What scuba gear to take with versus rent in Cozumel?

[Queen Triggerfish]

I totally agree with CVChief. Before dropping a load on diving equipment, how about diving a few times post cert to see if you will like it. IMO, the bare minimum you need are a mask and a wetsuit. Fit is important on both of these. A shortie may do you if you aren't good on air and your dive time will be short; otherwise I would get a 3 mm. BCDs take up a lot of room in your suitcase and your dive op will have one that fits you OK. The op will likely have suitable fins. You are too new to worry about a sausage and reel, IMO. Leave the computer purchase for now but when you DO decide t buy one, get one that is nitrox capable so you don't have to buy ANOTHER computer if you eventually get nitrox certified.

I totally agree here. If I recall correctly from another thread (and your name), you're really little, right? All the better reason to make sure you get your own wetsuit and mask. Plus - knowing you get cold really easily (another thread) - you wouldn't want to risk only being able to rent a shortie. The next things I would buy myself would be boots and fins, but that's more easily debated.

(And FYI - after the wetsuit conversation in the other thread, I've been diving a 5 mm all week and am as content as could be. I know I'd be really cold in my 3 mm. If anyone thinks I'm pushing the 5 mm on someone, refer to the thread the OP started last week.)

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I take all my own gear where ever I go because I know where it has been and that it has been serviced properly. That being said I wouldn't run out and buy a bunch of gear before you go if you don't already own it.

 

[Skittl1321]

I totally agree with CVChief. Before dropping a load on diving equipment, how about diving a few times post cert to see if you will like it. IMO, the bare minimum you need are a mask and a wetsuit. Fit is important on both of these. A shortie may do you if you aren't good on air and your dive time will be short; otherwise I would get a 3 mm. BCDs take up a lot of room in your suitcase and your dive op will have one that fits you OK. The op will likely have suitable fins. You are too new to worry about a sausage and reel, IMO. Leave the computer purchase for now but when you DO decide t buy one, get one that is nitrox capable so you don't have to buy ANOTHER computer if you eventually get nitrox certified.

Great advice, but I think an SMB is an essential piece of emergency equipment. No need to have it on a reel (though isn't that an OW skill now through PADI) but good to have to wave on the surface in an emergency. We also have whistles clipped to ours.

 

[ThePetiteRunner]

I totally agree here. If I recall correctly from another thread (and your name), you're really little, right? All the better reason to make sure you get your own wetsuit and mask. Plus - knowing you get cold really easily (another thread) - you wouldn't want to risk only being able to rent a shortie. The next things I would buy myself would be boots and fins, but that's more easily debated.

(And FYI - after the wetsuit conversation in the other thread, I've been diving a 5 mm all week and am as content as could be. I know I'd be really cold in my 3 mm. If anyone thinks I'm pushing the 5 mm on someone, refer to the thread the OP started last week.)

You have an excellent memory. Yes, I am pretty little and I did decide to go with the 5 mm. It's getting delivered tomorrow!

I'm still torn about what equipment to buy beforehand. I may end up getting some stuff anyway because I'd really like to get some practice dives in before we go. Thanks so much for all the insights and opinions everyone!

 

[cvchief]

but I also know how to use the dive tables too. .

Taking my niece and nephew for the checkout dives in February. Tables are apparently not in the class from their prep and pool time.

 

[gcarter]

I have always taken all of my own gear with the exception of tanks and weights, whether cold water diving or warm. The only dives of 176 where I did NOT use my own gear were the first 4.

 

[tomhooper]

Really? Hate to hear that they aren't teaching the tables anymore.

Taking my niece and nephew for the checkout dives in February. Tables are apparently not in the class from their prep and pool time.

 

[cvchief]

Really? Hate to hear that they aren't teaching the tables anymore.

They gave them a subscription for a 'dive computer simulator.'

 

[halocline]

I imagine you have to own a mask and fins for your OW class, so bring those, and the only other purchase I would suggest is a perfectly-fitting wetsuit, probably 3 mm for Cozumel in June. If you get cold easily you could add a beanie. The water temps are likely to be around 80F, and for a couple of dives/day most people at that temp are comfortable in a 3mm suit.

The fit of the wetsuit is very important for dive comfort, maybe the most important gear consideration, and most difficult to get right with rental suits.

 

[ggunn]

They gave them a subscription for a 'dive computer simulator.'

That is unfortunate. It's sortalike if grade school math classes would stop teaching multiplication and division and give their students "calculator simulators" instead. Yes, I know, calculators are ubiquitous in schools, but it's important to understand what is going on under the hood of those devices before one becomes reliant on them. IMO, it should be the same for dive computers.