Finally got my cert last Friday, after spending most of my life in the water swimming and snorkeling. Snorkeling on a Bahamas trip last year sealed my fate and motivated me to finally scuba.

Now I have to choose gear. I’m not buying into the “you need a total dive system” BS. But I do want a few things of my own, decided my own reg set would be first. Of course the local dive shop insists I can’t breathe off anything but a Scubapro Mk25 evo paired with a A700 second stage. I was thinking something more of a Mk11 with S560 second. All of my diving for the foreseeable future is Florida and the Caribbean.

My gut tells me these guys are full of shit, and just in the open water certification portion of my diving career hasn’t led me to a positive impression. What are your thoughts?

Odd, my Diverite regs have served me well and never let me down when cave diving, technical diving, or recreational diving. Granted they don't cost as much as ScubaPro regs but they've always delivered air and I've found myself in some pretty messed up situations several thousand feet back in a cave and they never missed a beat.


YMMV

Hey, OP. Forcibly retired diver here.
I've always used Scubapro regs, because they have a good reputation and a very wide service network, even in remote locations. That said, you don't need their top of the line stuff, mid line is perfectly fine. In fact, I've always bought someone else's used Scubapro regs and had them serviced at my expense before use. The Scubrapro Warranty is set up so you get free parts for life, if and only if you get it serviced every year. If you miss a year, the warranty is void. If you dive frequently, service every year is sensible, but if you are a random recreational diver and take care to rinse and clean your regs promptly after every dive trip, you can go 2 or 3 years without a need for service. Full Disclosure: I had a backup reg set too.

You can use some other brand computer/gauge set and safety second stage too if you like them better. Most pieces are designed to a defacto standard that allows some mixing and matching between brands, so with items like a Computer, Safety Second Stage, BC, and of course fins and mask, buy what works for you and is a reputable brand with service backup. Everything doesn't need to be from Scubapro, but for things like Regs and BC, you definitely want service available at your local shop.

Just be aware, that there are not many expensive things in this world that become low valued to nearly worthless so fast as used scuba equipment.

Hey OP, me again. I just looked at the Scubapro website for the first time in several years, and HOLY CRAP!!! - what a bewildering array of reg set options. My advice is that you will be just fine with either the  MK11/S560 set up or the MK21/S560, or the MK17 EVO/G260 set will be just fine.

I would get the R195 octopus over the R095. Specs indicate that the flow switch and larger diaphram should make breathing just a little bit easier on you or the rescued diver, who may be on the verge of panic if you/they is/are in a stressful out of air situation.

Computer/Gauge choice is personal preference. The one I used was the Sherwood equivalent to the Scubapro G2, on hose computer that tracks both the time at depth relationship and the air remaining estimated time at depth and gives you the more conservative of the 2.

After I got certified I followed the advice of a guy I worked with and bought the Hog D3 / Zenith reg set. Used it for about a year and noticed that I could dive inverted without drinking sea water. Sent it in for service, got it back, same thing. After that I upgraded to the MK25/G260 and haven't had any issues. Buy once, cry once?

I also used the Dive Rite XT Sidemount package for about 3 years before I switched to SP MK25/G260s and now use the DR regs for deco. I had no issues with the DR regs, I was just able to get the SP regs at a really good price.

DGX XTRA Single Tank package: $549.00 (looks suspiciously similar to the SP MK25/G260... enough so that they even address it in the details)
Dive Rite XT single tank package: $649.00
Scubapro MK25/G260: $839.00

*side note: don't get an Air2 or anything like it. They're garbage and always fail.
**side note 2: the other piece of kit you'll want to own (not rent) is a computer. Buy once, cry once... I can't not mention a Shearwater computer. Entry level is the Peregrine. Most of the awesome things a Perdix can do for about $400 less at $450.

You didn't think this was going to be a cheap hobby, did you?

I came to this same conclustion in the dive shop today, the Air2s all looked cheap. I decided that if I or someone else needed a octo, it should be a real second stage with a decent length hose on it. Of course, every BC in the shop had an Air2 already installed. Extremely likely a R195 will end up as my safe second, I used a Mk2 and a piar of R195 for one of the training sessions and found no big issues with those.




Oh no, this was never any belief that this was cheap. My goal was to get solid gear that will fit my skill level. Then as I grow I can have solid gear that can be purposed alternatively or kept as a backup. Just a little put off whan someone says you need to drop 1k on a first and second stage only or I wil have a bad time. A Mk2 and a pair or R195s worked just fine, and the Mares Rovers and whatever the cheap ass first stage worked just fine down to 65 feet in open water. The rovers isn't what I would spend my money on, but they worked.

Definitely get the Peregrine computer!

I don't have the ScubaPro bug like others here do. My single tank regs are AquaLung Legend LX Surpreme (not cheap) and Apeks XTX50 for sidemount (medium cost).

That being said, I dive pretty often and cold water (Great Lakes and quarries/smaller lakes in in the region).

Please don't let them talk you into getting a console. That's the big brick like thing you probably used for your class with all your gauges and such in it.

Peregrine computer, plain "brass & glass" SPG, and a wrist compass (bungee mount is best). Too many people drag that shit all over the place. I hate danglies.

I'm not a fanboy, but all of the local shops stock what seems like nothing but Scubapro, and that is what they service. I figure even if it has a bigger price tag, its a good idea to get what I can get serviced locally inexpensively.




This was my plan, just a regular guage. Unfortunately I already got a SP wrist mount computer with compass. Not thrilled with it, but its still new. I figure I will use it for a season or two before passing it off or finding an alternate use for it.

Also, personal preference... a first stage with a rotating turret like the MK25, Dive Rite XT, SP MK25, Apeks XTX50, Atomic B2,etc. is something you will find you can't live without once you have one and go back to one without.

ScubaPro makes some awesome regulators. But they didn't build their company or reputation on their dive computers.
If you want a solid dive computer, buy one from a company that makes dive computers.
I think of Scubapro's as the Microsoft Zune of dive computers. They're functional. They do what they're made to do. But they're not a Shearwater. Might not be everyone's opinion, so take it for what it's worth.

If you already have an SP computer, hold on to it. It will make a fine backup for a Shearwater... until you buy a second Shearwater.

I've heard good things about the Deep6 regs. Haven't dove them personally.
Wasn't happy with the Hog ones.
I didn't know they were rebranded/clones of Apeks regs. I've used Apeks and they were solid performers.

Truthfully, the regs aren't going to make much of a difference.  Except, as some have mentioned for issues of maintainability.  You don't need the high end, but I would get something your shop services.

Not really much to maintain on a bc other than the inflator, and those are usually somewhat standard.

Computer, a Shearwater peregrine would be a solid choice.  The new Garmin D2i is very nice If you want air integration, don't mind paying more, and would like a really nice watch in addition to dive computer.

Primarily I'd recommend getting your own wetsuit before anything else, unless you plan to not ever need one where you dive.  The wetsuit has to fit YOU, the rest of it's not so specific.

How often do you dive?  Where are you going to be diving?  I ask because if you are brand new you should probably stick to rentals and get a feel for what you need.  Going out and spending thousands on dive gear after completing 3-4 certification dives seems premature.  Doubly so if you are just going to go on chartered dives once or twice a year.

ETA Personally I'd go for comfort items first - wetsuit, mask, BCD, maybe even a dive computer if you are a techie.  Rentals will have limited options in varying conditions and you want something that fits right.  Unless you dive a lot you are better off renting a regulator and letting someone else deal with maintaining it, at least initially.  Just my $.02.

A lot of people that would ordinarily rent are buying their own stuff due to covid, from what I read other places online.

Different regs breathe a little different, but unless you try them all you probably won't know the difference.
Some regs use weird mouth pieces or they're all worn out and chewed to shit. I think Aqualung uses that one with the extra bit that touches the roof of your mouth. I imagine a rental place could swap that out of give you a different reg if that sort of thing bothers you.
BCD I think it as much a comfort item as a wetsuit. Vest, BP/W, hybrid, etc. I personally can't stand being in a vest... but I've also tried a lot of different options. Again, maybe ignorance is bliss in the case of a new diver, especially if they only ever use rental gear.

Hard to argue against the Garmin. At quick glance it looks to do most everything that the Shearwater Teric does.
If GPS is an important feature in a dive computer and worth dropping an additional $300 or so for it.
Either way, it's nice to have a computer you know how to operate and that you trust. Most rentals will probably be the cheapest ones out there like a Suunto Zoop or a Aqualung i300. Both are functional computers and will give you the information you need. I'm older and my eyes are going to hell, so I pretty much need the bigger, clearer screen vs the the grey LCDs.

Wetsuit is a good idea. Especially if you consider how many ignorant people out there piss in them. I would say most places probably have every size available so unless you're getting a custom tailored wetsuit (or drysuit), it's possible they would rent you the one you would end up buying anyway. But they're usually pretty worn the hell out and there's no guarantee they'll have the size you need depending on the size of the shop and how earl you show up to get yoru gear ahead of other people.

I would wager a guess that most new divers that will only be doing it on vacations will more than likely be diving somewhere warm where a wetsuit might not even be needed.

I have my own wetsuit already, I have all of the basics except BC and regset. When I rent, I only need regs, BC, and tank. I don’t see myself buying my own tank currently. I even have a finger spool, dsmb, and weight belt if I end up at a rental place that doesn’t do weight integrated BCs.

I was thinking of getting my own regulator set due to COVID. Rental regs range widely and who knows how they have been serviced or sanitized.

Argument for getting my own BC is I get to set it up how I want it and get to develop a muscle memory with how everything works and is positioned.

I plan on a small/local dive trip monthly. And 1 or 2 big trips a year.

That DGX single tank package linked above is a good BC.

Since your local shop services SP, you might pick up a used set to save some $$. Lots of SP comes up for sale on ScubaBoard and a number of the FB scuba gear sale groups.

Run whatever it is by the guys here to determine it’s a good value.

Almost every employee in a dive shop gets commission on sales. Including the instructors. So of course they're selling the most expensive out of the gate.

I like gear that fits me and my diving style. The only way to figure that out is to rent gear first.

I would absolutely get a computer first and foremost. That's what I tell my students. Finding a mask that fits your face and doesn't drip or flood is second.

As far as regs, most mid range will last you a lifetime. Hose length and mouth piece will be important. If the hose is too long or short the reg will pull or push to one side. Finding a mouth piece that fits your sammich hole will also reduce mouth fatigue.

This Scubapro program only applies if you purchase a package...bc, dc, reg etc.

Aqualung does offer parts for life as you describe.

As far as sales tactics go.  Dive shops are the worst...ask me how I know.
But...its easier to start high then work your way down if needed.   You will never get high if you start low.

Ok, so I got my regulator setup squared away today.

Scubapro Mk11 with a S560 second stage.
Mares Ultra Octo
Basic one gauge Sherwood SPG.

Sounds good! So when do you dive next?

Most likely out islands Bahamas end of the month.

Hope the trip happens!

Com ... Pu ... Ter

Already done. I hate it, but I have one.

I agree.  Try before you buy.  Expensive doesn't equate to better.  More importantly service your regs at least annually and keep a log/receipts.  Don't skimp on the the oct.  diversdirect.com.  Have a B/C and regs for my kid for $400.  Mine are 10 year old Dacors.  Happy Diving!