New to diving and looking at equipment.

[IFlyEm]

Hello,

My fiance and I are going to start our open water certification and we have decided to look into getting our own equipment. Here is a list I put together for me and wanted to see what you guys think about it. We will be mostly diving in warm water.

Here is what I am currently looking at:

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[TD]Mares Rover Octopus
SKU: MRSRO
IN STOCK

$118.95​

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[TR]
[TD="width: 60"][/TD]
[TD]Zeagle Stiletto BCD with the Ripcord Weight System, Black
SKU: ZGLST
IN STOCK

$599.95​

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[TD]Mares Abyss 22 Regulator
SKU: MRSMR22ADR
IN STOCK

$498.95​

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[TD="width: 60"][/TD]
[TD]Aeris Atmos AI Air Integrated Computer Console, With Compass
SKU: AERAAICC
IN STOCK

$649.95​

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Regular Price Total: $1867.80
Total items in this package: 4


I am waiting for a package quote but I am expecting it to come in around $1,100. Am I on the right track?

Thanks!

 

[TSandM]

You can save quite a bit of money on your computer setup. If you buy a Suunto Zoop ($250 - $300), an SK7 compass ($70) and a submersible pressure gauge ($50), you will have the same information almost $250 cheaper.

It is my personal opinion that you can get a much nicer BC, brand new, for about $200 less, too.

 

[bennenrkc]

I was in a similar boat as you a couple weeks ago.
We ended up getting the
OCeanic Delta 4.1 - Leisure pro has it on sale for $299
Mares MV Octo - Wanted something cheap - $69.99 though I now wish I would have bought an oceanic model for servicing in the future.
Oceanic Islander, which Leisure pro upgraded to an Islander 2 for nothing.
And the Mares Puck with Compass AI. which at the time was on sale for 350. (I wonder if I wouldnt have rather had a wrist PDC looking back now, but I am still very new at this so we will see what happens.

This ended up being a little north of 900 for each of us, and it got us going so overall I am very happy with it. The thing I do not have any regrets about is the Reg. It was a very easy breather, and at the price I think is a really good deal. The 4.2 that they are replacing it with has a swivel on the hose otherwise nothing else has changed per oceanic. We have rented the titan, calypso and Legend line from aqualung and for the price I think the reg beats the titan and calypso and competes with the legend. When we dove the calypso, my wife and I both thought that it was not an easy breather and wanted something better than that for all of our future dives which was the reason we wanted to buy our own.

Just my .02 as a fellow newb from Iowa.

 

[freewillie]

I dive the Zeagle Stiletto and love it. It is a little bulky when it comes to packing for travel, but is very close in overall weight to true travel BC's. I also find that the power inflater hose connector is the same size as a garden hose. You simply take off the power inflator, attach hose, and rinse out your BC bladder. It is very convenient. I would highly recommend the BC.

Aeris Atmos AI has a countdown timer feature to the computer. It monitors your SAC rate and gives you an approximate time before you need to end your dive. If you monitor your air carefully you don't need the feature, but some divers may like it. But, as TSandM pointed out, you can get a basic computer, SPG, and separate compass for much less.

I don't own or dive Mares products so couldn't tell you other than they have a decent reputation.

 

[Skittl1321]

Where are you doing your certification?

If you are going to be at Seatasea, I found the instructor was very open about equipment recommendations, and he isn't a salesperson for the store. That said- I found the store has pretty competitive prices, to the point where we got a much better deal on my husband's computer (Vyper Air with transmitter) than I was able to find online.

I've only done pool training (I was supposed to do OW dives this weekend, but decided I want more pool time- so I'm not going to do that yet) but during them they shared a lot of 'newbie' buying mistakes. Pretty much all of them said they originally bought a console computer, and then rebought a wrist one. And I think most of them said they dive Backplate and Wing (even though they don't do tec diving) and just wear the weight integrated BCDs for classes they teach.

Personally, I'd do the classes before getting gear.

Nice to see more Iowa City folks Do you plan to dive locally at all?

 

[IFlyEm]

Thanks for all the great feed back! I don't know much about the dive shops in the Iowa CIty area. The fiance lives in San Diego so most of our "shop" time has been there. We are planning on getting our certification at Rainbow Reef in Key Largo. Primarily because we can get there for free and get a decent discount on lodging. They had a price of $420/person all inclusive minus lodging and food. Didn't seem to be too bad.

As for local dives I am open to pretty much anything. I don't want to let me equipment sit around for long periods of time without being used.

 

[diversteve]

I also owned a Stiletto for a while. It's almost small enough to fit in a legal sized carryon if you don't bring much else. Nice thing about will be if you dive in San Diego it's got enough lift for the extra weight you'll need there yet it's still considered a travel BC for warmer water.

Instead of buying it from LeisurePro, you might check with Divers Direct. They have a store in Key Largo, one in Key West and their main shop is 5mins. from the Ft. Lauderdale airport. We find it easier to fly into FLL than thru MIA to go anywhere in SoFl.

They probably have one on the rack there - they had most of the Zeagle line in multiple sizes when we stopped in a few years ago. I have never seen more Zeagle gear in one place (the FLL store). They're pretty common among SoFl divers also. Same price - $599 list. https://www.diversdirect.com/

Zeagle is a good brand, I've dove their products (Ranger and Stiletto) for about 10 years. So does my buddy. We've had no issues and regular BC maintenance isn't high on my list of priorities. I like the BX also, I added one to my Ranger since you hook the hose to it and walk away to flush it completely.

They would likely have all the other gear you're looking at also. At least the Mares 22 since it's pretty common. IDK if they sell Aeris but Oceanic is owned by the same company (Hollis). Each makes comparable models with cosmetic differences.

You might consider the Mares MV Octo instead also. It's cheaper and it's bi-directional so if you do need to give it to someone else, it works either left or right. My regular dive buddy has one, he's had zero problems with it in about 5 years.

An octo really mostly hangs there most of the time - I've actually never used mine except to test it occasionally. Put the $50 towards a better reg.

 

[Peter Guy]

I'll just say it before anyone else does (or perhaps no one else will) but the BCD I suggest to my students is a DSS BackPlate/Wing setup -- $460 from DSS or $460 from "my" LDS (I think he'd give you the $2 discount!).

OK, why this BP/W setup -- especially for a new diver who thinks he'll be doing warm water primarily?

a. This is a one time purchase regardless of how you find yourself diving. It is modular so you IF you do different type of diving, you can change it to fit your new diving.

b. The DSS gear is very well made and the customer service is excellent.

c. It is very easy to use in warm water -- with a steel plate and an AL 80 and 3 or 5 mil wet suit, you'll probably need only 6 - 8 pounds of lead to be very nicely balanced.

d. If you are travelling for diving (likely it sounds like) a BP/W system is very easy to pack and doesn't weigh much more than a "regular" BCD (if it weighs any more at all). And yes, if desired, it will easily fit in carry on.

I just haven't found a downside to the system while I certainly know of downsides to other systems. (Note -- it is true there aren't any pockets but I've never found anything I need to put into a pocket when I've been diving in warm water except cookies and arrows, and THAT is another story. IF I need to store something, it is easy just to clip it off.)

 

[bbarnett51]

I saw the abyss on sale for $399!

http://www.reefgear.com/mares-abyss-22-scuba-regulator?___store=default&gclid=CL-c8I-_8bcCFZPm7AodriAAvA

 

[IFlyEm]

Great info! If I did decide to do theStiletto is there any advantage to doing the Zeagle Stiletto BCD with Octo-Z Alternate Air Source included and forego the Maris Rover?

Looks like the reach may be a little short for use by a panicing dive buddy?