how should i get my gear?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - how should i get my gear?

Posted: 7/26/2017 6:57:53 PM EDT

My freshman year of college I took padi open water course as one of my classes so I have the mask, snorkel, fins, booties, and a weight belt in the barn that was my dads. But I want to get a bcd, first and second stage regulators, and gauges so I can start diving. Since I am still in school money is tight and was wanting to see what everyone thought would be the best and cheapest way to get everything that I am missing. I found some package deals on the internet with everything that I need for what I thought was a decent price. My dad suggested to me that I get some used equipment that a shop used in the classes and to stay away from buying it from an individual unless it was someone that I know so I can be sure that it was taken care of. What does everyone think?

Posted: 7/26/2017 7:19:57 PM EDT

[#1]

A weight belt from the barn? Don't use it. BCDs these days are weight integrated.

Some rental gear may have been ridden hard and put away wet.

There are two good sources for used equipment.

ScubaBoard.com classifieds

Facebook Scuba swap & shop group Link

Regulators will need to be serviced before you dive them.

For BCDs you can test yourself if they hold air (orally inflate and see if they hold air for a couple of hours)

Think about what kind of diving you want to do. If you're going to be doing cold water diving you'll need a sealed first stage.

I prefer a plain analog pressure gauge and a wrist computer. You can pick up used computers for $150-$200. A Suunto Zoop/Mares Puck can do nitrox and would work for you for a while unless you want to get into tech diving.

Having the plain SPG and a wrist computer rather than a console does mean you need a separate compass. Consoles with computers do seem to go pretty cheap.

Posted: 7/26/2017 7:21:03 PM EDT

[#2]

oh, and about those package deals, not the best idea. Sometimes a shop will let you build your own package.

Posted: 7/27/2017 1:24:09 PM EDT

[#3]

I spread out my purchases over a year. Craigslist does have some good deals just be weary of tanks unless they have current viz and hydro. I would ditch your dad's stuff especially the mask. You have to get somthing fitted to you or it will leak and you will be miserable. I think a mask is one of the main things you have to get from a shop that knows what they are doing. I got alot of my stuff on eBay from big vendors doing auctions and selling clearance gear.

Rent now so you can figure out what u like. Also checkout www.diverightinscuba.com they occasionally have used gear and they have Awesome customer service I can't rave enough about them. I have an expensive box of goodies coming today from them

also if you or any of you do order from them you should use this link instead

https://www.diverightinscuba.com/referral-program/MjI0ODFqMnQ=/

Posted: 7/27/2017 2:42:51 PM EDT

[#4]

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Quoted:
I spread out my purchases over a year. Craigslist does have some good deals just be weary of tanks unless they have current viz and hydro. I would ditch your dad's stuff especially the mask. You have to get somthing fitted to you or it will leak and you will be miserable. I think a mask is one of the main things you have to get from a shop that knows what they are doing. I got alot of my stuff on eBay from big vendors doing auctions and selling clearance gear.

Rent now so you can figure out what u like. Also checkout www.diverightinscuba.com they occasionally have used gear and they have Awesome customer service I can't rave enough about them. I have an expensive box of goodies coming today from them

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DRIS is my local shop. They are most certainly awesome.

Posted: 7/27/2017 2:50:32 PM EDT

[#5]

Rent for a while. See what you like. Try out different things. Try different configurations.

Posted: 7/27/2017 5:42:25 PM EDT

[#6]

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BCDs these days are weight integrated.

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...and they are the absolute worst to trim properly.

A $15 neoprene 5-pocket weight belt and homemade lead soft weights is all you need.

Posted: 8/24/2017 11:52:18 PM EDT

[#7]

I bought a AL80 tank locally off craigslist. Guy bought it to fill paintball guns, used it one time, and put it in a closet. 10 years later he decided to sell it. Looked brand new. Not a scratch on it. Needed hydro and visual of course. $25 later at a local fire supply place and it had a current hydro stamp. $15 later at a dive shop it was visual checked and filled.

If the tank is in good shape, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used one out of hydro.

Paid $65.

Posted: 8/25/2017 1:02:45 PM EDT

[#8]

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Quoted:
I bought a AL80 tank locally off craigslist. Guy bought it to fill paintball guns, used it one time, and put it in a closet. 10 years later he decided to sell it. Looked brand new. Not a scratch on it. Needed hydro and visual of course. $25 later at a local fire supply place and it had a current hydro stamp. $15 later at a dive shop it was visual checked and filled.

If the tank is in good shape, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used one out of hydro.

Paid $65.

View Quote

Get half your money back from the dive shop. By law a visual inspection is required when a tank gets hydro'd. If they charged you for a second vis within a year they're being jerks. Air fills shouldn't cost $15.

Posted: 8/25/2017 4:49:51 PM EDT

[#9]

I spread mine out a bit, depending on where you are diving - rental gear is usually available. It will keep initial costs lower, allow you to try different things and then you can invest when you have the funds. It isn't really the best way to go about it financially - but with limited funds now, it may be the best option. Also - watch Craigslist.

Posted: 8/25/2017 7:25:34 PM EDT

[#10]

In that process myself. I suggest reading everything you can. Whatever gear question you have somebody out there has already asked it.

I hate renting gear. I never know what I am going to get or it's condition. Plus, it's costing me $60 to $75 everytime I rent it.

Watch Leisurepro for good deals. Use their price alerts.

Posted: 8/26/2017 8:38:48 AM EDT

[#11]

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Quoted:

Get half your money back from the dive shop. By law a visual inspection is required when a tank gets hydro'd. If they charged you for a second vis within a year they're being jerks. Air fills shouldn't cost $15.

View Quote

The place that does the hydro does also do a visual but they don't sticker it. The local dive shops do hydro and visual together for $48 so doing them separately saves me $8 per tank.

Buddy of mine bought some visual inspection stickers on Amazon and punched them himself. Slap them on a tank after hydro and a hydro and visual costs $25 + couple $$ for the sticker.

Regular air fills in the local dive shops are $6

Posted: 8/26/2017 8:41:54 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
In that process myself. I suggest reading everything you can. Whatever gear question you have somebody out there has already asked it.

I hate renting gear. I never know what I am going to get or it's condition. Plus, it's costing me $60 to $75 everytime I rent it.

Watch Leisurepro for good deals. Use their price alerts.

View Quote

Renting adds up quick. Full set where I live is about $120 for a Sat-Sun rental. Doesn't take many dives to pay for your gear.

I've bought a bunch of stuff from Leisure Pro. They have good prices and I've gotten a few good deals there.

Posted: 8/27/2017 3:46:41 AM EDT

[#13]

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Quoted:

The place that does the hydro does also do a visual but they don't sticker it. The local dive shops do hydro and visual together for $48 so doing them separately saves me $8 per tank.

Buddy of mine bought some visual inspection stickers on Amazon and punched them himself. Slap them on a tank after hydro and a hydro and visual costs $25 + couple $ for the sticker.

Regular air fills in the local dive shops are $6

View Quote

Tanks don't REQUIRE a vis sticker. They don't even require a yearly vis, that's an industry thing so dive shops can make money. A competent honest dive shop will recognize that a hydro has been done within the year and not charge you to do a vis plus a fill. They have to look at the hydro date before they fill it anyway, so it's not like they don't know.... Point out to them that it doesn't require a vis and that the sticker isn't a requirement and don't let them stick you with another charge.

Stuff like this is why customers are buying all of their stuff online. Because they're constantly getting poor service from LDS.

Posted: 8/27/2017 12:25:13 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

Tanks don't REQUIRE a vis sticker. They don't even require a yearly vis, that's an industry thing so dive shops can make money. A competent honest dive shop will recognize that a hydro has been done within the year and not charge you to do a vis plus a fill. They have to look at the hydro date before they fill it anyway, so it's not like they don't know.... Point out to them that it doesn't require a vis and that the sticker isn't a requirement and don't let them stick you with another charge.

Stuff like this is why customers are buying all of their stuff online. Because they're constantly getting poor service from LDS.

View Quote

I don't disagree but the dive shops where I live will not fill without a current visual sticker. Plain and simple. I don't own a high pressure compressor (and won't be either) so in order to get tanks filled, I gotta play by their rules.

I can't get tanks filled online so I have to go to local places. I can tell them they are wrong but they will just tell me to leave with my empty tanks. I'll pay their prices so I can dive. Besides, I don't have anything against dive shops making money. They gotta keep their doors open and maintaining all that high liability equipment and their pool isn't cheap.

I should follow my buddy's lead and just buy the stickers online. But my tanks are good now so no reason to.

Posted: 8/30/2017 6:51:41 PM EDT

[#15]

Are you still in college?
Do you live on campus?

One of the guys in my IDC course had plans to form a scuba club at his college. As I understand it colleges will provide a certain amount of funding for clubs.
If you're motivated and the college you go to doesn't have a scuba club but would be willing to support the formation of one you could use this as a way to not only get new gear for yourself but also have a dive buddies at your disposal.

Craigslist is an option... if you don't know what to look for in a used BCD ask or take someone with you who does.
I've bought from eBay a few times and have had good luck. I always ask lots of questions before committing to a buy on eBay though.

Posted: 9/4/2017 9:37:01 PM EDT

[#16]

I don't really know if renting to try out different types of gear is a really good way to go about it.

Most places have the basic jacket BCDs. Regs are going to probably be the same low to low-mid range stuff. Probably have a console computer.

If you have friends that dive, ask if you can try their gear. Depends though. I've had people at the quarry ask to try my BP/W, but 1. I don't know these people well. And 2. I've got it adjusted just the way I like it. I don't want someone else messing with it. I'd only let someone I know get well use my equipment. Pretty much my regular dive buddy, a few other friends, and my instructors.

Posted: 9/13/2017 8:40:13 PM EDT

[#17]

Find dive buddies that are equipment hoarders. They're out there.
You don't want to know how much dive gear I have.

You can try the WalMart approach: Ask the dive shop what their customer satisfaction policy is. Ask if you can return something if you don't like it. If you can, will it be for store credit at full price or a cash refund?
If they do this, try something. If you don't like it, take it back and keep trying things until you find what you like.

Posted: 9/13/2017 9:06:41 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Find dive buddies that are equipment hoarders. They're out there.
You don't want to know how much dive gear I have.

You can try the WalMart approach: Ask the dive shop what their customer satisfaction policy is. Ask if you can return something if you don't like it. If you can, will it be for store credit at full price or a cash refund?
If they do this, try something. If you don't like it, take it back and keep trying things until you find what you like.

View Quote

Hah! I've done this with masks. Multiple masks at my dive shop. Full store credit for something used.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - how should i get my gear?

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