new gear question

[poomero]

If you had a chance to buy all new gear what would you buy. When I say all new gear I mean everything. All my gear was stolen and insurance is paying for new stuff and I am curious to see different opinions on this. Would you go wet or dry suit, jacket BC or backplate and wing? what reg set up, computer and what fins? tell me what you would do. Would you change all your gear or buy what you had and be done with it? Would you invest in stuff you didn't have before like a scooter or spear guns?

I have an idea of what I am going to do but I would like to know what you guys would do.

I am going dry with a backplate and wing. I think I am going to get a cobalt 2 computer with aqualung legend LX

 

[Keith.M]

Bum deal on your gear, some of it not easily replaceable.

I would stay with my primary regulator. I dive an Aqua Lung Legend LX and I love the way it breathes. I also have SP mk25/s600 and Oceanic CDX5 / GT3 for comparison. I prefer the Legend for my primary but would still want to have the others.

I would go straight to drysuit here in Northern California.

I would definitely go BP/W. I started out with a very nice back inflate BC, Oceanic Excursion II. All the talk here got me interested in trying the BP/W so I pieced one together and started diving it. I don't think I will ever go back. Very comfortable, fits firmly in place, well balanced. I think you lost a Freedom plate though and that will be hard to replace.

I would also replace my F1s. They are great fins and I will stick with them.

Not sure what I would do with the computer. Started out with a Mares Puck, moved on to a Uwatec 2G and it meets all my needs now but there are lots options here.

 

[decompression]

This is fun, I love pretend;

Drysuit, no question.
BP/W, no question
Apeks regs
Petrel or Xdeep computer
UTD neutral fins

The best for overall performance, scalability and versatility.

 

[tbone1004]

Drysuit, for NorCal probably a neoprene one to save on undergarments. Waterproof D10 would get the nod for that, potentially the D1 if price was less of a concern. Neoprene saves on undergarments and limits hypothermia for potential of drysuit flood.

BP/W, Deep Sea Supply in your preferred length with wing of your choice. You are supporting a California based small business, support is top notch as is quality, and you can bolt weight plates onto the plate itself instead of having a weight belt, which is a very nice feature.

Regs, I'd go Apeks XTX or Poseidon, personal preference dictates that. I prefer Apeks to AL regs, but the're basically the same so that is a crap shoot there. Atomic if you're into supporting small local business, their regs are made in a small shop in California. Atomic is run by a bunch of ex Scubapro guys, so they are into piston regulators, shocker. Apeks and Aqualung are diaphragm based. Atomics are all basically the same spare materials, so it's a crapshoot. Great deal on that package right there, again, only if you're into supporting local small business, if not there are cheaper options out there that will perform just as well.
M1 Single Tank Package - Dive Right in Scuba

Computer, go to a Petrel, you won't regret it, best one on the market, and again supporting a small company, though Canadian, not US. Not AI, but you don't need it, no compass but again, don't need it, and the user interface is nicer.

Fins, lots of options here, drysuit dictates heavy ones traditionally, so the classic Scubapro Jet Fins are hard to argue with, spring straps are recommended. Dive Rite fins are quite good but neutrally buoyant, so in a drysuit that may prove problematic. Jet fins are hard to beat, the F1's are pretty nice too, so would choose between the F1 and the Jet Fin for fins. UTD fins are also quite nice, though expensive compared to the identical Poseidon and Hog Tech 2's, they all come out of the same factory, and neutral fins are great for sidemount and wetsuits, not so much in drysuits.

Think that's all.

 

[OtherHalf]

Cf200 signature series (tired of being cold underwater, I'd get it with zip gloves, and Halcyon exploration pockets, this would replqce my 8/7 semidry)

Halcyon bp/w (currently in similar setup with hollis wing but like the construction of the Halcyon, I'd keep my precision inflator, discontinued but was worth the search to get it, and it rocks)

Light monkey LED can light (I've got an older UWLightDude but would like a little tighter hot spot),

Hollis 3LED backup lights (good, sturdy light, I'd put energizer lithiums in them, lighter and longer life)

SP jets (love mine)

Aqualung legends (love mine, they all but breathe themselves)

aluminum doubles (love my lp104s, but the aluminum are easier to make as a balanced rig, and safer for drops in deep water)

Shearwater petrel (get rave reviews from everyone, trimix compatible, wrist mounted, ccr upgradable, and not air integrated, replaces my zoop and currently non-functioning vytec).

Not too different from what I've got now...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Dry suit - Right now I am looking at an Otter out of the UK. I have a HOG and it's been good to me for going on 4 years but I've gotten to see the Otter in person and the dealer price is nice.
At this point with my diving now I would replace the Sidemount rigs I have now with the same ones.
Regs- HOGs all the way. Even if I was not a dealer I don't want to mess with trying to get parts or having someone else touch my regs.
Fins - Hollis F-1's and HOG tech 2's
Computer - Petrel
I'd also get one of Bobby's lights for a primary can light. My 21 watt HID is not made any more.

 

[RJP]

If you had a chance to buy all new gear what would you buy.

As Oscar Wilde once said "I have very simple tastes; I'm always satisfied with the best."

:cool2:

I don't think there's a piece of my kit that I would replace with anything but the same thing... with the possible exception of wanting to research the latest technology vis-a-vis computers and primary lights. The main reason is that I have no idea what is considered the current state of the art. Which I suppose is testament to how much I like my current stuff, since it hasn't occurred to me to even considering an "upgrade" over the past 8 years.

Backgas Regs: AquaLung Legend LX Supreme
Stage/Deco Regs: DiveRite XT's
Computer: Vytec DS (in DSS boot)
B/T: ScubaPro (in DSS boot)
LP Hoses: MiFlex
Singles BP/W: Halcyon Steel + Eclipse 30
Doubles BP/W: Halcyon Alum + Evolve 60
Primary Mask: Atomic Frameless
Backup Mask: Atomic Frameless
Snorkle: Atomic SV-1
Fins: SP Jets
Primary Light: Salvo 20W HID (I suppose I'd need to replace it with a "Light Monkey" light.)
Backup Lights: 3C and 2C Halcyon Scouts
Coldwater Drysuit: DUI TLS-350
Warmwater Drysuit: DUI 30/30
Wetsuit: What's that?

 

[Bigd2722]

I would replace my gear with the same (except for the dive computer), but it's taken me over 15 years of incrementally changing everything. Suunto doesn't manufacture a Vytec any more, but I would probably look for an upgrade anyway.

I have backplate, wing, and regs from HOG. Atomic fins, knife, Tusa mask (the only one that's every fit correctly) Custom wetsuit, lots of miscellaneous safety gear and steel tanks

 

[Michael Guerrero]

i would buy a rebreather.

 

[jdg]

This is fun, I love pretend;

Drysuit, no question.
BP/W, no question
Apeks regs
Petrel or Xdeep computer
UTD neutral fins

The best for overall performance, scalability and versatility.

Get out of my head hehe and I have the apex regs lol Dui custom on the way

xtx200 with a xtx50 octo