New to SCUBA, how's my gear so far?

[buff]

Again, it depends on what kind of diving you are going to do. If you dive in cool water then a semi-dry suit is fine. If you dive in ice or just deep in Minnesota then you need a dry suit. You can by the semi dry, the shorty the 3 mil. full or you can get a dry suit and use a 3mil. for warm summer dives in MN or diving in carribean water. The later is what I did. I couldn't get a 7 mil. wetsuit to fit me with my skinny ankles and wrists and big thighs. I also find those suits a great hassle to put on and take off. By the time I was done putting my 7mil. rental on I was so tired I didn't want to go diving. But divers do it. Then you have to take the damn thing off.

It is the most versatile of scuba equipment that will save you money in the long run-not the item that is the least expensive up front. And a shell or crushed/compressed dry suit is about the most versatile peice of diving gear you can invest in. By layering your thermal protection under the suit you can dive in just about any kind of environment-except tropical-unless you wanted to.

If you plan on diving in MN get a dry suit before you get a computer. But first read the O/W manual!

 

[Jonathan]

As many will already know I like the scubapro stuff and would agree with getting an octopus rather than Air 2 (am I right in saying that's the one on the BC inflator) but I tried the 190 for the first time this weekend and did not like it!! I'll stick with my 380's.

On the computer one if you get hooked you may want to look at one with nitrox capabilities as it may save you some money in the long run - glad I was talked into that myself.

Enjoy
Jonathan