No Diving Experience Rental or Purchase

[Subcooled]

Meet experienced divers in person, and truthfully explain what you expect of diving. After a few years of diving and after all those wrong equipment choices, we know what works and is cost effective in our area and type of diving. Then we may be able to help you. Get a few opinions.

The big choices are

1) clothing: dive dry or wet, how thick suit, what temperatures

2) type of equipment: this usually is either a buoyancy control jacket (jacket bcd) or a metal backplate and an attached air bladder called the "wing". There are also different types of fins, computers, lights...

I will not recommend anything here without knowing you. I also do not live in your area, so it is best for me to refrain from giving you any exact recommendations. Local people know best. I just tell you that there are options and paths that need to be discussed. A correct choice may save money and make diving more enjoyable.

Owning is cost effective once you understand what you need.

 

[toddthecat]

Put the wear and tear of training on the rental gear, then buy what you want.

Boy us dive shop owners REALLY love people with that attitude. "Wreck the dive operation's gear, then treat your own stuff really nice". Thanks.

 

[freewillie]

If you are dead set on getting your own gear there is no real problem in purchasing before your OW training. The only problem is that you have no real experience diving and would not have a good sense to critique what type of gear you want. After only a few dives and then talking to other divers will you develop a sense of what type of gear and what brands appeal to you.

The Scubapro Knighthawk is a good back inflate BC and apparently comes with an Air2 as it's alternate air source. You will find many on Scubaboard don't like the Air2. There are a bunch of threads to this effect. Personally I dive with a similar but use the Atomic version. I couldn't find the dry weight, and my only recommendation is that if you plan to do any vacation diving and would take your gear with you it might be better to find a light weight BC that also has enough lift for your local needs.

The Subgear regs all have very good and glowing recommendations for Scuba lab and the Scuba Diving magazine recommendations. I've never used them but generally almost all regs these days are good for recreational diving.

The Luna computer is a very good computer but you have a rather large console. Many divers myself included prefer a slimmer computer.

Most of my gear preferences have developed over time after getting several dives in first. You find yourself underwater with rental gear telling yourself that "gee, I really don't like this and would prefer bigger/smaller what ever." Or you really like what you are diving with and then want to buy your own. Most divers start out looking to buy their own gear but after 15-20 dives that same item you were looking at online now is a different brand/model that you thought you originally wanted.

I tried to start a thread "What did you buy that you needed to replace" somewhat along these lines. Essentially did you wind up buying something starting only to find you didn't quite like it and then bought the same item but different. You won't know until you try several brands first before you buy.

That being said, when I add up all the money I spent renting I'd have a complete set of gear so there is an argument for buying right off the bat as well.

 

[sphyrnidus]

@Todd: While you're right that it is not a nice way of putting it, you do have to agree it is very difficult to buy stuff before one has actually been diving for some time. My daughter was certified last year and while I gave her a tank (left over) and a computer, because I had three of them, she is still renting.
I have enough stuff, together with the wife, to almost start a shop, as we dive in tropical as well as cold water.

@Freewillie, but it still would have been more expensive if the gear you'd bought wouldn't have been what you wanted.

 

[toddthecat]

Yes, I agree, buying equipment is quite a task unless you make some ridiculous amount of money or have won a lottery. Definitely true. It just sucks when people beat up store gear and then when they buy mask/snorkel/fins, show up with them, use them, and then careful rinse everything and place it back into the bags and mask case that it all came in. We look at them and think wow, it was just last week they were throwing our gear around without a care. Funny how ownership changes things so suddenly. I would NEVER own a car rental business....

 

[Doc Harry]

Some people find that they cannot dive because of undiagnosed sinus or equalization issues, claustrophobia, etc. It would be shame to spend a lot of money of dive gear if you discover that you cannot dive.

Rent your gear for a while, until you find what you like and don't like.

 

[silentstorm78]

Where are you taking your open water class?
why not give the LDS that you are taking the class a chance to sell you the gear?
I am located not too far from you-Yonkers NY-about 35 minutes by car, and the facility I teach out of sells Scubapro gear. we would not only price match and perhaps beat that price, but would include without you asking a regulator bag, free access to our onsite heated indoor pool whenever you like, tank and weight rentals for your training dives would be at NO charge if you do your class with us.and we will be sure that the gear would fit you properly. Use it in our pool and if does not work/fit the way you like we will trade it for something else that will instantly on the spot..OR..If you are taking your class at Orbit Marine, he may be close to you in CT, just talk to Noel and tell him what you found online and he will also most likely price match.

Hi there thank for your response, access to a heated indoor pool is just something I am looking for to continue honing my skills while doing the class, and getting familiar with my gears, unfortunately I live in Los Angeles, Norwalk CA.

If you have any suggestions about scuba school around my area I would appreciate it, I don't like the idea of getting ripped-off for the course, as I already got the PADI video/book and started watching/reading them.

As far as the gears I do agree, it's always better to rent first cause no one knows if one changes their mind about something or even decided the sport is not for them, I am just weary of renting when my life depends on it but it's definitely something I will consider, I've read alot of reviews on ScubaPro and what I'm seeing so far is people had great experience with them for alot of years, but that's not to say that another brand/product can compare, I am basing my decision per others experience with the product.

---------- Post added August 15th, 2013 at 02:28 PM ----------

Exactly, and the fact that you're able to sell your equipment at a little lost is a win for me.

The real question is if I get the right gears and end up loving the sport, then it's a win win situation.

 

[Damselfish]

Not all people beat up rental gear, and not all rental gear is beat up, nor should you assume it's all unsafe. Sometimes faded and used looking sure, but that's different. A reputable shop will not be knowingly renting you unsafe gear. What does happen often, is someone has a problem with rental gear and it doesn't occur to them to tell the shop, or they don't know any better, or maybe they dragged their reg through the sand and didn't want to mention it. So in between regular checks or maintenance they may not realize something needs attention. You should always check over rental gear, and talk to them about anything that seems to be an issue.

Scubapro is good gear, but many people consider it overpriced and/or don't like the companies sales policies. (Also true of some other brands.) And SP computers don't seem nearly as popular as some other brands. But plenty of other brands are as good if not better. Buy something from Scubapro if you like the specific item. Not because it's the "best", because it's not. There really is no such thing.

 

[beaverdivers]

The real question is if I get the right gears and end up loving the sport, then it's a win win situation.

I believe that a person should buy their gear when they are ready to commit to the sport of SCUBA. The sooner you commit to sport of SCUBA the better!

 

[gizmo1972]

but just leave the Air 2 on the shelf and get a standard octopus!! les to go wrong!