Getting some basic equipment

[aric5]

Hi, could some kind soul please give some advice where I can get basic equipment - mask, fins, wet suite etc for good prices and any recommendations what I should buy and what I should look out for.
Also - do you think a 7mm suite would be ok in UK waters.
Thanks
Aric

[Prometheus]

Hi Aric
Decathlon do some cheap gear, though if your in a club ask for a try of various fins etc, to get an idea of what suits you.There have been many threads on the use of wetsuits v drysuits and what thickness type on here so suggest you do a search and read up on them.What area of London are you in and where do you dive?.

[MATTBIN]

Which part of LOndon are you in, there are good dive shops in most parts, so no need to travel miles.

7mm wetsuit - fine if you dont intend to dive all year round, or are really hard.
Seriously if you intend to dive al lyear then its a dry suit.

Are you a member of a club, how much diving experience do you have, have you tried UK diving at all.

The reason for asking if you have tried UK diving is that if you havent but think you might then you need different kit (eventually) than what you'd buy for warm water diving. UK regs need to be cold water rated, they arent a lot more expensive, unless of course you buy warm water rated ones first (which many of us have done of course - hind sight and all that). There are other things too, but it may be a little too soon to launch into a "what you need is" respone until we know a little more about your intended route through diving (you may not even know yourself yet).

Matt

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by aric5

Hi, could some kind soul please give some advice where I can get basic equipment - mask, fins, wet suite etc for good prices and any recommendations what I should buy and what I should look out for.
Also - do you think a 7mm suite would be ok in UK waters.
Thanks
Aric

Ebay but check prices on here first. Loads and Loads of divers buy new kit never use it and then sell it coz they quit diving within two years.


Get a single tank wing and start off looking reeeeeely cool Ask Diving Nick Nacks on here to help out with a Frog rig or again look on Ebay for Halcyon OMS Aga Brock or DIR Zone

Apex Regulators TX ATX 40's & 50s are cheep and bulletproof regs that will do any diving you will ever do. No mater what reg you buy it will be compared to the Apex for performance.

Oceanic Alpha 7's are even cheaper and pretty damed good to.

Mask get a new one any of the big eye types is good Cressi Mares etc.

You will freeze your arse off in a 7mm suit at all times except and possibly including the height of summer. Get a Dry Suit. Yo can then dive earlier / later in the year in relative comfort and only freeze to death on three months of the year. (Feb Mar April)

Fins: Avanti Quatroes are a good start point £50-70 and possibly the only fins you will ever use.

ATB

Mark Chase

[aric5]

Live in East London at the moment in Bethnal Green. Have already done some diving in yhe Uk, I did my PADI advanced here in a lake but right now the name escapes me. Unfortunately, I am not trained to use a dry suite which leaves me a bit stuck in the winter - hence I was hoping to get away with a wet suite.
Ive seen a couple of dive shops dotted around so I should be able to pick up mask, fins , snorkel no problem, I was just wondering if you had any handy hints where I couyld get it cheaper.
Thanks for the advice though, maybe see you soon for some diving.
Aric

[aric5]

Thanks for the advice will start trawling through e-bay - have always been worried about buying stuff on e-bay am never sure if it will work - but will get anything service before using it.
Have a small problem with dry suites - have never been trained to use one - did my advanced open water but didnt do dry suite training.
Have dived in Uk waters went to a lake - cant remember the name off hand - wasnt too cold but it was a couple of months ago so am I bit stuck at the moment.
Thanks again for the advice and maybe see you soon for some diving.
Aric

[Prometheus]

e-bay always has loads of semi-dry and wet suits, probably being sold by people who decided that a dry suit in the uk was the sensible option. I bought a semi dry that I use in Spain for £29 plus whatever the postage was from e-bay, wouldn't use it over here in the winter though.

[aric5]

Am living in London at the moment. Did my PADI advanced open water in the uk but dont really belong to a dive club and am just trying to find some buddies to go on some dives with. Has proved a bit tricky to find anybody who is still diving, but I am very keen to get some experience diving here.
Thanks for the advice
Aric

[aric5]

that really is very cheap have seen many wetsuites £400 upwards.

[Prometheus]

10mins to go on ebay ,5mm steamer full suit £55 free postage, bit thin for now , but gives you the idea.