Newb - Pls. critique my gear shopping list

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Newly certified and overwhelmed with choices! I am putting together a shopping list for gear that I don't own:
I like your second choice (the SP 'package') a bit better than your initial Cressi assortment. The BCD (Litehawk) would be a much better choice: back-inflate, moderate lift (~30lbs) appropriate for single cylinder diving, not much excess padding (which only adds to the weight you need to carry, etc.).

I don't really like 'package' deals, you often end up with gear that you don't really want, or which is marginal, simply because a vendor - online or local - wants to 'move' it. Your choice of reg brands should be based in no small part on what you can get serviced locally. Yes, in the states, some people even ship their regs off for service, and seem happy with that. But, it is not uncommon for regs to need some fine tuning after service (second stage adjustment), and that may be a bit easier to do if your service vendor is local. I don't know what your situation is. Personally, I do my own service, so the issue for me is parts kits. That is probably not applicable to you at this point.

The SP regs in that package are OK. They are on the lower end in performance, based on my experience (and it was NOT an issue of tuning). But, as part of the LP package, they are inexpensive. I do like the fact that both second stages - primary and alternate - are the same, rather than an adequate primary and a cheap, needlessly de-tuned alternate.

I agree with multiple posters about the console - don't bother. Get a PDC and use that for depth. Get a SPG (only). You will do fine.

The comments about the Zoop vs the Zoop Novo are useful. The Zoop is a D/C'd model. Frankly, if you can buy one - CHEAP - it isn't a bad computer. The Novo has a few more features, and is a better computer as a result, but it isn't altogether cheap. Still, it is a useful entry level PDC. I have dove Sunnto computers for 15+ years, and have had good success with them.

The fins are a more complicated issue. I dive open heel fins, warm water, cold water, and that is both my preference AND my recommendation - I dive from shore and from boats, and I like boots. For some diving I prefer heavy blades such as SP JetFins. For most of my single cylinder, recreational diving I use Mares Quattros, and have been using them for 15+ years as well (in fact, I had some stolen, along with other gear) and replaced them with the exact same model and color. They are great. I don't know why you 'hate' the XStreams, so there may be particular issues. I would not have purchased them, simply because they are more expensive than Quattros. (They are also heavier than Quattros and that may be part of your issue. ) Now, many newer divers experience at least some leg discomfort, even cramping, with virtually all fins, simply because a) they are not used to wearing fins (their leg muscles are not used to it), b) they try to fin WAY too fast and furious, and c) their finning technique is, shall we say, poor. I wouldn't buy a pair of splits yet, just because you experienced some initial discomfort with the XStreams. Use them a while, get your legs conditioned to finning, THEN decide what you might want. I have evaluated a number of pairs of splits, and don't use them. I don't get the propulsion efficiency I want, I can't back-fin easily in them, and I frankly wouldn't spend the money that vendors seem to want for them. That is just me. My overall advice is to wait a bit on a decision to replace your Xstreams.

If you go with the SP package, you will do fine. Frankly, the slightly lower-priced Zeagle package', that is shown just below the SP package on the LP page, is just as functional and slightly less expensive. But, you may not have any local shops that have Zeagle parts kits for the regs.
 
I guess I can echo this some. I sometimes breath off others regs on the surface or in shallows and am shocked at how slowly they give me air, yet the diver reports being happy.

Last trip I was given one with cracking pressure knob and had to turn it all the way down to not feel like it's trying to forcibly hyperventilate me all the time. My better half, OTOH, said it was the nicest breathing reg she ever rented. Must be very individual I guess.
 
Hi all,

Newly certified and overwhelmed with choices! I am putting together a shopping list for gear that I don't own:

- Cressi Aqua Pro BCD
- Suunto Zoop
- Cressi XS Octo
- Cressi XS2/AC2 Piston reg
- Cressi Mini 2 gauge console
- Mares Xstream fins (already bought, but hate them, need split fins)

Would really appreciate your feedback especially on the Regs. Planning on diving 10 - 15 warm water dives per yr. Budget ~ 1G

Thanks.

My wife has AquaPro 5 and says she feels like a battleship in that thing -- and she likes that. It also takes up about 90% of our checked bag on the trips.

I'd go mc9sc if I were buying cressi regs, and a slim spg: what's the 2nd gauge for? But that depends on where you buy/are: you can find mc9cs/2x xs pro set for only about $50 more than ac2/2x xs online, but if you can't get that shipped to you...

Pool membership for the fins. Just do laps in swim fins (not dive fins, those are useless for laps) and kickboard, it's good for you. And will help with the cramps. :wink:
 
Last trip I was given one with cracking pressure knob and had to turn it all the way down to not feel like it's trying to forcibly hyperventilate me all the time. My better half, OTOH, said it was the nicest breathing reg she ever rented. Must be very individual I guess.
I've used a reg like that; once you breathed in, it pushed air in and you had to a bit actively stop it. I'm not sure how you adjust one to do that, my lack of second stage understanding. I think that is generally considered misadjusted. My reg is not like that, it starts easily and lets you draw however fast you want, easily; but it does not push in.

The OP should try a variety of regs, and check on how they were adjusted (Edit: or serviced).
 
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Fin stiffness can be tricky. For flutter kicking, fins that are too stiff are tiresome on the legs and especially the ankles.

True you can do special exercises or swim laps in the pool with the fins to build up leg and ankle strength, but as a recreational diver, my wife and I are not going to do this for our once or twice a year dive vacation. We chose to find fins that were more flexible.
 
I've been told that. I do not understand a mechanism that would create that, besides the overbalanced aspect, which is not a factor at 5-10'. (Edit: Apparently some 2nd stage diaphragms can vibrate out of water. You might mean that. I have not seen any.)

I know when I purge check my regulator on the surface it is fairly loud. When I purge check some divers it is a faint flow, and I did check their valve is full on. Maybe theirs has a smoother air path, but I do not think that is the issue. I have concerns on how easily their reg is giving them air.

With our experienced divers we did a musical chairs drill of swimming laps around an oval of all the BC on the 10' bottom, only one person was allowed to breath from a given BC at a time and you had to move on after two breaths. I was very shocked at how difficult some regs were to breath from. I've had the same experience during buddy breathing drills, and we teach primary donate.

Yes, my Aqualung Legends honk and are a bit hard to breathe at the surface. However, the difficulty goes away in just a foot of water.
 
I've used a reg like that; once you breathed in, it pushed air in and you had to a bit actively stop it. I'm not sure how you adjust one to do that, my lack of second stage understanding.

If the reg has a dive/pre-dive switch you could simply switch it to pre-dive and it will slightly block the path of air flow to break up the venturi effect. When in the dive position the air from the barrel has an unobstructed path to the mouth piece and will create a venturi effect that will "force" air down your throat. Some people like it, some don't.
 
Yes, my Aqualung Legends honk and are a bit hard to breathe at the surface. However, the difficulty goes away in just a foot of water.

Mine sounds like a goose that's been stomped. :rofl3:
 
Mine sounds like a goose that's been stomped. :rofl3:

My daughter's Aqua Lung Titan lx honk as well. She won't admit it, but I think it embarrasses her because people always look as she honks away while testing them out pre dive
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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