New to Diving

[mulefeathers]

Have finished all class work and will be doing check out dives on the 16th. I am looking into buying all gear before dives.

I am looking into the oceanic probe and just the basic reg, octo, and gauges.

Any thought or suggestions would be great.

 

[Ice9]

Have finished all class work and will be doing check out dives on the 16th. I am looking into buying all gear before dives.

I am looking into the oceanic probe and just the basic reg, octo, and gauges.

Any thought or suggestions would be great.

Just remember to get good gear, not necessarily cheap. That reg and octo is your life support. Also, be sure to give the LDS enough time to setup your reg (24 - 48 hours usually) when you buy it.

 

[Walt1957]

Have finished all class work and will be doing check out dives on the 16th. I am looking into buying all gear before dives.

I am looking into the oceanic probe and just the basic reg, octo, and gauges.

Any thought or suggestions would be great.

Don't have your checkouts be the first time you use the new equipment. If at all possible you should spend several pool sessions with it so you are familiar with it first. If that is not possible, use their equipment for the CO dives, then do some conservative, shallow dives to get familiar with it.

 

[sasscuba]

Welcome to the board. Lots of good people and information here. Enjoy.

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

welcome to scubaboard. Make sure you pay attention to what you buy. I'd get a lot of advice. My method was to dive a few times before I bough that way I had an idea of what it was I wanted.

The LDS had some good advice though. So most your questions should be answered. And they should be able to point out some gotcha's that you might not think of.

 

[spectrum]

Hi Mulefeathers,

The common advice is to wait until certified and perhaps a bit longer than that before investing. This in the hopes that you will get to try some gear and have some understanding of your likes and needs. That being said my wife and I certified in all of our own gear.

My concern in that it sounds like you may just be starting to get your head into dive gear, in that regard I had a 12 month jump on you, if I'm reading you right. Becoming gear savvy is in many ways more difficult than getting certified.

Go slow and don't buy until you understand features and pros and cons of different styles. It's a big investment and you don't want to repeat the process.

The good news is that by buying your gear you will have a consistent configuration and will be enabled to dive at will. The more you dive the better you will get.

Spend some quality time here and in the gear forums, there is a wealth of info.

Pete

 

[mulefeathers]

I am just starting out and we have 1 yes one LDS. They push two brands of BC Scubapro and oceanic. My only research is reading the internet. I will thankfull of any advice I can receive. Look forward to many dives. I agree cheap is not the best when my life is on the line.

 

[rawls]

Welcome and congratulations mulefeathers...how did you come up with mulefeathers?
You will figure all the gear out. Don't worry. Just talk to people at your LDS to start with as well as your instructor and any others who have been around diving. There are as many opinions as there are threads about gear. Most brands...Sea Quest, SCUBA Pro, Mares, Zeagle...the list goes on and on...have good quality products. Look around the internet at different manufacturer sites, talk to people. Some companies have sales going on that you can get great deals. End of year close outs for example. Sometimes you can save money if you buy a package. Be careful of online dealers and check out their warranty policies before you buy from them. Every LDS is going to push their product. If they get too pushy then get on the phone and call some others. The bottom line is you need to get as good a gear as you can afford. You will figure it out...Welcome...

 

[mred]

Hi Mulefeathers,

The common advice is to wait until certified and perhaps a bit longer than that before investing. This in the hopes that you will get to try some gear and have some understanding of your likes and needs.

Pete

This is good advice ... also talk to your instructors about what they like and dislike ... go to several dive shops and talk to them, and ask to see what they have ... Keep in mind different shops seem to have their own preferences ... you will also develop your preferences as you discover the KIND of diving you like ... Most of the stuff out there now days is good ... it is simply a matter of finding what is right for you ... until you have some dives under your belt, you might not know what you prefer. A good example is a snorkle ... do you want a dry, semi dry, or a "normal" snorkle ... you may decide you like the dry ... after all you dont want the water right? BUT then you may decide after learning to use the snorkel you do NOT like that ball thing, and you know how to clear the snorkle anyway ...

 

[mulefeathers]

To tell the truth I don't like the snorkel at all and don't want one. But I see your point and thanks for the advice. I only have one shop local I am looking forward to visting a few more during travels