dvoodoo83
Guest
i think that u should own at least your own mask snorkel and fins but thats just me
Should a Vacation diver own or rent equipment...?
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Taucher
Guest
Personally I would never use rental gear. My wife and I purchased all our equipment when we first started lessons. Our dive shop sold us "two of everything" at a great discount. Although it seemed like a lot at the time, we wanted to be comfortable every time we are underwater. The last thing any should want is to stress over equipment. Owning our own and becoming comfortable with its use has helped us to become better, safer divers.
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dvoodoo83:
OH YEAH, and how many ocean dives have you made...?
CJ_Albertson
Registered
Renting can be a good, safe thing
If I always rent from my LDS I get decent quality Aqualung Titan reg
that is well maintained and never more then one year old as they
replace all their rental gear every year. I am famiar with the equipment because it is always the same.
For "vacation diving" I can rent from my LDS and not have to worry
about the rental equipment in some shop in Mexico I don't know.
The cost may even be less to rent from LDS and fly with the locally
rented stuff as LDS offers long term rental rates
Yes, I am buying equipment - renting is not cheap actually
more econmonical to buy as "pay back" happens soon
If I always rent from my LDS I get decent quality Aqualung Titan reg
that is well maintained and never more then one year old as they
replace all their rental gear every year. I am famiar with the equipment because it is always the same.
For "vacation diving" I can rent from my LDS and not have to worry
about the rental equipment in some shop in Mexico I don't know.
The cost may even be less to rent from LDS and fly with the locally
rented stuff as LDS offers long term rental rates
Yes, I am buying equipment - renting is not cheap actually
more econmonical to buy as "pay back" happens soon
OP
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- # of dives
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CJ_Albertson:
Think you're right. If you're going to rent, rent from your LDS and take it with you. Don't take a chance on what you'll get when you get there, with little recourse - and I've seen some real problems on "there" rental gear! :11:
Scuba lessons aren't cheap, and the minimum gear you need to take lessons is more expensive than you expected. So far, you have invested a significant amount of time and money into your diving. I have found that if you don't own your equipment, you won't dive as much for various reasons. Primarily as you have read about, safety, but also convenience. Tomorrow I will be boarding a buddies boat and going diving, but the local dive shop that we use is closed due to Easter. Besides, I am good friends with the manager and he said that he is out of rental tanks. Not an uncommon problem during busy diving seasons. I don't have to worry about these issues because I have my own equipment. If you go the rental route, you probably won't dive much, or any in a couple of years, and the time and money you have invested so far will be for nothing.
In regards to what gear you need to buy, most expensive isn't always the right answer. Decide what features you want ie:weight integrated BC or weight belt, do you want a diver adjustable knob on your reg or not, air integrated computer or not. These are questions you want to ask yourself. Most importantly, does the BC fit? How does the regulator breath? How complicated is the computer to use?
Finnally, DO NOT BUY LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT ONLINE OR THROUGH A CATALOG!!! Life support equipment is what we take underwater on each and every dive. You have no idea if the BC is going to fit when the mail order gets to your door. You have no idea how well the regulator is going to breath if at all. How old is the computer and how long have the batteries been in it? Better question, how long before the battery fails and will you be under water, or above? Purchase locally and support your local dive shop and these questions will be answered.
Rmember, buy at your local dive shop, even if you spend more money, the payoffs if your LDS is actively diving will outweigh any savings you would get online by far. Also, you don't need to buy the most expensive, get the best fit, and the features you are looking for. Don't let someone pressure you into buying the next higher level piece of equipment to make them more money, if the investment isn't going to make your diving experience that much more fun.
In regards to what gear you need to buy, most expensive isn't always the right answer. Decide what features you want ie:weight integrated BC or weight belt, do you want a diver adjustable knob on your reg or not, air integrated computer or not. These are questions you want to ask yourself. Most importantly, does the BC fit? How does the regulator breath? How complicated is the computer to use?
Finnally, DO NOT BUY LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT ONLINE OR THROUGH A CATALOG!!! Life support equipment is what we take underwater on each and every dive. You have no idea if the BC is going to fit when the mail order gets to your door. You have no idea how well the regulator is going to breath if at all. How old is the computer and how long have the batteries been in it? Better question, how long before the battery fails and will you be under water, or above? Purchase locally and support your local dive shop and these questions will be answered.
Rmember, buy at your local dive shop, even if you spend more money, the payoffs if your LDS is actively diving will outweigh any savings you would get online by far. Also, you don't need to buy the most expensive, get the best fit, and the features you are looking for. Don't let someone pressure you into buying the next higher level piece of equipment to make them more money, if the investment isn't going to make your diving experience that much more fun.
Pauline
Contributor
Right after my OWC, I started buying my own equipment. It took me a full year to 'work' everything together, but I'm very happy I did. (Still buying nice little details once in a while).
Even if I would dive only once a year, for me it's just a safe feeling, knowing exactly what I have and in what state it is.
Not saying there isn't good rental quipment out there, but if you go far away, you never know until you get there, and the last thing I'd ever want to do, is go in the water with a uh-oh feeling in the back of my head.
I had a bad experience at the Maldives, when I didn't even have 6 dives yet: someone of the staff told me a badly crackled O-ring in the tank I showed him "...was OK for at least another 5 dives".
Well, not MY dives.
Eversince I've been a little worried about just trusting the 'experts' without question when they say it's ok.
Even if I would dive only once a year, for me it's just a safe feeling, knowing exactly what I have and in what state it is.
Not saying there isn't good rental quipment out there, but if you go far away, you never know until you get there, and the last thing I'd ever want to do, is go in the water with a uh-oh feeling in the back of my head.
I had a bad experience at the Maldives, when I didn't even have 6 dives yet: someone of the staff told me a badly crackled O-ring in the tank I showed him "...was OK for at least another 5 dives".
Well, not MY dives.
Eversince I've been a little worried about just trusting the 'experts' without question when they say it's ok.
love2godeep
Contributor
When I got my OW certification, I had no intention of buying scuba-specific gear. I did have a good mask, snorkel, fins, and wetsuit. But from a monetary standpoint, it just didn't seem to make sense to get my own BC/reg/computer, etc. I didn't intend to dive more than a two or three times a year. Also, I didn't relish the thought of lugging all the kit around with me.
I soon discovered several things:
1. A lot of the rental equipment I ended up with was really terrible, from regs that wouldn't stay in my mouth or that barely worked below 60 feet, to BCs that didn't fit right and rode up until my head banged against the tank, to major air leaks in different places.
2. When my equipment had problems, it affected my buddy, as well. For example, I have good air consumption but a couple of times I had to call the dive because so much air had escaped, which didn't exactly thrill my buddy. Once I had an OOA situation, although the gauge still showed gas.
3. On each dive I had the added stress of having to figure out how the equipment worked. Several times I had problems with getting all the air out of the BC, which meant big problems with my buoyancy.
4. I discovered that I was finding/finagling all sorts of ways to get to good diving, and that I am averaging more like 20-30 dives a year instead of the 2-3 I expected. Even though that's not a tremendous amount of diving, compared to many of the people here, it makes decent financial sense to own my own stuff.
5. I LOVE having my own gear! It has made a huge difference in my comfort and enjoyment underwater, not to mention my dive skills.
So far I've limited myself to warm-water diving. The irony is that I live on a big coldwater lake. Now I'm wondering how long it will be before I take the dry-suit plunge!
I soon discovered several things:
1. A lot of the rental equipment I ended up with was really terrible, from regs that wouldn't stay in my mouth or that barely worked below 60 feet, to BCs that didn't fit right and rode up until my head banged against the tank, to major air leaks in different places.
2. When my equipment had problems, it affected my buddy, as well. For example, I have good air consumption but a couple of times I had to call the dive because so much air had escaped, which didn't exactly thrill my buddy. Once I had an OOA situation, although the gauge still showed gas.
3. On each dive I had the added stress of having to figure out how the equipment worked. Several times I had problems with getting all the air out of the BC, which meant big problems with my buoyancy.
4. I discovered that I was finding/finagling all sorts of ways to get to good diving, and that I am averaging more like 20-30 dives a year instead of the 2-3 I expected. Even though that's not a tremendous amount of diving, compared to many of the people here, it makes decent financial sense to own my own stuff.
5. I LOVE having my own gear! It has made a huge difference in my comfort and enjoyment underwater, not to mention my dive skills.
So far I've limited myself to warm-water diving. The irony is that I live on a big coldwater lake. Now I'm wondering how long it will be before I take the dry-suit plunge!
As much as you can get your own gear!!
First is yours and you already paid for it. Second is you are used to it and it fits your needs/profile. Third you're sure is serviced properly (let's hope you service your gear!!).
Myself I take my gear all over, I had some bad experiences with rentals and I decided is well worthed to carry mine.
Safe Diving
First is yours and you already paid for it. Second is you are used to it and it fits your needs/profile. Third you're sure is serviced properly (let's hope you service your gear!!).
Myself I take my gear all over, I had some bad experiences with rentals and I decided is well worthed to carry mine.
Safe Diving
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