| As someone who was in your position 4 or 5 years ago, I do remember it was all a bit baffling. No doubt everyone will have opinions, but here are a few things I got right, and perhaps wrong, in no particular order...
BCD - if your diving goes to deeper more techie stuff, which is not to say you should rush into deeper stuff, then the BCD thing becomes more complex. With this in mind, there's a lot to be said for a basic second hand BCD, any make, for around £50 to £70 max. If you then decide you want a wing, or a good jacket-style one such as a Buddy you can make an informed purchase without losing money. If you buy a new BCD now for say a couple of hundred, you will be well out of pocket if you want something else once you know what's what. BCDs suffer from feature-itis, so it's a tricky game for a newcomer to see the wood for the trees. If I was buying a single-tank setup for myself, I'd buy a wing and stainless steel backplate with basic one-piece harness - perhaps the Frog wing, but in your position, I'd suggest you need to try a few things out first before shelling out on this as not everyone likes them.
Mask - you have to go along the row in the shop 'till one fits properly. "Fits", means if you press it onto your face it sticks there, without you sucking in through your nose. Makes and models are pretty much irrelevant, it just has to fit. Once you've got one that fits, and tried it in the water without it leaking, I'd buy another the same to keep in your drysuit pocket as a spare, and practice changing it underwater whilst floating. I fancied one of those with side windows, or "big-eyes" but neither fits me, so ordinary one it is for me.
Get just a pressure guage not a console. Perhaps a minor point, and not all will agree, but I feel this was excellent advice that I was given, even though consoles often come as part of a deal. And get a nice big brass gauge that you can read easily such as a 63mm one from niknaks.co.uk. Tie a dog-clip to it with string, and clip it somewhere rather than leave it dangle.
Other instruments such as computers and compass go on the wrist. Computers are another tricky area, but I'd either get a full-on Nitrox model such as Suunto Vyper 2, or Vytec, or get the cheapest thing you can. In-between is more likely to cost you money longer term.
Compass -Suunto SK7 is pretty good.
Regs, you won't go wrong with Apeks or Poseidon, though no doubt others also OK. Must be cold water models, which in Apeks speak means model numbers 40 and higher. The basic 40 and 50 models are fine for all diving and there's really no need to go for the 200 de luxe. I believe the current ones are XTX40 and XTX50 and upwards. Some Apeks regs have one hose different bore from the others, which is silly, so it might be worth seeking out the DS4 first stage with all hoses the same. This doesn't have the swivel turret, which isn't really needed (or necessarily desirable particularly). I've got a mixture of the older model TX40 and TX50 models all with the non-swivel DS4 1st stages. Don't know about specific Poseidon models, other than they're being well respected.
I'd personally get a "long hose", full 2m long for one reg. Read up on this as there are variants about where to stow it and which to breath off, but whichever variant you adopt, I cannot really see any reason not to get a 2m hose. I got this on my very first regs, and was happy with this from the word go, though changed from 2m on the spare, to 2m main (and donate that) - there are pros and cons to these variants.
I'd get DIN regs, as I can see no reason to choose A-clamp these days. Not to say A-clamp is dangerous, but just that DIN is clearly a better fitting.
Dry-suit. I've got an Otter membrane suit which I'm very happy with and I know lots of others who bought from Otter. Slightly dearer but seemingly rather better quality than the cheaper ones, but good value compared to more high-end models. Not to say it's the only choice, but I'm a happy customer and would buy similar again. I strongly recommend pockets on the sides of the legs, not on the front. Needless to say mine are on the front. Too much hassle to change, but an annoyance and inconvenience all the same. They impede climbing up into a RIB, and also I've (twice) broken my spare mask lifting cylinders. They cause some extra drag whilst swimming too. A lesser point is I think velcro flaps would be better than zips too. Again mine are zips.
Flippers: perhaps suprisingly despite modern innovations, many people recommend 30 year old design of Scubapro Jetfins or Turtle fins. Having had Mares Quatros (a well respected modern design) and Turtles, I'd have to go with the old-fashioned Turtles. Not tried anything else.
Tanks - Faber steel 12l or 15l and you'll probably need two. You should also consider a pony tank (3l) which needs an extra reg to go with it. And get a good reg for it because if you need it, you really need it, and in any case, can be re-deployed if you go for twins or more techie stuff later.
So in conclusion, getting everything as a job lot, may or may not save you money in the short term, but by thinking through each item seperately, you may end up better off in the long term and possibly even in the short term.
So lets see on prices (all are guesses so need checking)
Mask £40 (perhaps x 2 if spare)
Otter suit - £450 to £600
Regs Apeks XTX40 & DS4 + XTX octo - £280 odd ?
+ £20 for 2m hose ?
(Pony reg another XTX40 & DS4 £180)
SPG - £45
BCD 2nd hand £60, or £250 new Frog wing with SS backplate
Flippers - Jetfins / Turtles £70 or £40 for knock-off copies.
Tanks £110 or whatever each x 2
Pony tank £70
Clips, string, gloves stuff - another £50
Not sure that's any more than your deal, at least like for like anywya.
Cheers
Hywel  |