Karina

Hi everyone, I apologize if this is a moronic question to ask, but I'd rather be a moron without pride than make a wrong decision.

I'm a scratch new beginner diver. I haven't dived since my o/w certification, but I want to buy my own complete set of equipment. I plan to dive for the rest of my life, so I want to make a significant financial investment into this gear. Here's the thing...how much should I spend? Is it stupid to buy nicer stuff before I have the experience to match it (and, presumably, before I can know what I want)? It makes sense to me that if I'm going to buy nice stuff in the future, that I might as well buy it now, instead of buying cheaper stuff and then going out shortly after to buy nicer stuff. But then, it also seems stupid for someone as green as me to buy stuff that's way better than my experience warrants. What do you all think?

Oops...just decided maybe this should have been in the equipment thread. But it's also a newbie question. Urgh, I dunno. Sorry all.

John

Hi Karina and welcome to Divingtalk.

There is no problem where your question is placed. Also no question is moronic or stupid. If there is a question to be asked then that is fine.

I do not dive but a member will be along sooner or later with an answer.

glynneco

If you're willing to make a significant investment God bless you! There are many types of diving and many types of divers. I would highly recomend renting gear to try it out first. Back inflate or Jacket style BC? Blue water or quaary? Wreck or fish freak? Warm, cold or really cold? Travel mainly or local? Who are you diving with? The same crowd or different folk? Have I confused you yet? Rent different types and see what fits best and makes you comfortable. Look at what the folks you will be diving with are wearing for clues. Most places sell packages at a discount so look around. Think about buying rental equipment from a shop. I bought my equipment one piece at a time so I could evaluate what I wanted and get comfotable with it. Besides it was more fun. Stretch it out over a longer time frame!

Decide what kind of diver you want to be and kit up accordingly. Buy what makes you happy. Most of this stuff is pretty good and lasts a long time. Keep it simple though. Bells and whistles sound good in a shop or a magazine but look very different at 130 ft with a strong current and 0' vis.

Shop around and try asking about equipment you like. You could spend anywhere from $700-900 to 2000 - 3000 dollars. If you're dropping the high end call me because I've got a bridge I want to sell you!

Most important is be safe and have fun!

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

Karina

Thank you for the prompt reply!

I figure most of those questions were rhetorical, but nevertheless, I'll answer some of them so you know more what sort of view I'm coming from and maybe you can help me more

I plan to dive mostly local US west coast pacific waters, from northern California to Seattle. Of course, I'd occasionally want to take a trip to see the beautiful blue of warmer places, but for my home turf I'd be diving mostly in the 45-50F degree range, I expect. I am also a total fish nut. I've kept home aquaria since I was 10 and unfortunately have another expensive addiction in those. Just to spice it up a bit, I also love photography as a hobby, so I'll eventually combine all those interests into a mix when I'm able. Why does everything have to cost so much money???? Heheh...

Sadly, I haven't really anyone to dive with and I won't be living in my current area for too much longer, so I can't say who I dive with or who I will dive with. I feel pathetically alone in that regard. As for asking the people I do know, namely my dive shop, they would probably try to sell me whatever is the most expensive, regardless if it is what I really need or would use. I'm not happy with the recommendations they've given thus far, but what can you do. Reno isn't exactly a diving paradise.

I was expecting to spend $1500-$2500, so I guess my estimate wasn't too far off the mark. The thing is, I HATE!!! my dive shop's rental stuff. I utterly loathe it. I never want to use it again, let alone buy any of it. That's somewhat sad, as it seems from most of the posts I've read that people recommend buying the rental stuff, or at least using it, till I know what I want. I suppose I will, but I don't relish the thought. Anyway, I have used both back inflate and jacket BCs, though just between my pool dives and certification dives, and preferred the jacket fairly strongly to the back inflate, so I think want to go with that. Based on that info, is it enough to make at least a BC purchase? I really would like to have my own so it fits well and I can get used to it and learn where everything is and just settle into it. It seemed like every BC I used from the dive shop was different and I was always having to learn new whosits and whatsits and then I'd forget which BC I was using and muddle it all up.

I really like the suggestion about buying it piece by piece. I never really thought of doing that, I guess because I'm so anxious to just have my own stuff. But that does make sense, and it sounds fun and rather satisfying. I think I'll do that

I was just thinking, I'm also seriously toying with the idea of taking the dry suit class over the summer. That probably changes stuff. This is just all so complicated!

Thanks again!

glynneco

Try some different shops. Go in ask questions and look at the rental gear. I dive with a back inflate for its underwater stability, hikes to the water and attachment points for "stuff". I wreck dive so I have a lot of stuff like lights, reels, bags to shoot even the occasional camera. A lot of women prefer jacket though something about their build but many insist on back inflate. I believe a lot of that is what you trained on. Talk to the shop(s) and tell them you want to buy and what you are interested in. They may well let you dive new or at least put you in what they will sell you. 45 is a bit cool you may want to go dry. I prefer Dive Rite equipment because of its reliability but there will be many opinions.

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

Scuba Mama

I myself prefer jacket style back inflate. With that said now that I have started using a dry suit I would prefer a back inflate. Once you have taken the dry suit course this will become a little clearer to you. I would also recommend you take an advance course as, if you are PADI certified it will cover navigation, deep as core dives and three electives, you could take dry suit, photo, and wreck, or search and recovery, enriched air they are a few others but you see you would have a chance to use all the gear as part of a course and learn how to use the gear. You would also get a chance to try the dry suit w/instruction. There are a few other options with dry suits some companies like DrySuit Institute Unlimited travel across the USA doing what is called DUI days (no, not driving under the influence). I wish they would change the name but you could check the schedule to see when they would be out in your area and try the gear on with them. You may want to google to see if there are any dive clubs in the area, so you can meet some local area divers.

MgicTwnger

All the above is good advice.
Another option is package specials run by both dive shops and internet dealers. The hard part about buying on the net is fit: masks should be tried on at the very least. Make sure you can exchange anything for any reason.

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I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.

Karina

I really appreciate this bit of advice. I'll hold off buying a BC till I take the dry suit class. I'm not entirely sure that I'll want to use one regularly, but I may really like it. And anyway, patience (drat it) seems to always be the wisest course of action. I'd rather wait and be sure. I also plan on taking some of the other courses this summer as well, so the extra time using the equipment should help.

I took this advice and seem to have found one! Thanks again, I didn't even know these existed, though of course it makes perfect sense. I'm going to see if I can't make it to their next meeting.

Thanks again everyone for all of your wonderful advice, it's proving to be so helpful!