Opinions on the gear I want to buy?

[jlponce14]

Hi! I am basically new to scuba diving, but I really loved it and I now want to get my own gear. I would like an opinion on the gear I'm being offered. I went to the biggest local diving store, and they mostly carry Scubapro gear. There are other brands in other stores, but I did some research and they don't offer the same level of maintenance, repair or inspection service. The following is the list of stuff I'm about to buy:

1. Scubapro Synergy TRUFIT Twin Mirrored Mask

2. Scubapro Seawing Nova Fins (Which color do you think looks the coolest underwater?)

3. Scubapro Everflex 2014 5/4mm Wetsuit (Even though sometimes the water is warm, I'd rather get a 5mm suit for the times it is actually colder)

4. Scubapro Delta 5mm Boots

5. I'm trying to decide between Mk11/R195, Mk21/S560 and Mk25/S600... Any tips on that?

6. Scubapro R095 Octopus

7. Scubapro Glide X 2014 BCD

8. Scubapro Dry 120 Bag

Thank you very much for your help and I'm glad to become part of this forum!

Best regards from Ecuador!!!

 

[scubadiver888]

Getting your own gear is a great idea. Owning your own gear will increase the number of times you go diving. The more you dive the better you'll get at it.

However, asking the members of an international forum for their opinion on your gear selection is just asking for trouble. If you search this site you will find numerous people who have done this and the response is as varied as the number of divers on the planet.

Everything you listed sounds like a good choice. Others will say there are better choices but if they don't live where you live this might not be true for you. Also, what kind of person you are makes a huge difference as well. I am pretty good about taking care of myself. I come from a trade background and have no problem servicing my own gear if I had to. I also travel for work. So if there is no service in my area for something I can always get it serviced while I'm on the road.

Some things which will come out of this thread are:

- You should try before you buy
- Fit for mask and wetsuit are the most important
- You need to be able to get your regulators serviced because you'll spend more money on service than the initial purchase

The first point is one I believe in. Can you rent the gear before you buy it? I talked to the distributor for my regulators and we agreed if I rent the regulators and like them, he'll take the cost of the rental off the purchase price. Try a number of different fins and see which you like the most. Some people like the control of paddle fins, others like the comfort of split fins.

The best hood I've owned I found in a sale bin for $10. Most hoods are $50 to $70 in my area. The $10 hood fit me a lot better than any $50 hood. I was lucky. One of the nicest wetsuits I've seen just didn't fit me. The guy who owned it loved it but it was horrible for me.

Servicing your gear is important but don't let it make you overspend. For example, lets say I'm looking at two regulators. The first is $500 and has free parts for life. The other regulator is $450 but you have to pay for the parts. On the face of it, it looks like the other regulator is giving me a quick $50 discount but in the long run it will cost me more in parts... however when I read the fine print on the first regulator I find out that I MUST get the regulator serviced every year. I MUST have it serviced at an authorized service center. If I sell the regulator the new owner does not get free parts. Now if the first regulator costs $100 to get serviced + $0 for parts and the other regulator is $60 for service + $20 for parts you are looking at $100 compared to $80. The second regulator costs less to get serviced!

Finally, you are going to get a lot of people who will recommend you not get the BCD but instead get a back plate and wing (BP/W).

 

[TSandM]

The most important thing in a mask is that it fits. Buy what you have to; spend as much or as little as you must to get one that won't leak.

Wetsuits also have to fit to work well. Check the neck -- on some of the SP wetsuits, the neck is pretty loose and sloppy. They permit a lot of water flow through the suit, and such a suit will not keep you very warm. It doesn't make a whole lot of difference if the wrists and ankles have lovely seals, if the neck is serving as a scoop . . .

With regards to the rest of the gear, does the shop also carry SubGear? That's SPs secondary line, and tends to be quite a bit less expensive, even though the gear is similar to essentially identical.

A lot of people outgrow jackets. Whether you move to a backplate system or just a back-inflate BC may differ, but the wrap-around bladder is uncomfortable for many people at the surface, and makes the BC bulky, heavy, and relatively buoyant, requiring more weight to sink it.

 

[diversteve]

Some comments - some of which echo the others.

Mask fit is the most important thing - not fancy features or mirrored lenses. If it fits well, fine but if you buy a mask that leaks you'll be miserable all the time. I have a really expensive Tusa mask and a really cheap Sherwood. Once I grabbed the Sherwood by mistake (both look similar) and back on the boat I commented to my buddy that this was the first time my mask hadn't leaked a little - didn't realize it till he started laughing.

Mirrored masks sound cool but as you dive more you may find that you communicate with looks and expressions with your eyes. Depending on the mirroring, it may be hard for others to see yours for either. It also changes in different light conditions. My friend has one - in shadows I can see his eyes pretty well. When sunlight washes across his face, I see a red mirrored reflection.

As a new diver, you may only have experienced a Jacket BC since most shops train in them - they're low cost and one size fits all so ideal rental gear. Staying with ScubaPro I urge you to try out a Knighthawk also - it's a back-inflate design with many of the same features. I personally know many people who started in jackets and switched to back-inflate - I know one woman who switched back.

I'm a big fan of the MK25/S600. Almost bought one before I went Atomic. The MK21/S560 is supposed to be good in both warm/cold water also should you ever find yourself in some. It's the latest in the Scubapro line. I believe (but don't know for certain) that the MK11 is an older model. The other difference is it's a balanced diaphragm while the others are balanced pistons. For your diving I don't think it much matters. Since it is a lower cost model, it has one less low-pressure port - 4 vs. 5. That may make a difference in optimal hose routing. For the "cool" factor, the MK25/S600 is available in both Deep Blue or Black Tech if you want to pay for it.

You may want to search for the Nova fins here. There's at least one thread talking about them tearing along the sides. Both the originals and the newer "improved" model.

Yellow is optimal for visibility - I can't speak to "cool"...my fins are silver/black and seem to catch light pretty well - a buddy has the same ones and I can always pick him out in a group at a distance.

Buy the Scubapro Octo - it works and any ScubaPro dealer can service both as needed. Except for testing, I've never used mine.

my .02