Relative cost of diving equipment then and now.

[Eric Sedletzky]

Many times people talk about "the good old days" back in the late 50's and early 60's when a house was 10K, a car was $3500, and a their first double hose regulator was $79.95.

Maybe some of you people that have been in diving for a long time can elaborate on the relative costs of what a full set of dive gear costed then as opposed to now.

So in other words, that reg costing 79.95 back in the 50's would be what, $1200.00today adjusted for inflation?
I'm curious as to how much cheaper or how much more expensive dive equipment was back then and what you got.

 

[Thalassamania]

A car was $3,500? A bug was about $1,500 new, $3,500 got you a Cadillac and $5,000 would put you behind the wheel of an E-Type Jag.

Anyway, Before today's digital watches the least expensive dive watch that you could count on was a Zodiac Sea Wolf what went for about $200 in 1970 (that's about $1,200 in today's money). That was just for a watch. My instruments back then, a ScubaPro helium depth gauge, an ikelight compass and a Doxa watch set me back enough in today's money, to buy a Datamask and an Oceanic OC1 Air/Nitrox Hoseless Titanium "Pioneer Limited Edition" Computer Dive Watch as a backup, with money left over. As I recall the watch was $300, the depth gauge was $80 and the compass about $40. A new Al tank was about $80, a Voit MR-12 $125, a new wet suit (custom) about $150, masks were $20, fins maybe $40 except for Jets (fair trade law conspiracy) $70.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

How much were air fills back in the 50's and 60's?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I also heard that dive shops stocked sheets of neoprene and would sell you the neoprene, a pattern, seam tape, zippers, and a bottle of glue, and you went home and made your own suit. This to me is totally cool.
If only there was a shop around that would still do this.


Edit:
I hate when that happens. My browser quit working and I thought I lost my first post about how much air fills were,
then it shows up after the second post and I look like a douch.

 

[Thalassamania]

How much were air fills back in the 50's and 60's?

a buck or less.

How much were air fills back then?

I also heard that dive shops stocked sheets of neoprene and would sell you the neoprene, a pattern, seam tape, zippers, and a bottle of glue, and you went home and made your own suit. This to me is totally cool.
If only there was a shop around that would still do this.

I still make my own suits, though it's getting harder to find material.

 

[cagemaker]

I paid $20 for Jet Fins in 1968

 

[redacted]

I paid $20 for Jet Fins in 1968

I paid $20 for Jet fins in 2002 (ebay).

I recall seeing an old Scubapro Mk7 box (I assume Mk7/109) with a list price of about $350.

I paid $1150 for a new bare bones 1968 VW in Germany.

 

[captain]

In 1957 I bought a Voit steel 72 and a Voit VR2 doublehose as a package for $130 at a local sporting goods store. I still use both. I guess if you consider that cost over 54 years it was a pretty good deal.

 

[Couv]

Mid 70ies:

$25 Jet Fins, regular fins cost about $8- 12
$110 Imperial Turtle wet suit
$55 Farallon deco meter (was promptly recalled)
SPG & Depth guage cost about $30 each unless you bought a capillary depth gauge

 

[simonbeans]

Go to VDH and use the download section to see the catalogs of the 1950s-1970s. Those were the prices.