What to buy first for my son

[BigD]

All,

My son is getting his certification this coming weekend. Then we are going on a trip to Coz. I have all my equipment which is SP MK10/G250 and a Zeagle BC. I prefer my own equipment over rentals, however he is 12 years old and growing.

In what order should I buy equpment for him? I was planning on Reg, BC and then Computer. I will either borrow my brothers computer or rent one for him. If I decide to buy the reg first then I will upgrade mine and give mine to him.

What are your thoughts?

Dennis

 

[capelli]

well he will never out grow the regs that is the order i would start

 

[5615mike]

Man.......where to begin. First of all it's a great opportunity to get yourself a new reg. The G250 is certainly a fine rig but IMO if you buy your son new gear and he for some reason does not take to it or does not greatly enjoy it then you have wasted a great deal of money. Be on the safe side and give your old one to him.

Wetsuit/Skin - Obviously no reason to spend alot here since he won't be wearing in very long. You can find great deals on 3mm on ebay or get him a microprene 1/2 from Henderson or other mfg. Can be had for less than $100.

Computer - rent one or borrow for now. No reason to spend $$ yet.

BC - I would wait on this. He's growing
Mask - Fit is critical. Would not buy one for him without trying it on first.

Fins - easily had for under $100 and maybe even $50 if you shop. Not overly critical for Coz while drift diving.

My .02 worth. Have great time

 

[diverlady]

I'd go with the regs first. You get new ones and he gets your old ones. Since I've had rental regs fail (twice), I always recommend life-support equipment first. And as capelli says, he won't outgrow the regs.

Diverlady

 

[BigD]

He had a Sea Dive mask from our snorkeling trips and just bought him some Velocity fins.

I am looking at a Henderson Microprene and trying to find a deal on it.

I would love a new reg set, looking at either the Mk25/S600 or an Apeks but that topic is for another board.

He would never outgrow the reg so I was looking at that as the first purchase. The BC option is tough since he is already 115 pounds and 5'6. He will be taller than my 6'1".

However, I remember when I first started diving, I like having a BC that I was comfortable with so I can get my Neutral Bouyancy just dialed in.

what's a good inexpensive BC that I could look at?

Thanks

Dennis

 

[scubasean]

The reg is too practical....Buy the computer first, and then buy the reg....

The computer gives your kid a record of each dive, keeps him involved in the dive planning/review process, etc.

The reg is certainly important, but it will be less of a thrill for your child into the future...

Just my .02 from being there myself.

 

[IndigoBlue]

All,

My son is getting his certification this coming weekend. Then we are going on a trip to Coz. I have all my equipment which is SP MK10/G250 and a Zeagle BC. I prefer my own equipment over rentals, however he is 12 years old and growing.

In what order should I buy equpment for him? I was planning on Reg, BC and then Computer. I will either borrow my brothers computer or rent one for him. If I decide to buy the reg first then I will upgrade mine and give mine to him.

What are your thoughts?

Dennis

Since he is growing, I agree that renting B/Cs is best. Renting suits if available is best as well for the same reason.

I would give him your reg and then you upgrade to a Scuba Mk 20 / S600 if you can afford it. This is the best that ScubaPro makes. I see no reason to go for the titaniums. The classic Mk 20s are quite perfect.

For a new octo for you, I would go with two full service S600 2nd stages.

As far as a dive computer goes, I would make this the second priority. It is not a big issue however. If you both have really good buddy skills, and stay side by side, within reach of each other, you can both take turns wearing "the" computer. Some divers consider that to be heretical. The truth is often heretical. Remember when Galileo got in trouble with the Church at Rome for publishing his discovery of satellites revolving around Jupiter?

 

[reubencahn]

Well, here's what I bought for my son: TUSA Mask, Scubapro Jetfins, Comp wetsuit (one 3mm, one 5mm); Aquatic Wetsuit hood, MK25/S600 Air2/, Scubapro Classic BC. Here's what I would change if I were doing it now. I would skip the S600 and go for the G250HP. I would skip the Air2 and get a regular secondary (an R380) I would skip the Scubapro Classic and get a BP/W.

Since you already have a mask and fins, I would make my first purchase a wetuit. And I would get a 3mm not microprene. I wouldn't worry about brand since he will grow out of it before he trashes it. But make sure it fits. Don't buy too large to allow for growth. I say this because kids get colder easier and quicker than we do and they take longer to recover. I've found it very important to keep them warm if they're going to enjoy diving at all. I don't know where you are but here in FL, I've been able to get wetsuits for my son for about $50 to $75. They've lasted through 2 years but I'm getting ready to replace them as he grown so much lately.

I guess my next purchase would be the reg. I'd rather give my son the new reg. If he were to drop out of diving (not likely) it would be mine anyway. I would choose the 250 over the 600 because it's the same mechanism in a larger case. Many feel it breathes even smoother than the 600 and it's cheaper.

But it's a close call between getting the reg first or getting the bc. It may be hard to find a rental bc that fits your son well. And a loose, ill-fitting bc could really cause problems. They're not as large and strong as us, so a tank moving around on their backs, even a little bit can cause some real problems.

I'm switching my son over to a BP/W this month. In part this is because I've taken DIR-F and want to get him diving in the same style. But a real side benefit is that it's infinitely adjustable. I know it will be a perfect, secure fit now and a perfect secure fit later when he grows. The most I'll end up spending as he grows is $20 for new webbing.

Anyway, good luck. It does get very expensive but it's very rewarding.

 

[jonnythan]

DiveRite hast that nifty grow up with a transpac thing.

http://www.diverite.com/kids/dvegear.htm

 

[wrongkey]

DiveRite hast that nifty grow up with a transpac thing.

http://www.diverite.com/kids/dvegear.htm

I think that's a good deal. They keep replacing the parts your kid outgrows, so you only have to buy the BC once. You could also go the BP/wing route and keep adjusting the harness as he grows. He wouldn't outgrow that, either.

I'll add my voice to those suggesting a reg as a good first move, though, both because of its importance and the fact that it won't be outgrown. For a wetsuit, consider a scuba flea market if there's one in your area. A local dive club here runs one once a year, and you can get lightly used wetsuits for dirt cheap.