My first buy

[rob.heeley]

Thank you for all your advice! Think I may just go for the things I need and leave the packages as suggested.

I'm thinking about using E-Bay for items such as Knives and Gloves because i'm sure you can't go wrong with that kind of stuff?

But my Drysuit, BCD and Reg's I think I am going to buy new but shop around for each item. Thank's for all your experience and advice if I haven't of asked I will have probably have just made a big mistake.

Cheers,
Rob

[Crieagle]

Originally Posted by buchhawk

A lot of good advice there.
But the DS4, do you not need 5 ports for a single tank set up with a dry suit?
Thanks Ken

DS4 has 4 low 1 high I think!!! Although someone will correct me I am sure

[Buoyant Babe]

Can I suggest you buy the best regs that you can from the outset? Get a set that you can dive in any conditions and that will remain of use to you if you decide to progress your diving.

I bought a Scubapro MK25/S600 to dive single tanks when I first started about six years ago. By the power of fleabay and YD personal ads I now own three MK25's, two S600s and a couple of R390s which are serving me very well on my twin 12s and stage.

I can't coment on Apeks, but my buddy Eeyore uses them and they seem popular with YD folk, as do Poseidons, of which I have no personal knowledge.

Good luck with your purchases and have fun finding them

Helen xxx

[zepp]

Make sure you come back and let us know what you bought. Just a few things I personnally recommend:

Turtle fins with spring straps(the straps are the cheapest bit of kit I have and I think the best I have every bought)

Apecks regs with DIN fitting(My very 1st buy was a TX40 and is the only bit I still trust today)

Otter suits (totally A1 after sales there)

Buddy BCD (last for ever, good second hand sale) BUT something like a Frog wing is much neater and gives cleaner lines

Uwatec Prime PDC (does everything you will need and has built in download to PC unlike Suunto range.....also uses a decent algorithm)

ps, like Yaz said, try and buy what you think you will want in the future.

[al kennedy]

Originally Posted by buchhawk

A lot of good advice there.
But the DS4, do you not need 5 ports for a single tank set up with a dry suit?
Thanks Ken

it's got 5 ports - 4 low pressure, 1 high pressure - all that you need for a single tank + drysuit

low pressure - primary reg, secondary reg, BCD inflate, drysuit feed
high pressure - contents gauge

if you get the DST you get a swivel turret for the low pressure ports and an extra high pressure port. i've one of each with TX40s on, lovely regs, very reliable, bombproof. if buying new save a few quid and get the DS4.

[buchhawk]

Originally Posted by al kennedy

it's got 5 ports - 4 low pressure, 1 high pressure - all that you need for a single tank + drysuit

low pressure - primary reg, secondary reg, BCD inflate, drysuit feed
high pressure - contents gauge

if you get the DST you get a swivel turret for the low pressure ports and an extra high pressure port. i've one of each with TX40s on, lovely regs, very reliable, bombproof. if buying new save a few quid and get the DS4.

Thanks that clears that up then, I bought the tec 3s, I had to run the suit off a pony on my single tank dive before the Galapagos.
I didn't want the lad to get the wrong first stage
Ken

[yazzyfooty]

Originally Posted by Crieagle

Drysuit needed for scotland anytime of year.

Hi yaz, why dd you change from membrane too cold? Did you upgrade to a wing or just not happy with bcd?

Ian

Hiya Ian
My first suit was a Cordura membrane and I changed it for a Trilaminate membrane. I found the Cordura too inflexible and I had stopped smoking when I took up diving and I put a few pounds on which also didnt help.

I upgraded to a wing as I found my BCD used to lift up off my shoulders due to having to buy one that was bigger due to having to fit over boobs. Maybe if I had bought a ladies BCD it wouldnt have been a problem. I find diving with a wing so much more comfortable and less restricting.

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by yazzyfooty

I find diving with a wing so much more comfortable and less restricting.

Ditto, and I had to go through a lot of BCDs to find that out. I wish I'd joined YD when I took up diving. It would have dispelled a lot of the tekkie myths I was fed by several rufty-tufty (male) divers that a wing, backplate and harness can only be worn by wellard blokes

[BEN D]

Hi Rob

I was recently in the same position as yourself so thought i would let you know of the route i took. The kit below is by no means better or worse than what you have your eye on just the way i went after much price searching and advice seeking on this fabulous and useful forum.

this kit was not brought in one go but put together over 3/4 months.

BDC- seacsub pro 2000
Regs -Apexs 50/40 DS4 din with twin console
Computer- Cressi Archimedes 2 with down load kit

Job lot total £750 LDS diveshow price

1st wet suit- 3mm £25 decathlon
2nd wet suit - 3piece oceanic +hood £150ish LDS/web
drysuit - £150 second hand
seacsub glovesx2 £6.50each decathlon

bags 1 wet 1 dry - £45 LDS

Boots/mask/snorkel/fills £100 starter pack LDS

15L tank £130ish LDS
full pony rig £100 (hopefully, deal soon to be complete) secondhand.

weight belt +12kg lead (now to much) £50 decathlon/LDS

dsmbx2/reelx2/torch/knife £100 mostly secondhand

other bits, clips, straps, spares (spare kit very useful, see other threads for full contents advice) £150

grand total (if i can add right!) £1763.

i will most likely be told i need much more than this and have missed items off. And mostly likely i will and i have. but this kit gets me in the water nicely for now.

I dont know for sure what diving i will be doing in 1 or 2 years but think my only major loss (unless i pack in completely) will come with the BCD and tank if i go on to twin and wing. - hopefully i can get a bit back secondhand though.

advice: shop around as much as you can and go secondhand when ever you feel you can and want to.

only my 2p but hope it is of some use.

Ben



you can get most of this secondhand but i personally wanted the BCD/Regs/Comp/tank new, just my choice.

[BEN D]

To add: to date but with my limited usage (still a very much a learner) the kit has give me no problems at all.

Ben