What comes with a bc vest and what do would i need to dive?

[Henryville]

This depends on how you were trained.

If you were trained to use an "Octopus", you would need two second stages as mentioned.

If you were trained with an "Air-2" (combination BC inflator and spare second stage), you wouldn't need an Octopus, but you would need to make sure your BC came with air Air-2.

Terry

Are you advocating an Air-2, or just being complete and exhaustive?

 

[Web Monkey]

Are you advocating an Air-2, or just being complete and exhaustive?

Neither, actually. I mentioned it because the OP would want to use what he was trained with (otherwise the training isn't very useful) and so he didn't buy a BC that comes with an Air-2 by default (like SCUBAPro) and purchase an octo.

OTOH, I do like the Air-2 for not-too-deep recreational dives. Although it's not a spectacular breather, the hose is annoying and it has a number of other shortfalls in the "annoyance" category, the donor always knows where it is, its incredibly easy to find (since most new divers hang on to it almost 100% of the time) and it stands an excellent chance of actually working, which are really big advantages.

Terry

 

[Henryville]

Neither, actually. I mentioned it because the OP would want to use what he was trained with (otherwise the training isn't very useful) and so he didn't buy a BC that comes with an Air-2 by default (like SCUBAPro) and purchase an octo.

OTOH, I do like the Air-2 for not-too-deep recreational dives. Although it's not a spectacular breather, the hose is annoying and it has a number of other shortfalls in the "annoyance" category, the donor always knows where it is, its incredibly easy to find (since most new divers hang on to it almost 100% of the time) and it stands an excellent chance of actually working, which are really big advantages.

Terry

Fair enough, and to each his own.

After letting them know in advance that we will be doing this, I always make it a point to do a simulated OOA ascent and safety stop with Air-2 or analogous integrated 2nd-wearing students or other dive buddies I end up with to show them what an abomination the Air-2 is (unless they would be ascending horizontally, and using the back dump. I haven't found an Air-2 or other integrated 2nd user doing this yet.)

On the next dive we do an OOA with a long hose and a bungeed backup and compare the experiences. And yes, I do train new divers on that rig. Not many do, though.

So while he didn't ask, my advice to the OP would be don't buy an Air-2 or analogous integrated 2nd.

 

[bigtim6656]

Good some of this is going right over my head.
Here is what i am thinking let me know if i am going about it wrong.
What i am thinking is buy the wetsuit i found a custom to fit 1.5mm for 263 210 for a 5mm for cold water if i buy it within two months of the first one. Not sure it i will or not. might depend on how things go with getting the other stuff.
Buy-
mask
- snorkel
- fins
- boots
- wetsuit
bcd
Most of that stuff i think is size set so might need it before i get cert.
My question does the bcd come with the regulator seems every pic has one on the vest.

 

[frogman159]

Good some of this is going right over my head.
Here is what i am thinking let me know if i am going about it wrong.
What i am thinking is buy the wetsuit i found a custom to fit 1.5mm for 263 210 for a 5mm for cold water if i buy it within two months of the first one. Not sure it i will or not. might depend on how things go with getting the other stuff.
Buy-
mask
- snorkel
- fins
- boots
- wetsuit
bcd
Most of that stuff i think is size set so might need it before i get cert.
My question does the bcd come with the regulator seems every pic has one on the vest.

1. I think the "regulator" you see in the pics is actually the inflator. It has a button on it to inflate and deflate the jacket to make you float. They all come with a small "mouthpeice" that I think your confusing with a regulator. The mouthpeice portion is there incase there is a failure in the lp hose you can blow up your jacket with your mouth.

You can fit this mouthpeice with what is called an AirII which can act as a backup regular so you don't have to carry 2 second stages. So if your buddy runs out of air, they basically suck on your inflator. They couldn't really do this unless you have an AirII installed on your BC

 

[maged_mmh]

don't forget to add a whistle & SMB (safety sausage) as a minimum

 

[frogman159]

What i am thinking is buy the wetsuit i found a custom to fit 1.5mm for 263 210 for a 5mm for cold water if i buy it within two months of the first one. Not sure it i will or not.


Most of that stuff i think is size set so might need it before i get cert.

Where do you plan on doing most of your diving?

IMHO- I would not waste money upfront for a 1.5mm- It doesn't offer much warmth and really is just a rashguard. If you plan on doing a lot of tropical diving then buy it, but you could probably just go bareback. If you plan on doing most of your diving local, I'd opt for the 5mm to start. remember if the suface temp of the water is 75, at depth it could easily be 65.

Although B/c's are size set, BUT the sizes are general, s,m,l,xl,xxl and are adjustable. I'd be surprised if your diveshop did have all these sizes availble for rent- ask them if sizing for you would be a problem if your hesitant before buying. For example, I can fit in a large or an XL pulled tight- there is much more play in B/Cs than wetsuits

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Good some of this is going right over my head.
Here is what i am thinking let me know if i am going about it wrong.
What i am thinking is buy the wetsuit i found a custom to fit 1.5mm for 263 210 for a 5mm for cold water if i buy it within two months of the first one. Not sure it i will or not. might depend on how things go with getting the other stuff.
Buy-
mask
- snorkel
- fins
- boots
- wetsuit
bcd
Most of that stuff i think is size set so might need it before i get cert.
My question does the bcd come with the regulator seems every pic has one on the vest.

No, but lots of places will give package deals on a BCD with a regulator, octo and gauge/computer. If your only concern is things fitting, for now you could always just buy the wetsuit and bcd (plus your personal gear: mask, boots, etc.) and rent the regulator (which will include octo and gauge) until you're ready to buy the rest.

Also to add to your list, you'll probably want gloves for coldwater diving. For your personal gear (which means mask, snorkel, fins, gloves, and boots), go around to some dive shops and see if they have any nice package deals. I think mine I paid around $300 for gear that individually added up to over $400. There were cheaper options, but my feet and hands have never gotten cold even in 45 degree water (yet I still have good dexterity with my gloves on), my mask rarely fogs or leaks, and my fins make kicking easy (however, I really don't think I needed the $50 snorkel it came with )

One last thing if you're a bigger guy, you'll probably want to get a BC with integrated weight. I'm about 200lbs and one time I rented a BCD that didn't have any integrated weight and I had to wear like a 40lb belt (instead of my usual 20ish lb: and I still felt too bouyant) - wearing and carying that heavy of a belt on land isn't fun. Of course this was also salt water, a 7mm wet suit and aluminimum tanks (all make you more buoyant) but if you're bigger you need more weight to keep you down, and with my limited experience using both integrated and non, I've found the more you can take off the weight belt, the better.

 

[Henryville]

1. I think the "regulator" you see in the pics is actually the inflator. It has a button on it to inflate and deflate the jacket to make you float. They all come with a small "mouthpeice" that I think your confusing with a regulator. The mouthpeice portion is there incase there is a failure in the lp hose you can blow up your jacket with your mouth.

You can fit this mouthpeice with what is called an AirII which can act as a backup regular so you don't have to carry 2 second stages. So if your buddy runs out of air, they basically suck on your inflator. They couldn't really do this unless you have an AirII installed on your BC

OT but...

Is this how people use Air-2s? Obviously from my post above I don't like them, but I'd have thought you would donate reg in your mouth and use your own Air-2, given the hose lengths and desire to control your own inflator...

 

[Henryville]

What i am thinking is buy the wetsuit i found a custom to fit 1.5mm for 263 210 for a 5mm for cold water if i buy it within two months of the first one. Not sure it i will or not.


Most of that stuff i think is size set so might need it before i get cert.

Where do you plan on doing most of your diving?

IMHO- I would not waste money upfront for a 1.5mm- It doesn't offer much warmth and really is just a rashguard. If you plan on doing a lot of tropical diving then buy it, but you could probably just go bareback. If you plan on doing most of your diving local, I'd opt for the 5mm to start. remember if the suface temp of the water is 75, at depth it could easily be 65.

Although B/c's are size set, BUT the sizes are general, s,m,l,xl,xxl and are adjustable. I'd be surprised if your diveshop did have all these sizes availble for rent- ask them if sizing for you would be a problem if your hesitant before buying. For example, I can fit in a large or an XL pulled tight- there is much more play in B/Cs than wetsuits

I agree with the point on the 1.5mm. I dive warm and cold water and I haven't found a situation where I was uncomfortably warm in my 5mm. I'd save the $ and just go with one suit that could take me down into the low 70s/high 60s.

Also, I think the piece you're seeing on BCs is the inflator, as others have said above. That does come with the BC.