and now I realize where all my money's gone!

 

[Sas]

12L (100cf) Faber steel tanks x 2: I picked this because I like my other Faber tank much better than the other tank brand that seems to be available (not sure what brand but they have flat bottoms). Also the price was good.

Salvo bands + manifold: cheaper than the other options of similar quality and the person who sold them to me set up my twinset for free

Zeagle regulators DSV/ZX model: An Australian shop price matched overseas prices (often gear is two to three times more expensive here than overseas but this guy gave a cheaper quote than Leisurepro and similar), the first year's service is given free, I've been happy with other Zeagle regs I've tried, and the shop sells service kits and will run servicing courses for people to learn to service them themselves (they seem to be the only one or one of only a few in Australia who do this for non dive professionals).

OMS 45lb wing + AL backplate: Damn cheap off Leisurepro and I needed a double wing.

I think that is it.

 

[SandyRobinson]

Bought a DR Nomad EXP. The Nomad seems to have the best SM reputation based on conversation with other SM divers.

Bought a Bare Velocity 7/6 for my daughter. The price was right and she has the same brand in a 3/2 which has worked well for her.

 

[elmer fudd]

First the important stuff. Split fins, SpareAir, Air2, tank banger, a knife with a 10" blade, a hollow handle and a compass on the end and a bunch of t-shirts and pullovers with pictures of skeletons holding dive flags and riding sharks. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the　cemetery plot and purple cross.

So far I've just picked up a pair of HP119's, a backplate, a Mk25 and some Hollis F1's. I'll get the good stuff next.