USED Gear - Help me build a used gear shopping list/budget! And I'll get to scouring...

[RainPilot]

The IP gauges are used to check your 1st stage IP while dry, its something you are really not likely to need if your regs are being serviced by an LDS. They (usually) connect to the inflator hose QC and are used to diagnose creeping IP if for example you find that your regs start to free flow after a while of not being breathed.

As far as SPG, no need for a console. A simple, stand-alone SPG clipped off to a waist D-ring with no excess hose will be all you need. The computer is fine for depth and your buddy should be your backup gas, equipment and brain so if your depth gauge fails you thumb the dive and ascend with your buddy using his depth as a reference.

Some of the dive computers now come with a built in compass, some more usable than others. My Perdix has an awesome compass. If you factor in the price of a compass then the computer gets a little cheaper.

Amazon.com: Oceanic OCS Dive Computer Wrist Watch, RD: Watches

Some of my students recently got these, they are pretty happy with them. If you added a Oceanic BUD or equivalent as a second computer, you really would have no need for a depth gauge. (probably overkill, but there's no kill like overkill)

 

[stuartv]

Same question for the safety sausages - I see them on DGX for $13, and then $25-$40 on other sites like DRIS or LeisurePro. Anything to look out for in terms of quality, materials, or are they all largely the same and should be chosen primarily on price?

Thanks for all the help guys!

I think it mainly depends on how visible you want to be, what options you want for inflating it, and whether you want to be able to inflate it at depth.

- A 6' tall tube that is 6" in diameter is going to be more visible than a 4' tall tube that is 4" in diameter. The DAN SMB has a radar reflective strip up the inside. There is some debate about how effective it really is, but I haven't see any actual evidence that it is useless. I don't know of any negative to having it.

- inflation options are: open bottom so you can inflate from your second stage regulator exhaust, valve that you can blow into, valve that you can blow into or push your low pressure inflator hose onto. Some SMBs are closed on the bottom, so you can only inflate orally or via LPI. Closed bottom (or closed cell) seem to me to be more likely to be used by a CCR diver. Or be one of the really cheap sausages that is just intended to be orally inflated on the surface.

- some have OPVs (over pressurization valves) and some don't. If an SMB does not have an OPV and you inflate it at depth and send it to the surface, it could rupture as the gas inside expands. The small, cheap sausages are generally intended to inflate on the surface and don't have an OPV.

Personally, if I were doing a drift dive in pretty calm conditions, I would be fine with a cheap, small sausage. But, if I were diving in choppy or rough conditions where the boat is moored, I would definitely want something I can deploy from depth and that is bigger and more visible from a distance.

On a drift dive, the boat is actively looking for you (and your safety sausage) and you are probably going to surface not too far from the boat. Especially if it's not rough, you should have no worries about the boat seeing you.

But, imagine that you're diving a 100' wreck off North Carolina. The boat is tied into the wreck (i.e. anchored). Surface conditions are a fairly common 4' swell. They are expecting you to come up the anchor line and surface next to the boat. They may or may not be doing a good job of watching for you to surface away from the boat. Now imagine that you get away from the wreck on the bottom. Maybe you got lost or maybe current took you away from it. You realize that you are going to have to make a free ascent. Thus, you need to deploy your SMB immediately, from depth (so you want it to have an OPV). The whole time you're thinking about it then doing it, the current is carrying you further away from the dive boat. Your SMB hits the surface while you are still making your ascent. You do a safe ascent, with a safety stop, so you've already been drifting in the current for 6 or more minutes. Hopefully, someone on the boat has seen your SMB and they are now tracking you. But, the boat can't unhook from the wreck to come get you until all the other divers have made their ascent and are safely back aboard. Depending on circumstances (like how early in the dive you got away from the wreck and started your ascent), that could take another 45 minutes. You can drift a long way in the current in that time.

Now, if you are in 4' seas and have a 4' sausage and you're half a mile from the boat, how easy do you think you will be for the boat to still see? Will you be wishing you had a 6' sausage that was a bit fatter?

I have been on a boat where almost this exact scenario happened. Except, when I saw it, the guy actually hit the surface pretty close to the boat, so the boat crew saw him right away. But, the current carried him past the tag line and he couldn't swim to it, so he got carried off while we watched him and waited for the rest of the divers to come up. By the time we unhooked and went after him, he (and his inflate safety sausage) was literally out of sight. We just had to head in the direction he went until we finally spotted him.

What you need depends on the diving you want to do. But, if you were to go with a good quality 6' SMB (open cell, with an OPV), I don't imagine that you would ever regret it and wish you'd gotten something smaller or less expensive. And you probably will also never end up wishing you'd gotten something bigger, either. OTOH, if you're only going to go to the Caribbean and do drift dives in calm seas and you want something smaller and lighter to take with you, one of the cheap sausages might be all you ever need.

 

[filmguy123]

Wow awesome info on everything, and especially the detail on the SMBs - thanks!

Would you say is a ballpark price to pay for a good quality 6' SMB - around $40? Because now I'm seeing some that go over $100 (halcyon, of course - Big Closed Circuit DAM - Dive Right in Scuba).

As for the IP gauge, I want to snag one for self service in the future, but also more so for monitor my reg performance to see *when* I need to take it in for servicing or check it before a trip. So still wondering about those.

Thanks a ton! This is super helpful detail on everything

 

[herr2720]

Weights: No reason to ever buy new, it's a hunk of lead or lead shot in a sack. Depending on where you are at in the PNW you should easily be able to find it on Craigslist or even thrift stores for <$1/lb. You can also find it at a recycle center for whatever the current going rate for clean lead is, people recycle their old lead scuba weights there all the time. If you have integrated weight pockets coated or uncoated doesn't matter. Per lb soft weights take up more space so it may not always fit in the pockets. In my experience uncoated solid weights are the cheapest, then coated, then soft weights. Besides a $5 snorkel (which is all you need if at all) lead is one of the cheaper things you will buy if you do it right. I never use a snorkel but I'm pretty sure PADI requires one for training if you use that agency for certifications.

Fins: I use Hollis F1s for local cold diving, I love them and they work well for me. For warm water I have a pair of F2s. The problem when bouncing between warm and cold for me is that I need XL Fins to fit my drysuit rock boots and Medium Fins to fit my tropical boots. I only went with the F2s because hauling all my heaviest gear really pushes up baggage fees when you fly. I bought and sold several pairs of fins before I settled on the Hollis ones, they are just the ones that work best for me. I got both of my fins pre-owned off the Scubaboard marketplace to save money. Fins are like masks, you just have to find the ones that fit you and despite everything that may not be the first ones you buy. I have an Atomic frameless that I really wanted to like and use intermittently because it doesn't fit perfect and leaks a little. Then I have a really old Tusa Liberator that is ugly as sin (90s neon) and has total tunnel vision due to the design but fit's my face like it was molded off me and never leaks.

Safety sausage: I got one of each, the cheap 4' sausage that takes up little space on my harness and my suitcase for travel and the big 6' with a pressure release valve and multiple inflation options that I can also use as a light duty lift bag when local diving. I don't think I paid more than $20 for either of them but the 6' was a demo that I got used.

 

[stuartv]

Wow awesome info on everything, and especially the detail on the SMBs - thanks!

Would you say is a ballpark price to pay for a good quality 6' SMB - around $40?

I would figure $60-70.

I would look at the DAN one, XS Scuba, and Carter. There are other good ones. Those are just what *I* would look at. I bought the DAN one (because it met all my other requirements and had a radar reflective strip inside) a year ago and have no complaints so far.

 

[letonac]

what snorkel/mask/fins did you use for open water? you should be able to get a simple snorkel for less than 20 dollars.

steel plate works fine in warm water, the issue is it takes up weight in your luggage. can always pick up an aluminum plate later on. a used bpw is doable for roughly 200ish if you get a good deal on the wing.

dry sealed regs from apeks/hog/zeagle would be good. depends on what your local LDS can service or whether you are willing to self service. used to be able to get the hogs for less money where it didn't make that much sense to buy used (because if you had to pay for a rebuild on used regs, the cost was not always less). just get a brass spg that is easy to read and a wrist compass. having the compass on the spg hose or in a boot on the reverse is another option. i wouldn't go more than 200 on a used set including the spg, a new set is probably going to be 400 to 500 at minimum.

simple nitrox computer with gauge mode for a first computer. get a petrel/perdix later on as needed.

used drysuits can save you a lot of money if you find one that fits you. i prefer the short hood on a drysuit, but some people use the long hoods for both wet and dry. knockoff chuck taylors are your budget option for drysuit boots.

you can save a good bit by being patient looking for gear on craigslist or at LDS going out of business sales

I think that all answers are covered with this post. Good reccomondations.
Just to add..
Buy dry sealed regulators which you can servise in LDS. This will be good reg for all condition.

Drysuit are expensive but there are so many different tipes on market (trilaminate, neopren, crsahed neopren,cordura) so do not hurry. Try few models before you buy. Front entry, with pockets and socks are my choise.

Computer. Should be simple with nitrox option and 2-3 nitrox gases optional for diving carrere. Trimix computer are expensive and on that level you will probably look in specific points to chose computer.

Wing and backplate. Do no buy to big wing unles you need it for doubles. Single tank wing 23-38 lbs. Steel back plate will move overall need for weights (around 2 kilograms).

Mask. Do not look at price. Just the one which fit you perfect on face.
Snorkel. Cheap one.
Safe diving.

 

[filmguy123]

Thanks guys!!!

A few more quick questions here:

Hoses. I see standard/traditional hoses, and now they have some as well with the braided reinforced exterior. Thoughts on spending the premium for the braided reinforcement on the hoses?

Any thoughts on this compass and this light, compared to what was linked here earlier from Cave Adenturers and DGX? Is there much difference? I ask because if I buy all through one shop, likely to get a better deal VS splitting purchases between lots of avenues. But, fine to drop some things off if these fill in items aren't that useful:

THIS LIGHT? DRIS Dive Gear 1000 Lumen Dive Light | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba

THIS COMPASS? HOG Pro Bungee Mount Compass - Dive Right in Scuba

Also... diver toolkit and/or save a dive kit supplies?

TOOLKIT: Trident Deluxe Divers Toolkit | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba
SAVE A DIVE: Save A Dive Kit - Dive Right in Scuba

Thoughts/alternative suggestions?

Also, any cheap sources for 3rd party Dive Computer USB cables? I know monoprice is a great source for 3rd party knock off cables for computers - is there a similar source for a 3rd party USB cable for Dive Computers? IE Suunto D-series USB cable?


Any thoughts on THIS pressure gauge from Dive Rite: 2" Tech SPG - Dive Right in Scuba

VS this HOG Luminescent one?
HOG SPG - Black Face Luminescent - Dive Right in Scuba


Sorry for all the questions - really appreciate the help and the minitaute of some of these things to look for! The insight and feedback is super helpful for me in sizing up what's gimmicky, what's worthwhile, and what things I'm looking for in terms of both quality and practicality - so thanks again!!

 

[tbone1004]

so DGX does not do packages or discounts of any kind, what you see on the website is what you get. I'm not a huge DGX fan, but they are a necessary evil to the industry since they are now selling direct from the MFG's in Asia which is HUGE for us right now

There are varying opinions of braided hoses being "premium" though through Cave Adventurers they are all the same price

Lights: all of the chinese lights with Cree emitters are basically the same. The one I listed from Amazon via Securitying is still my favorite since you have multiple brightness settings and is super cheap. The other nice ones are the Cave Adventurers Explorers because they have the LED button that gives you rough battery level indication and are the same as the Hog Morph 1000's but a lot cheaper

Compass: I don't like wrist compasses, never have, never will. I built a nav slate for navigation and it works much better. If you want a wrist compass
Tech Compass w/Bungee Mount and Cord | Dive Gear Express®
buy that one, it's cheap, and they're all made by the same company anyway

Kits: I don't like kits like that, but they aren't bad. I buy bulk zip ties and what not and you can always DIY a mask strap out of bungee cord. Snorkel keepers are stupid, and you should buy the mouthpieces that you want, not what comes in the box from Trident. I like Comfobites personally. The tool kit is what it is if you want to have one, but harbor freight will have all of that stuff anyway.

No dice on 3rd party computer cables, huge part of why I don't really recommend them because $100 for a USB cable is idiotic

SPG's are identical other than the face. One being white, the other being black and glow-in-the-dark. I prefer black, but it is personal preference. If you buy hoses through Cave Adventurers, call and ask if he has any deals on the bigger SPG's since they sell mainly slimlines for sidemount.
Submersible Pressure Gauges (SPGs) and Instrument Consoles | Dive Gear Express®
the other is go there and for $70 you get the SPG with HP hose, which is a great deal. Brass/Glass SPG's all basically come from Termo in Italy, I'm not aware of any other mfg's

 

[filmguy123]

Thanks Tbone!

To clarify, looking at package price through DRIS - not DGX. I can pickup anything additional from other sources such as DGX, but was wondering because may negotiate a better price the more I can buy through DRIS, if the products listed there are worthwhile!

Good info.

Yeah, $100 for a USB is highway robbery. Smart business markup I guess. Well, what are my options there - is there much available on the used ebay market or what not? Is there a homebrew way if you know how to solder to make your own USB cable in your garage? Trying to find anyway around that ridiculous USB cost.

 

[tbone1004]

I don't believe there are any DIY options for Suunto, but you might be able to find some resources online. I know it had been done with the seiko computers labeled as Nitek Duo etc