Recreational, some bug hunting. I mainly dive South Florida & frequent the Bahamas, so 85 degree weather most of the time. 65 at the lowest and I wear a 4/3 at those times (maybe two months max out of the year). With no suit, I use 8lbs of weight. Generally aluminum tanks, but my main dive site in the Bahamas uses steel. Thanks so much for the input already everyone!
First off, I believe you're really limiting yourself by only looking at gear packages. It be better in the long run to really think each piece of gear through and select your pick. Buying from an LDS will mean having a definite home shop that can service/repair your gear. There are also small unadvertised perks, such as a dive community, free food, friends working in a dive shop (assuming you frequent it and chat up the employees/get along with them). So don't forget to look into a local option.
And if you must buy online, Leisurepro did offer to customize a package for you.
In any case, from your response I think you should look into a console or very low profile wrist computer. When bug hunting I have heard that wrist gauges can get your hand jammed stuck in a crevice which is the last thing you want. It's also a fine way to damage your shiny computer.
You can always clip your wrist gauge to your BC when bug hunting and that would solve that issue. It depends what config you're most comfortable in. I personally like wrist gauges, easier to see on the fly.
Weighting wise I don't think you'll need a BC with a tremendous amount of lift. Unless you're getting a Bp/W, you won't really have to pay attention to lift capacity too much. Pretty much all stock BC's you run across will have adequate (and even excessive) amounts of lift for your needs.
With stock BC's the bladder is usually bundled nice and clean to the backpad so if you don't use all the lift capacity your bladder has underwater, it won't really effect your profile. With a Bp/W having a large wing means having loose fabric flap and taco around your tank when you're not using it; this can create stability and drag issues underwater.
You'll want a
balanced first stage on your reg, it makes breathing consistent throughout your dive. Where as a unbalanced first stage requires a bit more effort to breath when you're getting low on air.
Balanced and unbalanced
second stages aren't really a big issue IMO. Balanced can deliver a lot of air easily if you really need to breath a lot of air while under stress. Unbalanced can perform a bit subpar if you're in this state. I don't see you chasing after fish, and even if you do get into spear fishing you don't really want to chase fish. (ambushing is a lot easier). So don't wrap your head around I must get a balanced second stage.
With computers, you may want to get one that's nitrox compatible if you ever think about getting a nitrox cert. There's also the option of air integration which is discussed more than enough on this forum. Just google "site: scubaboard.com air integration"
As for your gear package choices:
I think the Scubapro package would be the best option as you can get the Litehawk BC which will keep your frontside very open and unencumbered. This will aid a lot when you go bug hunting; easier to squeeze into tight spaces. Since it's a very small materials BC it should pack very well for travel.
It is a backinflate BC with a lot of lift, so you'll need to practice putting inflator input without feeling the usual jacket squeeze. When you're at the surface you'll also need to practice not overinflating it all the way, otherwise it will feel as if someone is trying to push your body face first in the water.
The Litehawk BC can accept weight integration pockets from any Bp/W manufacturer like Oxycheq, Halcyon, OMS, Diverite, Zeagle, etc etc. Scubapro even makes accessory weight integrated pockets designed specifically for the Litehawk. What this means is you're not stuck with buying expensive brand replacements, should you decide you want them or require a replacement.
The Galileo Computers in the package are more than you'll ever need, so you can opt to get gauges and buy a computer separately. The Aladin computer is a nice choice, but the interface is notorious for having a hard learning curve. Reading the manual doesn't really help either. And once again, wrist gauges may not be the best choice for bug hunting.
With Gauges, you'll need a timing device and tables to plan your dive off of; so might as well spend the money buying a cheap computer.
The regulator and octo I'll let you look into yourself on the Scubapro website.
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I'm not overly familiar with Genesis and Cressi gear, but here's my opinion anyways.
The Genesis package, I can't tell if the regulator is a balance first stage. Genesis is pretty much the same gear as Sherwood, and I believe they share the same parts kit. It's fairly popular with rental fleets, so servicing shouldn't be a problem, even overseas. But like you said, there were some negative reviews.
Cressi is less popular, so finding a shop to perform a quick repair and even annual service may be an issue, even around your area. The BC looks pretty bulky and wouldn't be the best for travel out of your 3 package choices.
