Need Some advice on buying first kit.

[chris.nevill]

I have recently started diving, i finished my open water diver course in austrailia, done 10 dives out there and wanting to start getting my kit, im back in the uk now. just looking for some advice on what kit to look for, BCD, type/make of reg's, computer, wet suit, etc, if there is someone willing to help it would be very much apprecatied . Chris

[Ron MacRae]

Chris,
I wouldn't rush into buying kit just yet. What you need in the UK is very different to what you need in Auz. You will need to have done a few UK dives to appreciate what you need.

Join a BSAC club, if you havn't already done so, and borrow/hire kit so you can get a feel for what is required. There will also be people at the club who can show you what is available and advise you on what to buy.

Also they can introduce you to the very different diving conditions in a controlled/safe way.

Enjoy your UK diving, IMO it's at least as good as Auz.

Ron.

[davebarber]

Thurrock 608 welcomes new members

www.thurrockaqualungclub.co.uk

facebook group - Thurrock Aqualung Club.

Dave

[chris.nevill]

thanks for the advice ron, im going to go to my local bsac club this friday and join there, get a few dives in the pool and hopefully go on a dive somewhere in the uk soon, really looking forward to getting back into diving. and i recon it is just as good over here to dive but the best thing about aus is that the water is warm .




And thanks dave i just added your club on facebook and going to come down friday to have a chat about joining and getting stuck in .

[ChristianG]

Originally Posted by chris.nevill

the best thing about aus is that the water is warm

Chuckle.

Did you try diving Tasmania in our winter? That's roughly as cold as the UK gets (in parts of it) except that the water is largely blue and the conditions are largely better.

I agree with what the others have said: join a Club, get a mentor, listen to advice and eventually, but only eventually, buy some gear other than a mask and, perhaps, fins.

[davebarber]

Originally Posted by chris.nevill

And thanks dave i just added your club on facebook and going to come down friday to have a chat about joining and getting stuck in .

Chris

Bring your bathers and you can make a start.

I'm not in the pool this week, but will advise the instructors to welcome you. Just get changed and come through to poolside. Bryn is your man.

I will buy you a beer, I'm giving a lecture at the club house ( its the golf club bar), come across after the pool to claim your tinny.

Dave

.

[chris.nevill]

Hi Dave, i cant make Friday now ive had somthing come up, sorry for the mix up.

[hyweldavies]

Originally Posted by chris.nevill

I have recently started diving, i finished my open water diver course in austrailia, done 10 dives out there and wanting to start getting my kit, im back in the uk now. just looking for some advice on what kit to look for, BCD, type/make of reg's, computer, wet suit, etc, if there is someone willing to help it would be very much apprecatied . Chris

As others have advised, borrowing and trying kit is obviously sensible for at least a couple of dives, but anyhow, here are some basic suggestions:

Drysuit - for UK diving, I'd buy a drysuit, not a wetsuit though some (not many) may disagree. A high-spec thick UK wetsuit is quite expensive, so it's not that big a cost to pay the extra. There are several good makes of drysuit (Otter, O-three, DUI, Body-glove to name a few). I have an otter membrane suit, and would buy same again - mid-price, teriffic quality and service- as cheaper ones really do seem cheaper to my eye, and I rather feel that paying more gets you "different" rather than "better". Hints on drysuit - get two pockets on the sides of the legs, not on the front - easier to get into RIB, and you don't break your spare mask when lifting cylinders - and it's costly to get the original pockets moved (I speak from experience of all 3 points). I like neoprene wrist and neck seals, but neo or latex are both valid. Seals are (admittedly costly) consumables, so not a critical choice initially. I llike internal braces - but not essential, and can be added later. Front or shoulder zip - no right nor wrong. A "convenience" (ie pee) zip is very worthwile, assuming Chris isn't short for Christine - again can be added later.

BCD - there's a key choice between jacket-style or wing. Given this, I'd buy a cheap 2nd hand BCD - between £40 - £80 (absolute max), till you've dived a bit and know what features matter, so it's premature to spend a lot now. Basic jacket-style BCDs are pretty generic so you won't go far wrong with a 2nd hand cheap one - must fit you though For what it's worth, I've got a stainless backplate, one piece harness and wing, but I'd not necessarily say this suits everyone.

Regs: you can get a basic Apex cold water reg ATX40 or XTX40 for not much over a £100 for the non-turret version, and there's not really much point in the turret. You really can't go wrong with this - they are excellent, and the more posh models are not better as such, just more bling. You'll need an additional "octopus" 2nd stage - I'd suggest an identical one. These regs will not need upgrading no matter how your diving progresses. If you buy a pony cylinder and reg fairly soon as well, and you probably will, then I'd still buy another atx/xtx40 this, rather than buy a Pony job lot. Regs should be DIN fitting - the older A-clamp is (at least arguably) a bit of an anachronism
Given the high price of regs 2nd hand, and the incredibly reasonable brand new prices for Apeks, I'd definitely buy new.

Pressure gauge - I'd just get a pressure gauge not a bulky console, though some people like them for some reason Looking back, this was a really good tip I was given when I started, and I'm passing it on. Tie a dog clip to the gauge and clip it to yourself, not leave it dangling. Shops tend to push kits including various things like consoles which you may not want. Get a nice big guage big enough to read. The little Suunto gauge is too small, although plenty of other Suunto stuff is excellent. I like the DIR-style big (63mm) chromed brass ones.

Flippers - I like the hard rubber jetfin type, (Turtle fins / Scubapro Jetfins) which I prefer to my Avanti quatros (also good), with both hugely better than some cheap fins I borrowed. Other than that, I've not used many others. Jetfin style fins help minimise floaty-feet in a drysuit, however I personally found them too heavy in warm water on holiday in a wetsuit. Quatros will do for both jobs, though drysuit boot size and holiday booties are likely different sizes so one size may not suffice - but you can hire on holiday in any case. There are lots of opinions on fins, but "good" ones, whatever that may mean to different people, are certainly much better than cheap ones.

Compass - Suunto SK7 - v. good unit at £30, but there are others,

Computer - well that's a more complex question. Suunto Vyper or Vytec would be sound choices and last you quite a way beyond what you''re doing. There are many other valid choices. Although the UWATEC depth/timer is a good unit (I have one), it is not sufficiently cheaper than a basic computer to be a good buy for your purposes.

For both compass and computer, i'd also buy a couple of the elasticated housings rather than the supplied straps.

Snorkel - don't bother

Mask - anything which fits.

As a general principle, be fairly skeptical of anything that looks complicated or has "advanced features" or is otherwise clever


Cheers

Hywel