I am 56 and have a 12 year old son that I want to take diving lessons with. I have gone diving in Cuba about 20 years ago and really enjoyed it. I vacation in the Caribbean at least twice a year and have a cottage on Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada. I plan to take the PADI course on line and then go to Scuba 2000 in Richmond Hill. I usually get into a sport heavily and usually buy items instead of rent. What should I expect to spend on equipment for myself and my son? Should I buy tanks as well as?
Ready to jump in
- Thread starter stkitts
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Welcome and enjoy. You should look at mid-level or high end equipment. If you tend to buy instead of rent, purchasing at least mid level equipment saves you money buy not wanting to replace equipment that is not to your liking. I purchased a reg. and used it only 15 times before I realized it was not going to meet my personal needs in diving. Prices vary from your LDS (local dive shop) to on-line companies but you get the one-to-one service and trying everything one with LDS. If you are traveling out of the country and by air to do most of your diving you my want to wait on purchasing the tanks. Good luck, someone will read your post and give you the exact amount of almost every item scuba sells.
If you havnt dove in 20 years things have changed.... split fins / integrated bcds etc. I have used all kinds of gear and realized the features I like. Go to a good dive shop and try on everything. Comfort is a priority... Lots of good stuff out there but try it on and see what feels good. Good luck and if you have any specific question just ask there is alot of good info on the site. I dont think you need tanks unless you do allot of diving.
i recommend that you rent to begin with. take some time and do some serious research. some lds will have you spending $1500-$3500 before you even get wet. you will not need to purchase tanks as they are difficult to transport.
make sure you pay attention what gear your instructor is using...if the shop is trying to sell something different from what the instructor is using, something is not right. whatever action you take, make sure you do your homework. SB is a great resource and you will not find any problem getting someone to opine about any of your purchases you are considering!
I dive:
aqualung legend $750
cressi back jac bcd $699
cressi matrix mask $75
cressi desert dry snorkel $45
cressi otter boots $35
cressi reaction fins $100
hope this helps!
make sure you pay attention what gear your instructor is using...if the shop is trying to sell something different from what the instructor is using, something is not right. whatever action you take, make sure you do your homework. SB is a great resource and you will not find any problem getting someone to opine about any of your purchases you are considering!
I dive:
aqualung legend $750
cressi back jac bcd $699
cressi matrix mask $75
cressi desert dry snorkel $45
cressi otter boots $35
cressi reaction fins $100
hope this helps!
Aloha and welcome back to the awesome world of scuba! To answer your question about how much you might be spending...well, that depends upon a lot of factors. Just like w/purchasing ski gear or gear for other sports, you can start by spending $1000 for a complete set up or $4000 and anywhere in between.
I am a fan of renting gear at least a few times so you can experiment a bit but it sounds like you prefer to start off buying your gear outright. If so, I agree w/DiverBizz that you should start at the mid-level and go up. Buying cheap gear just doesn't pay off and you won't be satisfied. I once had an instructor who kept buying cheap gear and it was embarrassing how often it kept breaking on him.
If you are planning on diving the Caribbean on a regular basis, you can tailor your gear to that end...if you are going to be packing your dive gear, you'll want to look at the lighter-weight, travel-type bcds. A good reg set up w/regular gauges will start around $500 or so, a good computer anywhere from $500-1000, a good, light wetsuit for the Caribbean will run at least $100, throw in mask/snorkel/fins for approx. $200 and you are already in for $1300 - $1800 per person. No need to buy a tank although you might want to have your own weights if you are going to be diving at your vacation cottage.
I am a HUGE fan on working w/your local dive shop on your gear, as long as you can find someone who will genuinely help you and help you tailor your purchases to your needs and not their bottom line. Sure, you can find deals on the internet but if this is going to be a long-term sport for you and your son, you'll want to build a great working relationship with the people who will be training you, helping you, and diving with you.
Hope this info helps. There are other great threads on what to look for in a good local dive shop (lds) and/or in a good instructor. Happy diving to you!
I am a fan of renting gear at least a few times so you can experiment a bit but it sounds like you prefer to start off buying your gear outright. If so, I agree w/DiverBizz that you should start at the mid-level and go up. Buying cheap gear just doesn't pay off and you won't be satisfied. I once had an instructor who kept buying cheap gear and it was embarrassing how often it kept breaking on him.
If you are planning on diving the Caribbean on a regular basis, you can tailor your gear to that end...if you are going to be packing your dive gear, you'll want to look at the lighter-weight, travel-type bcds. A good reg set up w/regular gauges will start around $500 or so, a good computer anywhere from $500-1000, a good, light wetsuit for the Caribbean will run at least $100, throw in mask/snorkel/fins for approx. $200 and you are already in for $1300 - $1800 per person. No need to buy a tank although you might want to have your own weights if you are going to be diving at your vacation cottage.
I am a HUGE fan on working w/your local dive shop on your gear, as long as you can find someone who will genuinely help you and help you tailor your purchases to your needs and not their bottom line. Sure, you can find deals on the internet but if this is going to be a long-term sport for you and your son, you'll want to build a great working relationship with the people who will be training you, helping you, and diving with you.
Hope this info helps. There are other great threads on what to look for in a good local dive shop (lds) and/or in a good instructor. Happy diving to you!
Thanks for all the info. I met with the guys at Scuba 2000 and signed myself and my son up last night. I am the type that likes to purchase instead of rent and they thought that $1500 should get me decent equipment (less the computer) and slightly less for my son. I put his needs ahead of mine and I questioned the "less" and was told that my needs (being older) required better equipment and that he will buy up as he gets older. As far as tanks, they don't seem to be that much and it would be nice to have a full set at the cottage or on the boat for the unplanned dives.
