Newly certified - Buying dive com, dive light, and wetsuit

[vemura]

Hello, I'm a newly certified OW and AOW diver, though looking to investing in good, or good enough equipment for the long run. I've already gotten my mask and fins. Mask is great but right fin/booty has been giving me blisters every time, which worsen and pop on next dives.

Dive Computer
For dive computer, I've been looking for one with a compass, an easy to read coloured interface; AI and watch functions not necessary. I've come to 3 options, in order of preference:
- Shearwater Perdix (the first one, since it's about AUD1000. There is a Perdix AI. Perdix 1 and AI were discontinued and Shearwater is selling Perdix 2 with the AI function integrated)
- Atmos mission 2 - Does anyone have experience with this? Hard to find reviews online, seems many people don't use Atmos (Taiwan brand). Interested to find out the reliability.
- Suunto D5 (around $200 cheaper than the Perdix 1)

If anyone has suggestions on similar computers, please feel free to share! I feel like I've exhausted my research options. (Not interested in Garmin).

Dive Light (for night dives)
Does anyone swear by Orcatorches? Been looking at the D570 GL (Green Laser) and the D710 (Up to 3000 lumens on turbo, but most would be sticking to 1700 lumens).

The cheaper alternatives are Seafrogs, and a China brand Sofirn SD05, which maxes to 3k lumens as well, 1k on medium and 320 on low.

What are your personal experiences with buying cheaper dive lights with the same specs? Would appreciate your suggestions on dive lights as well as there are so many in the market, including smaller name brands.

Wetsuits
Any suggestions for two pieces?

Will try to go for a Gull SCS two piece suit fitting soon. I've tried Sharkskin which claims to be weatherproof, is this true? Almost half the percentage of it is still neoprene and it's twice the price of a neoprene wetsuit. Will be looking at trying Lavacore and Fourth Element's Thermocline. Are these alternatives from neoprene worth the bucks?

Chances to buy secondhand diving equipment?
Also because equipment is expensive, what are the items that are a good idea to be bought secondhand?

 

[Belzelbub]

Hello, I'm a newly certified OW and AOW diver, though looking to investing in good, or good enough equipment for the long run. I've already gotten my mask and fins. Mask is great but right fin/booty has been giving me blisters every time, which worsen and pop on next dives.

Dive Computer
For dive computer, I've been looking for one with a compass, an easy to read coloured interface; AI and watch functions not necessary. I've come to 3 options, in order of preference:
- Shearwater Perdix (the first one, since it's about AUD1000. There is a Perdix AI. Perdix 1 and AI were discontinued and Shearwater is selling Perdix 2 with the AI function integrated)

Based on your experience level, the Shearwater Perdix is likely overkill, but that's OK. Better to have more than you need. I have a Perdix, but I honestly don't use the compass. When you select the compass screen, it takes up the entire bottom row, so I didn't use it. I currently have a backup computer with a compass, so use that, but previously used an analog wrist mount compass.

If the compass is not 100% required a Peregrine might serve all your needs, and be quite a bit cheaper, at least until you get into Trimix.

If you must have a compass on the DC, then the Perdix would be good. You may be able to also pick up a Perdix AI relatively cheaply. You can easily turn off the AI features and wouldn't need to buy the transmitter at this time. Down the road you may decide to add AI, which would be a problem if you had the non-AI Perdix.

 

[Marie13]

Secondhand wetsuits are fine. Just make sure it’s newer. Neoprene gets stiff as it ages.

Check local FB diving groups for secondhand gear.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

See if you can find a used Perdix or Perdix AI. The orcatorch D710 is a great light. try on different wetsuits and see what fits you best. A lot of times you don’t want to pick a brand but a suit that fits you. That being said get a quality suit and not a cheap one.

 

[rongoodman]

Stay away from the Suunto and its goofy proprietary algorithm.

 

[vemura]

Based on your experience level, the Shearwater Perdix is likely overkill, but that's OK. Better to have more than you need. I have a Perdix, but I honestly don't use the compass. When you select the compass screen, it takes up the entire bottom row, so I didn't use it. I currently have a backup computer with a compass, so use that, but previously used an analog wrist mount compass.

If the compass is not 100% required a Peregrine might serve all your needs, and be quite a bit cheaper, at least until you get into Trimix.

If you must have a compass on the DC, then the Perdix would be good. You may be able to also pick up a Perdix AI relatively cheaply. You can easily turn off the AI features and wouldn't need to buy the transmitter at this time. Down the road you may decide to add AI, which would be a problem if you had the non-AI Perdix.

Thank you, that's valuable advice. After trying to chat with more experienced divers, it was suggested that it's better to just use a tec compass and a dive com without the compass feature, which is why Peregrine would be better. Someone also mentioned that compasses in dive coms may be inaccurate.

However I plan to slowly do the speciality courses Nitrox, Deep diving, wreck, sidemount and cavern in that order, alongside going for more fun dives to gain experience in buoyancy. Then I will decide whether I'm still truly enjoying it and whether I would want to head into tec diving.

Would it be a good idea for the Perdix AI instead of Peregrine at this point? I believe it's only $100 higher than the Perdix 1. Or do you think it'll still be overkill and I should get the Peregrine first, sell it off in future and get the Perdix AI or 2.

 

[Marie13]

Thank you, that's valuable advice. After trying to chat with more experienced divers, it was suggested that it's better to just use a tec compass and a dive com without the compass feature, which is why Peregrine would be better. Someone also mentioned that compasses in dive coms may be inaccurate.

However I plan to slowly do the speciality courses Nitrox, Deep diving, wreck, sidemount and cavern in that order, alongside going for more fun dives to gain experience in buoyancy. Then I will decide whether I'm still truly enjoying it and whether I would want to head into tec diving.

Would it be a good idea for the Perdix AI instead of Peregrine at this point? I believe it's only $100 higher than the Perdix 1. Or do you think it'll still be overkill and I should get the Peregrine first, sell it off in future and get the Perdix AI or 2.

Just get the Peregrine and use the extra money for diving or your other gear. If you can do without AI, the Peregrine is a great computer.

 

[Boarderguy]

Would it be a good idea for the Perdix AI instead of Peregrine at this point? I believe it's only $100 higher than the Perdix 1. Or do you think it'll still be overkill and I should get the Peregrine first, sell it off in future and get the Perdix AI or 2.

I say buy one, cry once. I like AI and would have a perdix if I could afford getting yelled at by my wife. As it stands right now I'm still using my Oceanic ProPlus 2 because it works just fine for me. If you have an SPG to monitor your gas then you can hold off on buying the $400 transmitter until you really want one.

 

[Belzelbub]

Thank you, that's valuable advice. After trying to chat with more experienced divers, it was suggested that it's better to just use a tec compass and a dive com without the compass feature, which is why Peregrine would be better. Someone also mentioned that compasses in dive coms may be inaccurate.

However I plan to slowly do the speciality courses Nitrox, Deep diving, wreck, sidemount and cavern in that order, alongside going for more fun dives to gain experience in buoyancy. Then I will decide whether I'm still truly enjoying it and whether I would want to head into tec diving.

Would it be a good idea for the Perdix AI instead of Peregrine at this point? I believe it's only $100 higher than the Perdix 1. Or do you think it'll still be overkill and I should get the Peregrine first, sell it off in future and get the Perdix AI or 2.

Hmm. Good question. I would say it is dependent on the definition of "slowly." If you are talking a couple years, then I think the Peregrine would work fine for a good while. The Peregrine doesn't have a "Tech mode" but does support air and nitrox including gas switching. It also has custom GFs. The Perdix does have a Sidemount mode as well, which I don't believe the Peregrine has.

The Peregrine also has vibration alarms which the Perdix or Perdix AI do not. Perdix 2 does have the vibration alerts, though.

I like AI, otherwise I'd probably have a Peregrine instead of a Perdix AI. The Perdix is undoubtedly overkill for my diving, but I have no regrets in getting it.

 

[Marie13]

The Peregrine can be used for Advanced Nitrox level dives -aka beginning tech. OP can use it well into his diving career, as long as he’s not using trimix.