Suggestions on new gear

[Jbyrd32]

I'm new to diving and I'm looking to start getting my own gear. I don't really want to set a budget for myself yet since I'm not sure what all I need but I don't want to spend a fortune either. My LDS had an Oceanic set that is 1099+ tax. It includes the Tour Lite weight integrated BC, Veo 2.0 computer in console, and CDX-5 first stage with Alpha 9 second stage and Alpha 9 Octo. The dive shop overs to credit the money I paid for the class towards purchase of BC/Reg/computer so it would only be 824+ tax. Is this a good setup for the price? Should I look into something else? Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance

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[Jim Lapenta]

Without knowing what kind of diving you plan to do its hard to say if it's good gear for you. What are your interests, where do plan to do most of your diving, and where do you see your diving in a year? The cdx5 is a great first stage. The alphas are entry level and will work. I can't see the bc right now on my mobile but it sounds like a travel type bc. OK for warm water, thin exposure suit, recreational diving. Personally a back plate and wing is more versatile to me. I don't like weight integration and don't recommend it to students. Unless they are only going to be doing warm water tropical diving with minimal weights (less than 10 lbs). How much time did your instructor spend on the importance and benefits of weight distribution? If we knew a bit more about your diving interests it would be easier to make a recommendation.
I say this because I was talked into a gear package when I first got certified. It was mostly gone within a year. I could have saved a couple grand if I'd taken time to think about what was best for me. Instead of being talked into what was best for the shops bottom line. I have an entire chapter in my book devoted to equipment selection.

 

[Jbyrd32]

I plan on doing mostly warm water with the possibility of an occasional cold water dive. I'm not a fan of the cold water. Haha. All I'll be doing will be recreational diving on vacations or quick weekend trips in some inland lakes. I doubt I'll ever get into any technical diving but I don't want to be limited by my gear later on. I'm going to try and attach a pic of the bc for you. Any thoughts on the Veo 2.0 computer?

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[diversteve]

IDK if you care but the Tour Lite is discontinued. Probably at least partially explains the bundle deal. I'm admittedly no fan of Jacket bc's either - I prefer all the buoyancy on my back so it's above me when swimming horizontally along the reef. If you pursue tech, I don't think you'll see many jackets there either - mostly Backplate/Wing models. One other trade-off I don't like is to get the weight down a little they're using 420 denier fabric except at stress points. Other mfr's that sell comparable travel-biased systems often use only 1000 denier fabric and make up the difference somewhere else.

Being new I'm not sure if you realized the Veo 2.0 is not air integrated - the HP hose is going into the SPG in the first gauge spot in the console. So since you're getting depth from the computer it's like having a lot fancier depth gauge but it sitill can't do any air consumption/dive time remaining calculations - either on the dive or later if you plan to use their software to track dives. A similar but slightly more flexible option to consider might be a wrist mount non-AI computer and and SPG in a boot off a hose. That configuration allows you to more easily view your ascent rate etc. while venting your BC.

Since your dealer is apparently an Oceanic dealer - the ProPlus 2.1 does both in a larger single gauge housing for around the same money. And has a compass.
Nice thing is if you clip it off correctly the larger face is easier to read if your hands are busy.

Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1 Air Integrated Computer with Compass 04.1061.07

I don't follow Oceanic regs at all so have no idea what's good.

My personal opinion on most package deals is that they're a good deal - for the dive shop.

Someone here often posts something to the effect of - "do the research and buy your second set of gear first" - good advice IMO...

 

[Jbyrd32]

IDK if you care but the Tour Lite is discontinued. Probably at least partially explains the bundle deal. I'm admittedly no fan of Jacket bc's either - I prefer all the buoyancy on my back so it's above me when swimming horizontally along the reef. If you pursue tech, I don't think you'll see many jackets there either - mostly Backplate/Wing models. One other trade-off I don't like is to get the weight down a little they're using 420 denier fabric except at stress points. Other mfr's that sell comparable travel-biased systems often use only 1000 denier fabric and make up the difference somewhere else.

Being new I'm not sure if you realized the Veo 2.0 is not air integrated - the HP hose is going into the SPG in the first gauge spot in the console. So since you're getting depth from the computer it's like having a lot fancier depth gauge but it sitill can't do any air consumption/dive time remaining calculations - either on the dive or later if you plan to use their software to track dives. A similar but slightly more flexible option to consider might be a wrist mount non-AI computer and and SPG in a boot off a hose. That configuration allows you to more easily view your ascent rate etc. while venting your BC.

Since your dealer is apparently an Oceanic dealer - the ProPlus 2.1 does both in a larger single gauge housing for around the same money. And has a compass.
Nice thing is if you clip it off correctly the larger face is easier to read if your hands are busy.

Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1 Air Integrated Computer with Compass 04.1061.07

I don't follow Oceanic regs at all so have no idea what's good.

My personal opinion on most package deals is that they're a good deal - for the dive shop.

Someone here often posts something to the effect of - "do the research and buy your second set of gear first" - good advice IMO...

What other options would you suggest? The dive shop also carries scubapro and I would really like to spend my money there and support local businesses rather than order online. I would appreciate a example setup of something you would suggest foe a new diver that will last and function well.

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[captio2000]

Do yourself a favor and get a wrist mounted computer instead of a console one. When you are in good dive position with your arms in front of you the computer is right there in front of your eyes. Makes keeping depth a LOT easier.

 

[diversteve]

If you're mostly planning to travel to dive, you might look at a Scubapro Lighthawk. The one thing to consider about it is what it doesn't have. Not a lot of usable pockets, simple weight integration and a smaller wing. It will work great anywhere warm, you may find it limiting in cold water where a heavier weight suit means you have to carry more lead also. For a mixed use BCD that will take you up to the beginnings of tech diving - consider the Knighthawk. It has more lift - is bigger and has a higher price. It's one of the industry standards in back-inflate designs. It was on my short list of two last time I changed BC's. A Seahawk seems to me to be targeted at instructors or people who need big pockets like photographers etc. Very similar in design/features to the Knighthawk with better pockets. The way the Knighthawks ride alongside the weight integration makes that design inherently a little harder to open at the surface. In the water it's a non-issue generally.

People also seem to like the Oceanic Biolite as a travel BC - I have no experience with one. Just stay away from the Jetpack - the entire thing is a compromise designed to function as a backpack but it gives up too much in functionality. For a week trip you'd be bringing another suitcase anyway for clothes etc. so I don't see the point of it.

Since you opened it up to Scubapro arguably the most successful SP reg in modern history is the SP MK25/S600 - now often bundled with the A700 instead. Pricey though but it breathes like a dream. Two alternatives to that are the newer Mk. 21 - it's positioned as a lower end fixed port version of the Mk25. Understand what this means for hose routing - or ask your shop to show you. It also has some characteristics that make it equally good in cold water. The last is the Mk17 - Scubapro's best diaphragm model. I can't say anything bad about it either and the price will be the best of the three. Diaphragms also function to slightly lower water temps. but it doesn't sound like that will be your problem...

As the previous poster mentioned, I'm also a fan of a computer on your wrist. Often my left but if my right hand is free, sometimes there. The reason is so you can watch it during ascents when you've likely got the inflator hose in your left hand hovering somewhere around your face while venting air. I have a hybrid system - I wear a wrist mount computer on my left wrist and have a 2 gauge mini-console from Scubapro on a hose down my left side also. The Mini gauges are each about an inch smaller in diameter than standard gauges and the boots are simpler also. They don't sell mine anymore but here's a similar one from Cressi. Maybe price some computers in the $300+ range and add a simple gauge for redundancy. At that price you won't get air-integration though - that's going to start better than $500 or considerably more - most transmitters retail around $3-400 separately not including the computer.

There is no real one-size fits all system for warm water/cold water/intro to tech diving. Warm is more minimalist, cold heavier and getting into tech probably means discarding most of what you own in favor of a backplate/wing with interechangeable wings and doubles - plus regs that route optimally for that. Probably $4-5K minimum going that route - a good can light is $1500 by itself. So I wouldn't spend a lot towards your future plans - more focus on what you see yourself doing for the next couple of years. Unless you do a zero-to-hero program you'll want to get several hundred dives or so b4 pursuing tech anyway.

I'll let Jim or someone else extoll the virtues of a BP/W - they've never been a consideration for me although I have tried a couple. I don't wear a wetsuit so don't like the feel of the plate on my shoulder blades. Also the boys have an aversion to anything that looks like a crotch strap. I do a lot of shore diving with longer walks also so like padded shoulders even though that requires a slight amount of extra weight.

 

[dmaziuk]

Any thoughts on the Veo 2.0 computer?

It's a common pelagic unit that sells for $200 in wrist-mount versions like a300 or geo 2 if you wait for a sale. At $200 they're probably the best bang-per-buck recreational computers out there at the moment. Personally I don't see the point of a console computer without air integration and like other posters I wouldn't go for a console DC in the first place.

 

[Jbyrd32]

Ok what do y'all think about this setup.
I've narrowed the BC down to 3
-1)Oceanic Ocean pro BC
2)SP GlideX
3)SP Seahawk

Regulator
-SP MK11 / s360 or
SP MK21 / s560

Computer
-SP Aladin tec 3h (This is the replacement for the recently discontinued Subgear XP Air. According to SP it's practically identical but it's so new I can't find much info on it)

I appreciate the input thus far. It's helped me make a few decisions and steer away from the "package deals."

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[Centrals]

I would suggest to buy the regs from your LDS because you will need them to service it in the future and the rest on-line. MK17/G260.
BC: The complete BP/W package from DGX for US$299.00
Computer: US$200.00 is the max. Leisurepro has Oceanic Veo 180 at $200.00 but it was priced at $150.00 not too long ago. So give them a call and see what happen!!
Black Friday is on 27th this month.

Happy shopping.