What equipment do you recommend to start? (+ links of what I'm seeing)

[marina_uy]

hello! I am looking for my first basic equipment that consists of fins + boots, mask and snorkel. the fins do not need excessive speed, but rather energy saving and easy handling.
I do recreational diving and for scientific purposes (searching, mapping, taking samples, taking measurements).
The big question of every ignorant beginner and also with a low budget is if what I want to buy really works for me? Is this product really worth the expense?
That is why I seek your help... and remember I am buying all this in the USA from Uruguay

-Fins-
I started seeing these fins but the cost is very high (although I like them and read that they are very good)

mares scuba fins- Used Once, Size Small | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for mares scuba fins- Used Once, Size Small at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I went to look for lower prices (the real problem is the $$ of shipment) but to continue within the reference brands and I found these 2 options:

Cressi Pro Light Fins | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Cressi Pro Light Fins at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Mares Plana Avanti Quattro blue Scuba Diving Fins Size Small Made in Italy | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mares Plana Avanti Quattro blue Scuba Diving Fins Size Small Made in Italy at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

and in the search this used set appeared but I do not know the quality of that model of Tusa fins compared with my others options.
however getting the whole set for that price is a bargain and it would be very convenient for my economy

TUSA Liberator X-Ten Open Heel Scuba Flippers Pink Small Knife Mask Snorkel | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for TUSA Liberator X-Ten Open Heel Scuba Flippers Pink Small Knife Mask Snorkel at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Also I have seen very nice Tusa fins and at reasonable prices, what is your opinion of the brand?

-Mask and snorkel-
I found this set very nice and I think it is of acceptable quality, I am waiting for the seller to confirm that the mask is without purge valve

NEW Aqua Lung Sport Mask and Snorkel Combo Blue/Yellow | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW Aqua Lung Sport Mask and Snorkel Combo Blue/Yellow at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Any general advice would be more than appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
Greetings to all!!

 

[L13]

You really need to try a bunch of masks on before you buy one. Everybody's face is shaped differently and what works for one person often won't for another. Pick the one that fits the best, regardless of brand/model/price . . .

 

[lowwall]

Mask and fins need to fit you. Is there anything available locally that you can try on? Used is fine for this gear.

Also full foot fins (no booties) are cheaper and more efficient. They don't work well for cold water or entries over rough ground though.

 

[David Wilson]

I agree with L13 and Iowwall about looking around locally in Uruguay for starter gear and seeing what works for you. The advice in diving manuals for beginners once was to beg or borrow as many masks and pairs of fins as possible from friends or acquaintances and to try them out in the water to see which ones best suited your own swimming style. You will only know if a mask fits you properly without leaking if you try on a range of them. "Fits all faces" is just salesman's patter. Issues with wrongly sized fins may be easier to solve, however, with neoprene socks or with fin grips (below) in the case of loose-fitting full-foot fins.

The Central and South American equivalent of eBay is Mercado Libre, your country affiliate at https://www.mercadolibre.com.uy/. Mercado Libre offers plenty of used underwater gear and the shipping cost will likely be much lower if you are on a budget.

According to my online research, reasonably priced underwater swimming equipment is still in production in other Latin American countries such as Argentina (Pino sub), Peru (Manicsac), Brasil (Cobra sub) and Mexico (Escualo Sports), often using moulds originally designed in Western Europe.

Incidentally, Uruguay used to have its own basic diving gear manufacturer: Aquagom (below).

I still choose to snorkel here in North East England with classic fins and masks like these because they remain efficient and comfortable accessories for my gentle style of open-water swimming. As you can probably tell, I'm not a fan of silicone-skirted masks and plastic-bladed fins!

Whatever you decide to buy, they won't be the only mask and fins you ever purchase, as you are bound to find faults. A quest for fins and masks never results in instant success, it will turn into a lifelong odyssey!

 

[formernuke]

Fit is key for both. Try out as many as you can.

Avoid full foot fins. Get open heal and booties.

 

[marina_uy]

I really appreciate all your responses.
I did not know aquagom but it seems that it no longer exists... It would be great to have a Uruguayan manufacturer
I'll keep looking then
The main reason why I look on ebay instead of mercado libre is because of the costs, on ebay for the same money I get something of better quality but you are right that it is a risk to buy without trying. The problem is that they don't let you try it in all the stores here either, it depends on whether the package can be opened without breaking it

 

[Brett Hatch]

MAKO Spearguns offers a fit guarantee on their silicone masks: Minimus (aka Mini) Freedive Mask

I had a hard time finding a mask that fit, so I figured why not give it a shot. It's the best fit I've found so far

 

[Kupu]

I went to look for lower prices (the real problem is the $$ of shipment) but to continue within the reference brands and I found these 2 options:

Cressi Pro Light Fins | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Cressi Pro Light Fins at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

The Cressi Pro Light fins rank at the very bottom of all the fins I have owned. I was not very happy with the performance, even as a new diver at the time.

 

[marina_uy]

The Cressi Pro Light fins rank at the very bottom of all the fins I have owned. I was not very happy with the performance, even as a new diver at the time.

wow thank you!!!

 

[schuylerclark]

During OW, I bought a relatively cheap mask and snorkel through Amazon. Later I tried a few at a shop and found one that fits my face much better, especially around the nose for equalizing. I have the original as a backup/loaner now.

For fins I rented for awhile, tried buying a pair (Amazon again) and ending up sending them back. I found a pair I really like and have been happy with after again going to a shop and trying on a few. It was important to try them with my booties.

I also got a cheaper computer to start and recently upgraded to a better one as well. It’s now also a backup, though it may end up for sale since that’s a bit more money I could use.

I could have saved some money waiting and renting a bit longer till I had a better feel for what I really wanted, so I definitely recommend taking your time and trying things out. The ability to rent gear in scuba is an option that many hobbies don’t share, so I say take advantage until you’re sure.