Opipions Required (Seaquest,ATX100,DUI,etc)

[Hoosier]

No, you will have more fun when you can ask more specific question after the research.

But then I wont have the fun of asking again will I ???

 

[RiverRat]

I am just purchasing my new set of gear and ordering the below :

Drysuit - DUI TLS350 Signature Series with DUI ZipSeals & ZipGloves
BCD - Seaquest Black Diamond with Seaquest AirSource
Reg - Apeks ATX100 or ATX200 or maybe Mares Proton Ice V32
Octy - Seaquest AirSource
Drysuit Undergarment - DUI Polartech 300 Undergarment
Fins - Scubapro Twin Jet Fins (Replacing my Tusa X-pert Zoom Fins)
Mask - Aqualung Mythos 2
Computer - Suunto Vytec with Transmitter

I would like any opipions on any of this gear, if not all the gear. Are there any problems, things that should be changed or known issues with any of this gear. I would really appreciate people's feedback.

I've been diving 2 years now so here's my advise for what it's worth:

DUI Drysuits are top of the line but expensive. I just bought a Bare HD Tech from divetank.com for about half the price with hood, fleece, trek boots etc. Do some research here as it's a big $ purchase and you want it to fit right.

BC: If you're even thinking tech. etc. go with a BP/W now! I went from AOW to G. Cayman with a FredT 9# backplate and never looked back. Totally streamlined, no inherent buoyancy, a dream to dive. Lots of homework here to figure out your trim and weighting. I now dive the SS plate with Aluminum tanks and shorty or drysuit and have an Aluminum one when I dive my steel tank and shorty in North Carolina. I can go to doubles anytime now, just have to buy a doubles wing. Will last forever.

Regs: I have the Apeks ATX200. Absolute awesome breather at depth. I wish I was a tech diver just to see how it breathes at 300 fsw Also easy to get parts for and easy to rebuild. Something to think about if going tech. I'd pick Apeks over Mares.

Get the Apeks octo unless you go with something else. Stay away from the airsource.

Fins: Try splits and Jet fins. I LOVE my old Scubapro jets with spring straps (gotta have 'em) I tried splits in a pool. They do seem to "become" more efficient at speed with a modified flutter kick but the Jets are POWERFULL off the "line". In a strong current I'll take the old jets. I think for me the jets provide the best overall performance for all of the types diving I do (wrecks, tropical-reefs, quarries, shore dives, cold/warm etc.).

Computer: I have a Suunto Vyper, I love it. Easy to read, everything is there. Everyone says it's conservative but I've yet to have it tell me to head up before anyone else. I can dive Nitrox with it or use it as a bottom timer (important if you go DIR or deco diving). You may want the Vytec (with or without transmitter) as I believe it allows gas switching etc. during the dive. Again, something to think about if going on to tech.

Mask: I just started diving a Mythos. Awesome mask! I had a DeepSee basic mask, no comparison! Incredible field of view. I used to have to bend down my head to see my SPG on my left D-Ring. Now I just look down through the mask.

Hope this helps, have fun!

 

[tjsmith1979]

I've been diving 2 years now so here's my advise for what it's worth:

DUI Drysuits are top of the line but expensive. I just bought a Bare HD Tech from divetank.com for about half the price with hood, fleece, trek boots etc. Do some research here as it's a big $ purchase and you want it to fit right.

BC: If you're even thinking tech. etc. go with a BP/W now! I went from AOW to G. Cayman with a FredT 9# backplate and never looked back. Totally streamlined, no inherent buoyancy, a dream to dive. Lots of homework here to figure out your trim and weighting. I now dive the SS plate with Aluminum tanks and shorty or drysuit and have an Aluminum one when I dive my steel tank and shorty in North Carolina. I can go to doubles anytime now, just have to buy a doubles wing. Will last forever.

Regs: I have the Apeks ATX200. Absolute awesome breather at depth. I wish I was a tech diver just to see how it breathes at 300 fsw Also easy to get parts for and easy to rebuild. Something to think about if going tech. I'd pick Apeks over Mares.

Get the Apeks octo unless you go with something else. Stay away from the airsource.

Fins: Try splits and Jet fins. I LOVE my old Scubapro jets with spring straps (gotta have 'em) I tried splits in a pool. They do seem to "become" more efficient at speed with a modified flutter kick but the Jets are POWERFULL off the "line". In a strong current I'll take the old jets. I think for me the jets provide the best overall performance for all of the types diving I do (wrecks, tropical-reefs, quarries, shore dives, cold/warm etc.).

Computer: I have a Suunto Vyper, I love it. Easy to read, everything is there. Everyone says it's conservative but I've yet to have it tell me to head up before anyone else. I can dive Nitrox with it or use it as a bottom timer (important if you go DIR or deco diving). You may want the Vytec (with or without transmitter) as I believe it allows gas switching etc. during the dive. Again, something to think about if going on to tech.

Mask: I just started diving a Mythos. Awesome mask! I had a DeepSee basic mask, no comparison! Incredible field of view. I used to have to bend down my head to see my SPG on my left D-Ring. Now I just look down through the mask.

Hope this helps, have fun!

Have just got my TLS350 Signature Series drysuit a couple of days ago and had taken it out for a night dive last night with my Polartech undergarment, this was a fanastic dive and there is simply no comparsion to DUI. This drysuit is absolutely fanastic and I will be ordering the Zip Seal Dry Gloves this week.

I am looking at the OMS IQ Backpack with OMS Double Bladder with retraction bands and I have heard some great things about them and taking this for a test drive this weekend in the pool with my single tank and the dive stores double tanks to really try it out... has anyone got any decent feedback about these ?

I am also testing out the Apeks ATX200 this weekend from the same dive store as it is one of the Instructors regs... has anyone had any problems with these free-flowing but either at the surface or depth ? As I have had some experience with playing around with one and it was quite sensitive and drained alot of the tank before managing to shut it off, however that was the Black Pearl version.

Hopefully when money comes back better, I am going to take a test drive with the new Uwatec Smart Tec Computer with Transmitter... has anyone got one of these or heard anything good about these... may even accept negative comments if you want to say anything about these as I want to compare these to the Suunto Vytec with transmitter but the only main difference is the Uwatec Smart Tec handles up to 3 transmitters which will be great for doubles or tech diving.