advice for buying my gear

[padi613]

Hi Benfuqua
Congrats on starting an enjoyable passtime. I have one piece of advise.
Do not let the dive store sell you dive gear that is not suitable for the diving you intend to do. Get trained ,and get the basic equipment you need now.
I'm sure that many a novice diver spends more that is ness.I went down a similar road when I first learned to dive, spent an enormous ammount of money only to find after a few months later that I had bought at the recommendation of the dive store a lot of gear that was unsuitable for the diving that I was doing at that time.Anyway happy hunting for your scuba gear. Les

[it_mike]

Do not let the dive store sell you dive gear that is not suitable for the diving you intend to do. Get trained ,and get the basic equipment you need now.

Les,

If he does that, how are we supposed to get nearly new equipment cheap? Our number one source of gear is newbies!

<END HIJACK>

[The Publisher]

Lol...it is like when I get my mountain bikes or car stereos stolen-UPGRADE TIME! See, there IS a silver lining!

[greenturtle]

Just get the basics - mask and fins.

Snorkel - I don't even strap them to my mask when diving now (you won't need a snorkel when diving

Wetsuit, BC, Reg - took me a long while before investing in these as wasn't sure if I would take up the sport regularly. Have seen too many people gave up the sport for one reason or another.

Happy diving!

[cowleyp]

Hi New Diver and great to have you on board.
You can buy the "basic kit" first, mask-fins-slorkel first.
The mask is arguably the single most important piece of kit you will buy, most of us end up with more than one as a result of mistaken purchaces or equipment updates. Use the "place it on your face and inhale via your nose" technique to ensure good seal, ensure easy acess to nose for aiding equalising, also check the hard parts of the frame are not too close to or touching your nose or nasal bridge. Avoid gimicks like valves and tints.
Snorkel is important buy a lower cost unit with a clearing valve on bottom bend, top valve is not as useful.
Green Turtle, your experience is typical and often repeated but it is an instructors nightmare. After over 1000 recreational dives I always use a snorkel, I have needed it twice and on one occation it probably saved my and my buddies life.
Fins, hmmm try as many on at school as you can to compare, all better brand names are OK, again avoid gimicks like splits and look at stiffer options as they allow better control but do require more effort. Dive-Rite offer great fins with steel spring straps as standard, in my opinion best all round value
Booties, sure buy a nice high 3mm ankle pair with zip, colours make kit easy to find on the boat floor.

[acelockco]

buy a nice high 3mm ankle pair with zip, colours make kit easy to find on the boat floor.

That would really depend on the temperature of the water you are diving in. In the tropical regions, many divers use full foot fins without booties. In cooler waters the 3mm booties and fins with straps work best. Now if you are diving in the cold waters, your feet will freeze off using 3mm booties, you will need 6mm+ booties ....or a drysuit with dryboots.

[Munch]

Oceanic is reasonably priced and reliable, the bonus is the customer service, they pretty much replace anything defective for free. when your dve computer needs servicing or your regs or BCD etc you pay for the service and any replacement parts are free! However comfort and what feels right for you is a massive consideration as well. Enjoy your diving!!