What item of equipment was a waste of money?

[chepar]

pt40fathoms once bubbled...
I am still looking for an underwater sounding device that really works.

Just finished my AOW course, and my instructor had some sort of sounding device attached somewhere around the inflation hose area - it sounded like a honk- very audible underwater and hard to mistake for anything other than what it was.

Came in handy when I veered off course during the navigation dive - zoned out on the last segment of the square pattern - he probably let us go for about 30 -40 feet before honking at us.

 

[The Iceni]

nyscubanerd once bubbled...
The subject says it all. I think they should be outlawed for being dangerous.

Kevin

I use a Buddy Autoair, which is the British equivalent and have often used it, in practice, at 40+ metres to breath from without problem. The BC and autoair on the left cylinder (Apeks TX100 first stage) and with a 2 metre low pressure hose connecting my main reg per DIR (another complete TX100) on the right I have total redundancy without an octopus. Even when using it as my regulator I can operate my wing no problem.

Can you explain why you consider this configuration (or is it particularly the Scuba Pro Air 2) is "dangerous", nyscubanerd?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Dr Paul Thomas once bubbled...
Can you explain why you consider this configuration (or is it particularly the Scuba Pro Air 2) is "dangerous", nyscubanerd?

There's nothing dangerous about the Air2, Doc. They work just fine in recreational scenarios. I think what nyscubanerd meant to say is that he really, really doesn't like it, and to him it's useless.
By the way, nyscubanerd, you just package that Air2 up and ship it to me at 2549 Aimee Drive, Montgomery AL 36106 and I'll dispose of it properly for ye.
As a public service, don'tchaknow...
Rick

 

[Scubaroo]

That would be the same Air2 that my buddy had two weekends ago that had a brainfart and kept inflating his BC on him unless he held it in a certain position. So not only did *I* lose an alternate air souce because he was no longer in a position to donate a regulator without buddy-breathing, but he lost bouyancy control. Fortunately it was at the end of the dive. Apart from the malfunction though I have no problem with them

My most useless pieces of dive gear (which seemed really useful at first) are a retractor, snorkel and a leg knife.

 

[Stone]

chepar once bubbled...
Just finished my AOW course, and my instructor had some sort of sounding device attached somewhere around the inflation hose area - it sounded like a honk- very audible underwater and hard to mistake for anything other than what it was.

Probably a Hammerhead. Here's a link to a Rodale's Review

The author says it uses a lot of air and is complex.

Maybe that means you come up with 495 psi instead of 500 psi.
We might have 200 dives and two years of salt water diving on ours. Always worked, never been "serviced."

 

[Spectre]

raxafarian once bubbled...
Mares axis reg.

made a great pony bottle reg.

I have no regrets about any of the equipment that I've retired [my BC, my old alternate, etc...]. I could have waited and rented, but I never would have come close to the dive count that I put in if I had to plan and think and pay $$ to rent. I did over 60 dives on that BC, so it more than payed for itself...

regarding knives. I am very happy having both a knife and my shears. My knife is on my leg, my shears are on my belt. I'll probably get another knife to place higher up on my body as well.

 

[MSilvia]

I bought a 5' "Hawaiian sling" spear and a 3' lobster "tickle stick" from my LDS for a total of around $40. Later, I saw a $20 3' Hawiian sling that works perfectly for both jobs. The long spear and tickle stick have been retired.

 

[Rockhound]

I'm also surprised that some folks think big knives are a waste of money. I have one of those big ol' pig stickers, a Wenoka "Blackie Collins" limited edition, plus a small "navy seal" type knife. The big blade gets used all the time. I've cut thick rope, pried various objects loose from the bottom and used it to stick flounder. My little knife, mounted high up, is for just for backup, and I've never pulled it from the sheath underwater (well, maybe once or twice just to play.)

Things I bought, but regretted:

1)Benzomatic Decompression Computer (Never "recalled", I simply got a letter saying "DO NOT USE THIS COMPUTER. YOU WILL GET BENT. " Unfortunately, this was after I did about 150 dives on it. I didn't get bent. Its still in my closet somewhere.

2) A $200 "fairing" for my AtPac. I was a teenager, and I thought the AtPac fairing looked futuristic, like something from a Cousteau special. It completely enclosed my tank, first stage and back inflation in a streamlined fiberglass shell. The only thing missing was a matching light helmet. I epoxied it white (it was originally lime green), put on some fancy decals and thought it was cool. I made one dive trip with it before figuring out that it made changing tanks an ordeal and that it increased my drag in the water about a zillion percent. I sold it at a yard sale for 10 bucks.

3) A pair of Godawful USD fins that I used only once. They had some sort of "tunnel' that ran the length of the blade, which was supposed to be superior to the "jets" of the then patent protected jetfin. Stiff, heavy and inefficient, they were worse than useless. I was biased against USD for years after wasting my money on those crappy fins.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

MNScuba once bubbled...
My dry snorkel... Should have just gotten a tube with a moutpiece for as much as I use the thing!

You got that one right. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but anytime the water is not absolutely flat the damn closes up - usually right at the beginning of a breath. At least I'm getting training for a real OOA emergency. ut:

I'm still enough of a newbie to think that a big knife strapped to my leg looks cool.

Marc

 

[aquaviper]

a 3 C-cell flashlight.

Waste of money. The kids play with them now.

Bought a 8 C-cell. Got smart right? nope. This one goes with mrs. aquaviper.

Bought UK 8D. Now I'm happy..........