What to expect

[Slym]

So I am starting an open water course this coming March, the scuba school offers it every Wednesday night for 6 weeks which is great for me so I can draw it out until warmer weather comes!

I am pretty excited about the whole thing, but I was just wondering what to expect paying for equipment? I have done a bit of research for myself and I really want to try and get my basic equipment for under $250 CAD Is that a realistic budget? The items I will be getting are fins, a snorkel, mask, and boots if I don't find bootless fins... (is that a thing?) I don't want some crappy equipment but I certainly don't need top of the line.

Some of the brands I am looking at are: Atomic, Mares, and Bare.

I am starting pretty knowledgless here, so any tips you guys have would be super appreciated!

 

[Insta-Gator]

Congratulations on your new adventure.

It is good that you understand the gear you buy today may be interim to your final selection in future years. With that in mind, if the classes are hosted/conducted by your local dive shop, share your budget thoughts with them and let them guide you through the selection process in their shop. Yeah, I know some are going to say you can get better equipment for a less money at blah, blah, blah. But regardless of what you buy, five years from now you'll be looking to add to or replace much of it anyway.

Don't over think this scuba thing. Pay attention. Practice your skills. Have fun. Without the fun it's a waste of time and money.

 

[Slym]

Hey sound advice there! Thanks.

Suppose I am just trying to be an informed buyer, you're right I am sure the dive shop won't lead me astray. Seems like a real close shop too they go out to local areas twice a week in the summer!

I think the biggest investment will probably be renting the equipment at first anyway! It should be fun and well worth it though!

 

[Buliwyf]

Can you rent fins/mask/etc. for your class?

Mine rents the scuba unit, but we're supposed to bring our own mask/flippers/snorkel/suit to our class.

 

[diversteve]

Get a good set of paddle fins and boots starting out. Split-fins are touring fins - you can't back up in them very well. Full-foot fins (bootless) are an option for warm water/easy entry diving. If that's all you plan to do - beach/boat diving they're an option. But in Canada probably not so much as your feet/ankles will get cold fast. They sell fin socks that help some but in cold water you're often diving a 7MM layered wetsuit and fin socks are 2mm (really more for chafing/ease of donning) so your feet will be the coldest part of you when diving in cold water. It's pretty uncomfortable, my go to boots are too thin when I dive cold. I just do so little of it that I don't need thick boots sitting around for years.

Since you mentioned Mares - they sell 3-4 Avanti paddle fin models well under $75 U.S. I have Scubapro boots I paid $25 for - Tusa's also for around that money.

The most important thing for a mask is the fit. Not the fancy silicon, multiple skirts, adjustable buckles - although they all help. Low volume is good also since you use air to clear it. In cold water if a mask leaks and it hits your eyes it can be a real shock or even disorienting. I have never paid more than $75 for a mask. Ironically that one leaks at the temples in one position - my $25 Sherwood frameless never has.

I'm the $20 snorkel buyer. And after certification mine rode in my bag till it dry-rotted. So I bought a better one on sale - used it one time to surface swim out to a reef that was really to far to attempt but we did it. I'm pretty sure that snorkel is still somewhere in my dive closet but I haven't seen it in a few years. You do need one for certification so just buy a smooth-bore normal volume snorkel - higher volume means harder to clear. I don't see anything I don't like about the Aqualung Impulse 3 and they're $21.95 in the U.S.

I do kind of agree with Gary ^. There's this fallacy that shops are out to only make money at your expense. I have seen some that try in the past but generally now most sell gear for around what it's listed for online - either on the mfr's site or one of the large online resellers - they're all licensed dealers so prices are very similar. And you get a little support/sizing help. Plus suggestions based on what you think your future dive plans might be. Of course you can get a lot of that here also. When Internet buying became the norm, a few shops here advertised they matched prices (except for tax) now they don't seem to since it's a given.

 

[Slym]

Can you rent fins/mask/etc. for your class?

No you can't, I mean renting the tank, bcd and stuff. their price for a weekend rental is $75 CAD for everything and 55 for one day (includes backplate, long hose DIN regulator system, wrist computer or digital bottom timer, tank of air, 7mm wetsuit, hood, gloves, weights, dive bag)

And DiverSteve, lol I had always wondered why they make you buy the snorkel, didn't make sense to me because you're underwater.

 

[seeker242]

and boots if I don't find bootless fins... (is that a thing?)

Bootless fins are a thing but they are used mostly for warmer waters. If you are diving in Canada, I would be getting open heel fins so that I could wear wetsuit boots to keep the feet warm.

 

[TMHeimer]

Off the top of my head, the $250 CAD would probably cover mask/fins/snorkel at our shop. I think new boots would be in addition. You'll get varied opinions on buying the big stuff, renting, etc. It may be a good idea to rent for the first couple of dive days to see if you like this or that. I recently figured in my head that if you dived for 20 days the first year and rented tank, reg, BCD, the rest (maybe computer, gloves, I don't no exacts), you would have spent about enough money on rent to have owned it all--at least all pretty good used stuff, maybe even new depending on deals. Perhaps the last item you may want to buy is the tank(s). It's usually (at most shops) only a couple of bucks more to rent a full tank than it is to get your own filled, and it's the last think you consider taking on trips, even if driving.

 

[KeithG]

go cheap on the snorkel. make sure you get a mask that fits. if you are unsure, pop by a different LDS to try different shaped masks from other brands.

buy booties and fins. even if you warm water dive, there are many places you do not want to walk in your bare feet.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

So I am starting an open water course this coming March, the scuba school offers it every Wednesday night for 6 weeks which is great for me so I can draw it out until warmer weather comes!

I am pretty excited about the whole thing, but I was just wondering what to expect paying for equipment? I have done a bit of research for myself and I really want to try and get my basic equipment for under $250 CAD Is that a realistic budget? The items I will be getting are fins, a snorkel, mask, and boots if I don't find bootless fins... (is that a thing?) I don't want some crappy equipment but I certainly don't need top of the line.

Some of the brands I am looking at are: Atomic, Mares, and Bare.

I am starting pretty knowledgless here, so any tips you guys have would be super appreciated!

If you are in the market for a quality mask and snorkel, take a look at my site. I sell everything direct, with no retail store etc. Our Minimus mask is extremely popular with our customers (both scuba and freedivers) and it WILL FIT you, be comfortable and not leak or I will accept a return..

Low volume, completely unrestricted visibility,easy to clear and built very well. The price is very low only because I sell direct.



Minimus "Mini" Freedive Mask | MAKO Spearguns

You might also consider one of our basic snorkels:

We sell many long freedive fins - which are often popular with experienced scuba divers, but I know that in many cold water locations, divers select heavy boots and often want open heel fins. We don't offer that type of fin.

Also, you might consider buying your mask fins and snorkel as soon as possible and spend some time using them in the pool - maybe swim some laps in the weeks leading up to the class. Familiarizing yourself with the basic gear before the scuba class will make you more comfortable when the class actually starts.

Good Luck!

Dano