Recent bargains

[PaulVS]

Since I retired early at the beginning of this year, and we're planning on more scuba trips, I've been looking it upgrading some of my equipment although I'm pretty happy with most of it.

Found several great deals the last couple months on eBay and Facebook marketplace....

Oceanic Atom 3.1 w/ Transmitter. They look like they've never been used. $300.

Oceanic islander 2 BCD. Again looks and works brand new, $92. I already have an Islander 1 in good shape, which will be a backup now. I like that the Islander 2 has a little more lift, and you also don't lose hard-to-find weight pockets that the Islander 1 has should I need to do a weight dump.

Probably the best deal was stumbling across an Oceanic Geo 2 that was listed as a "digital diving watch". $30 shipped. I haven't received it yet but it looks to be in like-new shape and is working. This will be upgrading my wife's Geo 1 if it works out.

Picked up a knock off GoPro off of Amazon. Reviews look pretty good for diving - will give all this stuff a test in our dive shop's pool next week.

Lastly, I picked up a virtually new Dacor complete HUB system that was for sale a few miles away from me for $50. Don't know if I'll find anything to do with it but obviously the 2 Viper regs would need servicing.

Any other chronic bargain hunters out there? What's the best scuba deal you've ever gotten?

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

$50 scuba tanks - S80s. Add a hydro and valve and it gets them to maybe $100. Not that you need them if you're traveling, but still a good deal. Usually in really good shape (otherwise I leave em).

I am guessing my average outlay for tanks is $70-80 (plus aforementioned valves and hydro - I do my own surface finish rehab and VIP). I gotta go pick up three from hydro right now! Only the white ones and the little 6 cu ft bottle were purchased new. The rest are eBay or Craigslist finds. The blue 63 down on the end of the line was a 22 year old, new in box with the shipping label to a place called "Sports Chalet" in California on it. I think I gave $100 for it. The little green S17s I think I gave $60 each for - they too were brand spanking new in the original manufacturer's plastic sleeves (for me the 17 is the perfect size pony for solo rec diving and they're not made no more, so I scooped up two consecutive lifetime supplies).

And yes, I have too damn many tanks, but I like futzing with tanks.

 

[PaulVS]

Far be it for me to judge, especially since I just bought a Dacor HUB ;-)

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

I live in a very large metro area and good deals can be found on scuba equipment in second-hand channels. There are a lot of well-to-do folks that start in the hobby and the LDS they get started with convince them they need, or they convince the LDS they need to sell them, a lot of stuff that they really don't and when they lose interest in a year or two, the stuff sits for a couple more years.

The biggest problem is convincing them that what they paid $2,500 four years ago for that one trip to Cayman that they took, is not brand new with just 10 dives on it, and is not comparable to what I could get new equipment for... Even though that's what they are asking. A lot of times, they don't want to break it up and insist on selling all or nothing. I can't use you wife's size S/M Ladyhog BC, not her six S Turboprop- fins, nor the dry-rotted wetsuit kept in the attic for the last 4 Texas summers. Those listings tend to repeat or get renewed.

I only go for the "hard" equipment, not soft stuff (neoprene, plastics, etc.) or likely anything electronic, Usually, they look up the price of a new tank and assume that their's is "new" since they never put it in the water. I've successfully explained, sometimes, that their stuff is still "used" and so my max investment for what they think is a $250 bottle is going to only be $175. Thne comes the explanation that the bottles require hydro which their local shop where they got it from charges $60. And that their valve is a straight K, not a pro convertable valve that their shop charges $90 to change out. If I gave you $X, and took it to your shop for hydro and a valve upgrade to what is now the standard, it will cost me $Y. The delta is shat I'm willing to give.... Plus my time. Sometimes it worked, sometimes I walked. I make up the difference by digging deeper for hydros and doing the logistics myself and the VIPS and knowing where to get valves at less than the retail that their shop will charge them.

 

[STEMI]

Bargain hunter here! My fiance calls me the stingiest frivolous spender. Here are my recent finds.

I wanted an open bottom SMB and just snagged an "XS Scuba Quick launch Buoy" with the integrated spool and spool pocket for $40 on OfferUp. The seller said they used it once in a pool for a class. If not for the spool being wound up messy, I would not be able to tell its ever even been opened.

Was getting a blister from my cressi boots zippers. I found brand new with tags pair of ScubaPro Delta short boots for $24 on Mercari.

Upgrading from GoPro to Sony RX100. Found a open box Seafrogs RX100 housing for $85.

About a year ago I got a brand new Mares Bolt SLS BCD for $300 from a local online auction that auctions amazon returns.

Happy Hunting!

 

[PaulVS]

Wow.... two great steals in two weeks. First I found a new Oceanic Eos w/ FDX10DVT that I've been wanting for a long time for $230 shipped, then I found a new unused Oceanic OCI with transmitter still in the sealed package.... $160 shipped!! As an Oceanic fanatic.... I'm pretty stoked. My wife will get the Atom 3.0 & transmitter I bought earlier this year. Looking forward to testing everything out at the nearby Dive Right In shop, and using them in Curacao & Mexico next year.

 

[Tracy]

As an Oceanic fanatic.... I'm pretty stoked.

This is really not meant as a dig, but I am very curious.
Why?
What is it you like about Oceanic?

 

[PaulVS]

Don't get me wrong, I know there are superior products out there, but I like the fact that they have a complete line of products that are very functional (to me) at a reasonable price. Everything works exactly as I want it to. So it's a "best bang for the buck" kind of thing, especially considering I only do about three dive trips per year. I've also had very good luck selling my Oceanic equipment when I want to upgrade to something new, and finding deals like I've mentioned in this thread.

Oddly enough the first Oceanic regulator and BC I bought I was not happy with, but was able to exchange them.

 

[Tracy]

And yes, I have too damn many tanks, but I like futzing with tanks.

View attachment 778816

Trust me, I totally understand.

 

[thbcthomas]

@OMyMyOHellYes if you ever decide to get rid of a few tanks, please let me know. I would be glad to come take a couple of them off your hands.