scuba gear info

[jeep9783]

sometime between jan and march looking to get certified...just wandering what brand mask fins ect...to purchase as i only want to purchase once
well i guess the gear that everyone must purchase till i get the funds for everything tank ect...just the stuff that you dont want to rent is what i am needing to purchase now
chris

 

[mojo]

Mask and fins are very subjective. Get what fits best - you won't notice the brand underwater.

Don't skimp and get a $20 mask, and don't feel like you need to spend $1200 - something in the $50-120 range will do. Go to several places, and have people help you try the mask on for fit and proper sealing. A properly fit mask is the difference between a good dive and a miserable dive, so take your time on this one.

Fins - you can spend $500+ on fins if you want, or get a decent pair for $100-200. I personally don't think there's much advantage to split fins or the other new-fangled power fins, but I really don't have a need to rocket myself through the water at 10mph when I'm looking at nudibranchs. To each his own. Get whatever fits, IMO.

 

[gwhiz]

mojo;264529 wrote: Mask and fins are very subjective. Get what fits best - you won't notice the brand underwater.

Don't skimp and get a $20 mask, and don't feel like you need to spend $1200 - something in the $50-120 range will do. Go to several places, and have people help you try the mask on for fit and proper sealing. A properly fit mask is the difference between a good dive and a miserable dive, so take your time on this one.

Fins - you can spend $500+ on fins if you want, or get a decent pair for $100-200. I personally don't think there's much advantage to split fins or the other new-fangled power fins, but I really don't have a need to rocket myself through the water at 10mph when I'm looking at nudibranchs. To each his own. Get whatever fits, IMO.

+1

I have a pair of split fins and I don't feel a great deal of difference in efficiency...

 

[corigan]

Gwhiz;264548 wrote: +1

I have a pair of split fins and I don't feel a great deal of difference in efficiency...

I'm a frog kicker (cave diver) and think split fins are about impossible to frog kick in. So I actually feel they are at a disadvantage and do not see any real difference in a current. This is just personal experience from diving in atomic split fins for 20-30 dives and a few hundred dives in a pair of good ole scubapro jetfins.

Don't get too wrapped up on gear. This is a ploy that shops try with newly certified divers. Almost every diver that I know that buys gear right when he is certified ends up selling just about every piece of it a year or so down the road when they find something better. Get a well fitting mask, fins, boots, gloves and then rent the rest. Find a good mentor that has closets/garages full of gear and try it out on dives and in pools. Get accustom to what you are doing and then you will really see the advantages/disadvantages of different pieces of gear when you are underwater and able to focus on the gear and not the fundamentals of what you are doing (Trim, buoyancy, etc.).

Have fun with the diving, it is a great sport!

Matt

 

[hfleming]

Excellent advice from Corigan. I agree 100%.

 

[jeep9783]

Well i just didn't know if it was like the reef world where when i first started i started with a red sea air pump opperated skimmer found out the hard way that those things were junk...if i knew then what i knew now i would have saved up the extra 150 bucks and got the resirc octopus and been done with it...but 1000 plus in skimmers and i finally find one that i am happy with

pretty much just trying to find a short cut to avoid that with scuba gear

 

[jeep9783]

Found this....yea or nah

 

[derek_s]

I agree with Corigan as well. I dont know that i would even buy anything, as most programs will loan you everything you need to get certified. THat way you can try out different equipment on multiple occasions.

Unless you plan to dive frequently I would never even buy most of the gear. I used to just rent it on location since I only dived about once every couple months. It is not usually too expensive to rent, and if you are just doing easy open water dives it will probably suffice. Only thing I owned was the fins, mask, weightbelt, and snorkel, which I used much more often while snorkeling. At one point I had a wetsuit but rarely used it.

 

[cliscum]

Scuba is very exciting, happy to hear you are getting into it. Until you are experienced, rent everything you possibly can. I would not buy anything online unless you have used it in the water. I would also highly encourage you to join DAN, the Divers Alert Network, and making everything you do regarding Scuba about safety.

But back to the online bit, you have to buy the mask in person unless you are buying a replacement. I tried on about 50 masks before I found the one that fit. A good shop will sit you in a chair, study your face, and have you look up at the ceiling as they set masks on your face. This process should be slow and not pushing a sale.

Once a mask fits your face well, a common process is to take in 1/2 a breath through your nose and look down, if the mask falls off its not a fit.

When you think the mask fits, you need to put the strap on and blow out through your nose.

Do not buy a mask that does not fit your face perfectly w/o the strap.

PM if you would like to talk Scuba.

-Charles

 

[derek_s]

That sounds like great advice. I have never went through all that for a mask. Very cool.

 

[cliscum]

Derek_S;264997 wrote: That sounds like great advice. I have never went through all that for a mask. Very cool.

Sorry to hear that Derek. This is a very common process for a quality dive shop. A quick search online will give you a guide to the process and show you I am not crazy.

I forgot to mention to bring a mouthpiece with you for the fit. The mouthpiece should be in when you fit your mask. If you do not own a mouthpiece, get a replacement one just for the fitting, or stick a snorkel mouthpiece in your mouth.

To explain more about the blowing out part. Once you have about 4 or 5 masks that you think fit, more likely 2, you put them on your face with the strap and blow out. Where the air leaves is the weakest part of the seal between the mask and your face. The harder you have to blow for air to escape the better the seal. Ideally the air should escape from your forehead, where the mask will have a single fold to seal. (look at a mask to see what I am talking about, the bottom 3/4 of the mask have a double seal) If the air escapes around your nose or smile lines it is not a good fit. This is a really tricky part and remember to keep all of your hair out of the way, it will prevent a good seal and may make you think that you have a good mask from air leaking out at the top first.

When you are diving you will be blowing air out of your nose to keep the air pocket on your face at a gentle pressure. If the mask is not fitted to your face you will need to keep more pressure in this pocket to keep water out. At depth this is quite unpleasant, and you will blow in and out and worry with it. Now your mask is full of fog, your face hurts, and when you get to the surface after 30 minutes you look like a giant raccoon. (remember everyone has cameras on a dive boat)

Opinions:
Having a well fitted mask is the best possible investment in dive equipment. You do not even notice your mask, you play with it less so it is free of fog, and you enjoy the dive.

Black silicon is a plus if the mask fits. Personally I avoid purge valves when possible.

-Charles

 

[cameron]

Give this a look:

http://www.scubadiving.com/article/the_best_gear_of_2008">http://www.scubadiving.com/article/the_best_gear_of_2008</a>

[IMG]http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/">http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/</a>

 

[scubadubado]

Ditto to everything Cliscum said! A great fitting mask is often times the difference in whether or not a new diver becomes an old diver. Believe me, I've taught too many people to dive who tried to go cheap rather than with what fit. Having said that, you should be able to pick up a mask, fin, snorkel and bootie package for somewhere in the $75 to $150 price.

As for fins, unless you've already decided you want to be a technical diver, I am a fan of split fins. (You have a shallower kick stroke in splits than with traditionals.) Full blade fins take bit more work, and put more work on your quads in my experience. Fins, however, are often times replaced by divers when they start to specialize (cave vs. wreck vs. reef etc, etc.). I wouldn't sweat that as much as I would the mask fit.

As for fit on booties and fins, do actually try them on. The sizes are supposed to match US foot sizes, but rarely do exactly. Most folks in our shop have ended up in sizes one size smaller than what they wear on the street.

I would avoid so-called dry snorkels. Like the purge valves that Cliscum mentioned, they work great in theory but often times become a problem with use. Kind of like some of those one-way valves we were sold for out tanks that seem to break just when we need them the most...

And lastly, purely personally, have fun! It's just about the coolest sport I've ever participated in, including solo backpacking and mountain climbinb.

 

[wmboots]

Ahh the issues for the New Diver, I will add my 2 cents worth. I read alot of very good info in this thread and concure with most of it. A good fitting mask makes the difference between a fun dive and a miserable dive. Do follow the advice and check with a couple of dive shops and stay with a silicone skirt. As for black or clear that is a preference that you will have to decide while trying masks on. I prefer black but many of my students and dive buddies prefer clear. As for fins I have both Mare quattro paddle fins and Atomic's split fins. I like both fins but use the split more often due to a lower back problem.
I will tell you the same thing I have told all of my students for the past 10 years "by the best gear you can with the money you have available" a quality mask is $75 to $125 fins $125 and botties you can get for around $40. There are pieces of equipment you say you only want to buy once but once bitten by the dive bug you will be re-purchasing anyways. AND by the way Welcome aboard or should I say below and enjoy your new undewater world

 

[wmboots]

corrigan I too do alot of frog kicking and found my atomic splits were just as adept as quattro's. Atomic was the only split I found I could frog kick with but it appears scuba pro has a new split they brought out a year or two ago that I'm hearing good things about from some caver friends.

 

[washowi]

I dive Atomic Splits as well..great fin...also, I like mask, I have the Atomic which is nice ciause it flattens out and can slip into the foot of the fins for packing and storage.

also....stay away from the yellow stuff....it's not called yum - yum yellow for no reason.

 

[corigan]

wmboots;270559 wrote: corrigan I too do alot of frog kicking and found my atomic splits were just as adept as quattro's. Atomic was the only split I found I could frog kick with but it appears scuba pro has a new split they brought out a year or two ago that I'm hearing good things about from some caver friends.

Very cool. I didn't like the way the atomic split fins kicked. To each there own. As for wearing splitfins in a cave enviornment, I think you probably would be laughed out of cave country for doing so. They are an entanglement hazzard for lines getting caught between the split. I don't know of any cave instructor that would let a student wear split fins into an overhead. I would really like to try the new scubapro split out in open water, I'll have to see if I can find someone who has a pair. Thanks for the info.

Matt

 

[corigan]

I meant to add to the last post, but for some reason I can never edit on here, it just sits there and spins while loading.

While I am not a fan of the yellow, I have to tell you, when diving in less than 5-10 foot viz, yellow fins stick out extremely well. I always think they look lame, but when diving with someone in low viz I am always appreciative that they have them. It is really easy to track your buddy, especially if he strays from formation.

Matt

 

[wmboots]

Matt, you won't get an argument from me when it comes to using splits in a cave enviroment and I mentioned the scuba pro splits in regards to open water or cavern only.
I brought up the issue of splits as they are much easier on your lower back if you suffer from disc problems as I do and yes they are more efficient which is hard to tell unless you have a problem like I have. I will say the stiffer splits such as atomic or scuba pro I can use the original bio fin I never kicked in so many different ways to not go anywhere in my life as I did with those fins but each individual has differing body makeup and diving preferences my longest term dive buddy uses Tusa splits which I took off within 10 minutes but he swears by them.