The Comparative cost of scuba, including instruction

[Bigbella]

When my younger brother and I took scuba at the YMCA, decades ago, the cost was 90.00 a head, for pool instruction; a handful of open water dives in Monterey; and a C-card. Since we were only a half hour away, there was little more than gas-related expenses.

We already had skin diving equipment -- used wetsuits, masks and fins, since we free-dove; and our regulators, at that time, Poseidon Cyklon 300s, were 150.00 each, with the depth / pressure gauge thrown in on a Summer sale, by what was originally O'Neill's Dive Shop at the Santa Cruz Harbor.

The apples and oranges of hitting the slopes versus diving: I still have that regulator, which is frequently used; but I know of no one who is currently sporting circa 1970s skis and bindings at Heavenly or Squaw Valley . . .

 

[broncobowsher]

I have friends who are deep into the mountain biking. Don't know any who broke 5 figures, but they are all upper 4 figure price. An entry level good mountain bike was about $3k just before Covid. I paid $400 for a decent one in '92.

Was in California late last year and stopped in one of the massive motorcycle retail/mail order locations. Chappal Motorsports. The price of the side by sides was insane. $30k might get you a starter and the prices over $60k were a blink away. This for a pretty crude off-road toy. But they are what is hot right now. Look at other stuff, what is the manufacturing costs, it doesn't scale. I really think the reason they are popular is because they are expensive. The "look at what I can spend money on" compared to my neighbor.
The ski resorts all being bought up by corporate profit companies, that really hurts. Not like there is anyplace else that is an option. There was the comment about affordable places in NM. But that isn't really the go a few hours and enjoy it for a day/weekend.

Even getting into the technical diving. Get a rebreather, drysuit, scooter, and all the stuff to go with it. $20k invested? That's a lot, but looking at other hobbies it isn't out of line. Then there are the friends who get into guns. There is a lot of money, and a weekend of ammo can easily be more than a boat ride.

 

[Rob9876]

Most beginner scuba divers want good viz, warm blue water, and colorful fish. In the Continental U.S., I think some part of the equation is that this is really only consistently available in S.E. Florida. For most of the other 47 states, S.E. Florida is a plane trip or super long drive (about 12 hours of driving from me in Tennessee). For most, this makes scuba a vacation sport rather than a consistent hobby -- and consistency makes one more comfortable, and then more passionate about it.

Contrast that with ski resorts from Maine down to Georgia and across to California -- most of the U.S. lives within a manageable weekend drive of some skiing that's at least halfway decent. Same can be said of golf (available in about every city), making both golf and skiing easier activities to participate in than scuba.

Sure, I now like murky quarry dives, murky Gulf dives, etc., but it was warm blue water, clear viz and colorful fish that got me into the sport.

 

[lowwall]

I wonder how much the danger or at least perceived danger of diving keeps out the masses. Millennials seem to be a lot more risk-averse than their boomer parents. For example, as someone who grew up skiing, I can't get over the near complete adoption of helmets in less than a single generation.

Though it hasn't hurt e-biking which is far more likely to kill you. Maybe it's just the mental picture of being underwater and having the air cut out. Aviation has a similar issue and similar shrinking of people getting into it.

 

[Living4Experiences]

I lived in Colorado Springs for 14 years before I moved to Oregon. I was an avid skier for 32 years. I remember when the Copper Mountain 4-pack was $99. Then it was $129, then $169, etc. I'd supplement that with the Epic Local Pass for around $200-$300 for 10 days at various ski resorts. I was able to get from Colorado Springs to Copper in 1 hour, 50 minutes on a weekday, so I'd make a day trip of it. No way that's possible now. That drive now is well over three hours each way, if not more, thanks to overpopulation.

During that time is when I became a scuba diver, so I was funding two expensive sports. I had blown out both my ACLs skiing, so, when I moved to Oregon, I made a choice....skiing or scuba. Scuba won!

 

[lexvil]

Travel costs are the killer for me and the attitude toward customers of airlines, costs do go up and it’s really up us to adjust and accept or find other things to do. When I started driving gas was 19.9 cents per gallon, it’s gone up a bit. First trip to Thailand airfare was around $600, trip coming up next month $2100 needless to say this will be the last time. Airfare to the Curaçao has gone from under $500 to about $1000.

There is a ski area 40 minutes away, no snow (fine by me as I consider skiing insane, out in the cold for no good reason )

Costs we can adjust to with time the loss of the environment is a bit harder to adjust to, can’t ski with no snow, can’t make snow with no water, diving in a dead zone with no corals, no fish will not be very appealing.

 

[jadairiii]

Even getting into the technical diving. Get a rebreather, drysuit, scooter, and all the stuff to go with it. $20k invested?

$20K? That's the RB and the scooter......maybe.

 

[Wants2divemore]

I wonder how much the danger or at least perceived danger of diving keeps out the masses. Millennials seem to be a lot more risk-averse than their boomer parents. For example, as someone who grew up skiing, I can't get over the near complete adoption of helmets in less than a single generation.

I think the near complete adoption of helmets has much more to do with improved technology and increased recognition of the risks of head injury skiing than with millennials being more risk-averse. As someone who also grew up skiing (and has now been skiing for 40+ years), the early helmets were big and clunky. Today I barely can tell my helmet is there, plus it keeps my head warm. Road cycling has had a similar evolution with regards to helmets.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Scuba doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.
I depends on how you go about it and how much you are willing educate yourself.
You will also have to change your attitude towards what you really need and what you think you need.
Are you willing to dive locally in cold water?
If you are, then there are a lot more opportunities available to you. If you always have to fly somewhere then it may become more hassle than it's worth and eventually become unsustainable.

This area is also known as a big bicycling place where riders train for top level international races like the Tour de France. I used to be into road biking in my early 30's and had a carbon frame bike with all the latest hot shot gear that I thought I needed. I considered myself in really good shape.
One day I was out riding when a couple middle aged guys came up behind me on old ratty looking steel framed bikes they had ridden for years. I conversed with them for a little until they pulled away and I couldn't keep up with them, I couldn't catch them. Talk about humbled!

The moral of the story is you don't need all the latest greatest gear. Your skills are what will make the gear work, any gear that is safe and usable.

I can dive here locally for very little.
gas $20 - $30 on average to get to the ocean and back. California gas is about $4.25 gal right now.
park fee $7 (I have a pass so less)
or no park fees depending on where you go.
air fill $8 - $16 (one or two dives)
This is shore diving.
And the bonus is I can come home with fish, crabs, scallops, urchins (uni), etc.

 

[Johnoly]

I wonder how much the danger or at least perceived danger of diving keeps out the masses.

Deaths per participant

Scuba Diving = 1 in 34,400
Snow Skiing = 1 in 1,140,000

Citation link along with other sports:

https://www.tetongravity.com/story/News/your-chances-of-dying-ranked-by-sport-and-activity