Shazz March 18, 2006 Share Shazz Member March 18, 2006 I am finishing up my PADI Open Water Scuba certification. Just wondered if anyone that visit's these boards Scuba's too. I would think that Scubadan has. If so. What equipment do you peeps use. The scuba shop where I am getting certified from stocks Zeagle equipment. Do you like Zeagle? Mares? Scubapro? Anything?? lol I am going to spend around $1000.00 bucks on new stuff soon and want to make sure I am getting something worth the money. So any reviews you have are welcomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbilDustBunny March 18, 2006 Share EbilDustBunny GC Alumni March 18, 2006 OOOoooo!!! Plan any trips yet? That's too cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Cool March 18, 2006 Share Mr.Cool Member March 18, 2006 buy the scubadan brand =D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep48 March 18, 2006 Share shep48 Member March 18, 2006 dacor and sherwood. what do u have already? u have some gear for your open waters ? my family does water construction, I have spent ALOT of time in the water. I was running cranes before I had a drivers license. You need to buy or at least shop at a store where you can get your hands on the gear. spend money on the mask and regulator, those are the 2 most important things. rent your tanks. my ftp is on the fritz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 18, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member March 18, 2006 Here is the equipment I was looking at purchasing. I already have a great mask. But was thinkin of getting one with a purge on it. BC Flathead XP Regulatorl Navigator Console Showing Depth Gauge Just a couple of the products I have looked at. One thing I like about Zeagle. They have many "Product of the Year" awards. Plus they give Lifetime Warranty's where not many others do. They are also American Made here in Florida. But the Lifetime Warranty just beams in my eyes. You can visit many scuba sites and magazines and read where Zeagle makes great stuff. But I am open to opinions. One other reason, is that since I am finishing my Open water at this scuba shop, I get a discount on the equipment they stock. And Zeagle is one of the main brands they sell. they sell others too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaDan March 18, 2006 Share ScubaDan Member March 18, 2006 I rent most of my gear, except for mask, snorkel, fins. The cold water diving available up here means I don't dive much until my annual caribbean vacation, so renting is easier. I've heard good things about Zeagle and Sherwood but i have no personal preference between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty March 18, 2006 Share Fatty GC Founder March 18, 2006 I want to scubadive....I even get a magazine that I bought off some poor sap on my porch.... Someday my wife and I want to get certified together so we can dive while we're in Florida. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubblegum Bandit March 18, 2006 Share Bubblegum Bandit Member March 18, 2006 We dove twice on our Honeymoon in Jamaica. It was awesome. We just did the resort course certification so we could only go down like 40', but it was still pretty sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief March 18, 2006 Share Chief Member March 18, 2006 I got my license back in the early-mid 80s, so I've done a little bit of diving here and there (altantic, pacific, gulf, indian). I would not buy from a place that only offers one brand--if they don't turn enough business to carry multiple brands then I'd buy elsewhere. Zeagle is a fine brand, but **You** HAVE to compare different items because the fit is as important as the brand. Go nuts on the mask, and make sure to buy the protective case for it if it doesn't come with one sturdy enough. Without good clear, leak-free vision you might as well go snorkeling in the bath tub. Unless you buy an awesome full face mask, you can get the best that you want for less than 200 prolly and it'll last YEARS. Even if you're diving in the Gulf of Mexico or Indian Ocean, you still need boots. And get some decent fins, they will help you fight stronger currents and swim more efficiently (that means burning less oxygen, which means staying under longer). Like shep said, a good regulator is crucial, but they can be rented most places. If you're on a tight budget, I would throw your money into 1. Mask & snorkel $100 - 200 mask + $30 - 50 2. boots & fins $100 - 200 + $20 - 70 3. undershirt $20 - 50 4. dive computer (can't always rent and they let you get off the dive tables and really maximize your time in the water) $150 - 500 You can rent everything else most anywhere you go. Or if you've got money to burn add the BC, regulator, spear gun, pony tank, gloves, dive light & bags, the duffels to carry it all...Heck, buy a small boat with a compressor and a few tanks! Then invite me along, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 18, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member March 18, 2006 Fantastic Advice! There are tons of places here in Tampa that offer many brands. The shop is a great shop but not as big as others here in town. Guess I am going shopping! lol my wife is going to love this. Do you like the purge valves on Mask? Any brand that you recommend or does it even matter? Fit is #1? I don't mind spending the money (within reason, I am not Bill Gates) on this stuff. I will put it to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbilDustBunny March 18, 2006 Share EbilDustBunny GC Alumni March 18, 2006 So is scuba license like a boaters license as in... when you get one it does not expire? Or do you have to retake a written test here and there. And does it allow you to take people that don't know anything about diving... to like dive with you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief March 18, 2006 Share Chief Member March 18, 2006 I would not buy a mask with a purge valve. Surely you've learned to press the top, pull the bottom from your face, and exhale through your nose to evacuate excess water. But a well fit mask should not really let in much water at all unless you have a mustache (moustache?) or beard. The purge valves are suxor for getting salt or sand in them and that is more time consuming to solve underwater at 110'. Also if you go deep the pressure will compress your mask to face as the air is squeezed...with a purge the air can exit leading to a less consistent fit. Then you're trying to blow air out your nose to get your mask to fit and that breaks the seal and a few drops leak in... It's kind of like computer parts these days. For the most part they are all pretty good if you go for one of the big names. Once you're shopping for decent brands carried by reputable retailers, the fit is the single most important thing followed closely with vision. Don't go cheap on the mask and don't rush testing them out. Try and walk around a little while you're wearing it to see how your peripheral vision works. The wider your field of view under water, the more enjoyable. You'll mostly look in front of you, but it's nice to have things catch your eye so you know where to point you head. For safety, it'll also help stay in site of your buddy. A decent shop will tell you to lightly press the mask to your face to create a seal without using the headstrap, this will test the mask's fit--you do NOT want to rely on the mechanical force of the headstrap to keep the mask on, secure, or leak-free. The mask should do that through proper fit and soft silica materials, and the strap just keeps it in place. I really like the Mares fins and they are consistently a popular fin on dive boats. When people show up with mixed gas, rebreathers, or other pricey specialized equipment they are often using Mares fins. I said 100-200 for fins because you're going to a dive shop, but a good set of Mares can be had for $75 - 100 online: http://shop.divebooty.com/products/ms_mare...scuba_fins.html There is such a wide range in features and prices, that it's tough to say what is right for you, because there are so many pieces of equipment. But I would reco. Fin #1, 3 or 4 on that link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep48 March 19, 2006 Share shep48 Member March 19, 2006 chief is right on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 19, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member March 19, 2006 Great advice again Cheif. The link you sent me to started a chain of links that answered alot of questions. Everyone say's "Buy your mask first, then fins...and so on." Ty Shep and Cheif!! Again, this topic is still open to good finds or suggestions. btw I hope to finish this thing Tuesday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 20, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member March 20, 2006 Chief...Shep or anyone else. Have you heard of the TUSA dive gear brand? http://www.tusa.com/ seems to be good stuff up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief March 21, 2006 Share Chief Member March 21, 2006 Ya they've been around for years. I also really like dive-rite BCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief March 21, 2006 Share Chief Member March 21, 2006 But I am shying from recommending things because so much depends on your size/build as well as where you VS. where you dive, the type of diving you do, your budget...If I were you I would go to BOrders or barnes & noble and pickup a copy of every dive magazine that they have and skim through. You'll get a feel for how people talk about different brands as well as different pieces of equipment. This is like getting ready to build your first computer, but the parts will have your life on the line. You'll trade FPS for visibility and RAM for bottom time, but you should get up to speed on the options and styles out there. Find a mask that fits perfectly and offers excellent visibility and don't worry about the brand, you've found the one for you. The only piece of equipment that is easily reco'd is the Mares fin. Those Avantis are a class above. I like a lighter, more bare rig for the tanks, like old school Jacques Cousteau or Flipper. I like D-rings and a lo-profile versus the vests with pockets that may or may not stay shut after rummage around looking for whatever is tucked away. I also like sometimes not wearing an undershirt and feeling the water on my skin. harness nicer harness $350 and you add $300 one of these VS. The BC Jackets Tusa offers Link copied from "frame" so site is no longer nested $350-600 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 21, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member March 21, 2006 Your advise has and is still very much appreciated. I am headed to Books a Million shortly. I will continue (if you dont' mind) to seek advise from you. to me this info is priceless. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbilDustBunny March 21, 2006 Share EbilDustBunny GC Alumni March 21, 2006 Your advise has and is still very much appreciated. I am headed to Books a Million shortly. I will continue (if you dont' mind) to seek advise from you. to me this info is priceless. Thanks! nice chief!... and ooo... I was just at books a million like a couple hours ago... mmm coffee. Then I ran off to TOYS'R'US and back to campus where I'm stuck here for one more class at 5pm. *sigh* I don't get home until 7... *weep* So is scuba license like a boaters license as in... when you get one it does not expire? Or do you have to retake a written test here and there. And does it allow you to take people that don't know anything about diving... to like dive with you? still curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief March 21, 2006 Share Chief Member March 21, 2006 There are different types of license. A basic open water license demonstrates basic ability to safely control your depth and not be a liability to the tourist industry. It doesn't expire, but there are more advanced diving skills to get certified in like wreck or cave diving. Most places also offer tune-up classes to review basics/fundamentals. Some places require you take them if you don't have a log. So in a sense it is very much like a boating license...there's the basic all the way up to captain of some serious ships. http://www.PADI.com is a good place to go about training and specialties. Your advise has and is still very much appreciated. I am headed to Books a Million shortly. I will continue (if you dont' mind) to seek advise from you. to me this info is priceless. Thanks! Sorry, I meant to go and read them for free at a big store! It's just easier than knowing who to trust online and is a good way to get up to speed the marketplace now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief March 28, 2006 Share Chief Member March 28, 2006 I've been trying to find some pictures and I found this on my old USB iomega drive. Hopefully I can come up with some more: The 1st one is about 110' down off the keys doing a ship dive. We were deep and there was sediment and light really ruined what could have been a cool shot. If you use your imagination, I am (blue shirt) sitting on the ship. Mares fins, report! On this one you can tell the difference in my mask and my buddy on the bottom. Also the dive rite harness VS. my buddy on the left with the vest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 28, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member March 28, 2006 The one on the left. Is that a fully inflated BCD or a back inflated? And yours is a 2 or 3 piece, right? You can tell a big difference. BIG difference in mask. Looks like the pressure has pushed the mask in on your buddies. Looks like his silicone skirt is way to big. Low profile is the way to go eh? (not even canadian...and I am saying EH?....crazy Canadians are rubbing off on me) Better yet...what type of mask do you have. Your field of view looks excellent! Great pics btw. keep em coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz April 17, 2006 Author Share Shazz Member April 17, 2006 Update..here is a bit of equipment I bought Mask: Oceanic Shadow Fins: Oceanic Vortex 12 Suit: Oceanic Titan 3.0 Snorkel: Oceanic UltraDry (Yellow) Bag: XsScuba Wheeled Backpack Got a few of these on sale...so a bonus. Plus I live near http://www.diverssupplyusa.com/ Even better!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbilDustBunny April 17, 2006 Share EbilDustBunny GC Alumni April 17, 2006 aww so many neat stuff! Those snorkels are pretty nifty... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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