Kit Start-up Costs for New Divers - what can I expect???

[lv929]

Some YD'rs were teasing me in my Intro post when I said that I thought diving could not possibly be as expensive as my other hobby (racing motorbikes and riding on the road) It is possible to spend thousands a year on m'bike racing although I don't because I can't afford it but a typical race day is £200 for entries fuel food and accomodation, which I do a few times a year I suppose, plus the bike cost £4000 and needs a £1000 rebuild more than once a year. Oh dear and then there's my road bike too.....

Just to let me know what I might be in for, as I only started my bsac course two weeks ago and have bought nothing yet, give me a rough estimate of what you think I might spend, say in the first year? This should include a dry suit as I am getting one soon.

Or alternatively, own up as to how much it costs you per year...


Thankyou. I'm prepared to either fall over in shock or be pleasantly cheered up

[tom]

Have a word with Nigel H about how bike race and dive costs compare...

Personally, I reckon a budget of about £1-2K for your first year's diving (including all equipment) would be reasonable. Obviously less if you're borrowing gear from the club.

[tiewrapdiver]

I'm actually scared to work out how much i spend on dive kit, training courses, dive days and dive trips each year. I reckon it quite easily over £2k each year, and i've already got all my kit!!

[MATTBIN]

Join a Bsac club and it wont cost a fortune as they will lend you most of the kit.
You will need
mask
fins
snorkel
hood gloves (20 each)
exposure suit (400-600 and beyond)
under suit (100)
dsmb/reel (
torch (100)
computer(?) (150 Gekko - 900 VR3)
backup timer/depth gauge(?) 70ish

you might like to buy but probably can borrow from club
reg set (or two) one for main one for pony
compass, spg, depth gauge
cylinder(s) - although a bsac club has these
pony (3Litre - £70)
BCD or wing (can use club set)
weight belt and weights

Prices ? whatever you want really, from cheap to expensive
Second hand E-bay, here, etc.

I reckon I have about £6000 worth of kit, but I'm not in a club.

Club trips/food/accom/gas - who knows, depends on how much you drink

Sorry Tom I reckon you are way out, £3000 minimum first year same agin second year as you buy more kit. Then its just an endless stream of payouts.
Good fun though.

Matt

[Paul Beal]

If you are training with a BSAC club who have all their own equipment you will be able to get to OD or even SD with minimal expenditure above club fees and training costs (which are non-profit so therefore minimal) if you want to. It is of course easier to use your own equipment so buying a computer, maybe a drysuit and a set of regs/a tank will be your main cost if you choose to do so.

Good luck!

Paul

[Janos]

It depends how much diving you do. For me a typical weekend away costs me around £30 in petrol, £50 for two nights in a B&B £70 for two days on a hardboat (or £30 for two days on the rib) and then around £15 for gas. Plus beer and bacon butties etc etc etc.

So around £150 to £200 for the weekend.

Obviously going away for the day is cheaper as you don't have the accomodation costs and it's closer. Probably around £50 to £60 for a day out for me.

How many weekends and days away you do is up to you.

Laters,
Janos

[Bantam]

For total kit costs, you're probably looking at (average prices);

.....blah like MattBin put....

Then you've got bits and bobs on top of that (say £200 of stuff)

Total is about £1500 as Tom said. Inc a computer in that and you're looking at £2k. (Matt - that's a very basic package aimed at an Ocean Diver / Open Water for example)

Above that there's things like DSMB's, Reels, Torches, Pony's etc.. etc.. etc.. but you tend to know when you need those.

You can get deals on Packages. Divers Warehouse do good deals like that where you buy your BC, Regs and stuff together. If you went in with the express intent to bend your credit card, they're likely to give a discount of some description.

However, this doesn't mean you have to buy it all in one go. It took me 4 years before I got my kit together - mainly because I was 14 at the time and didn't have any money, and also because I wanted to try as much kit out as possible before I spent the cash on the best I could afford that I knew would be comfortable, safe and reliable.

Now I've about £8k of kit (3 almost complete sets in all, for different purposes - one for holiday, one for UK, one for SWMBO (cause she dives too)) plus spares, and a complete vintage rig too (Siebe Gorman Twin Hose Mistral etc..)


Mark.

[lv929]

Can I just say how helpful you are all being THANKYOU!! I am on a couple of bike forums and they would have laughed their socks off at such a naive question...

BSAC are lending me cyl, BC and regulator if I want it for the first year. All the rest I have to start buying, "soon", it was hinted last night....

It is looking quite expenisve, Good job hubby can't use a pc and read this

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by lv929

Can I just say how helpful you are all being THANKYOU!! I am on a couple of bike forums and they would have laughed their socks off at such a naive question...

BSAC are lending me cyl, BC and regulator if I want it for the first year. All the rest I have to start buying, "soon", it was hinted last night....

It is looking quite expenisve, Good job hubby can't use a pc and read this

More importantly can he read a Bank Statement.

Matt

[lv929]

separate banks