My first set of kit

[JonR400]

Sorry for the blatant request for advice, but comments would be appreciated.

I've started putting together my first set of kit, and would appreciate any advice/comments. If I've got it all wrong, don't be worried about telling me! I'm particularly interested in thoughts on what I'm thinking of buying, as I'm off to the dive show and hoping to get the rest there;

Already got:
Suunto Vyper
O'Three 500 drysuit
Oceanic CDX5, Alpha 7 & Swiv Console (bought cheap as chips when discontinued)
Scubapro twinspeed fins

Thinking of buying:
Seac Sub Pro 2000 (I was thinking of getting a wing straight away, but I'm used to diving with a jacket and am just starting out on UK/drysuit diving. I'm thinking start with the jacket at a bargain price, and sell it later if I want a wing)
12l Faber steel Tank (Is it work getting a Nitrox ready one? I've done Nitrox certification in warm water)
Buddy SMB (not the self inflating one)
A suitable reel!

What do you reckon? And is there anything else I should look to pick up at the show? I plan to dive in the UK at least once a month, and a weeks warm water diving each year (I was also wondering if it's worth getting a travel BCD if they're cheap as chips)

[Ivon]

I have a SeacSub Pro2000 for sale in a size large if your interested, £170

Ivon

[Little Pete]

Seac Sub Pro 2000 (I was thinking of getting a wing straight away, but I'm used to diving with a jacket and am just starting out on UK/drysuit diving. I'm thinking start with the jacket at a bargain price, and sell it later if I want a wing)

My first BC I bought was a wing. If you are thinking of getting a wing I'd consider one straight off. If it's a money thing then you probably would do better to get a BCD but look at Gledder's thread on fins to see how expensive it can be to rebuy later (300 odd squid on fins I think).

You could look at a spool instead of a reel for neatness and cheaper but do what suits you. Some love them and some really prefer reels.

Hope it goes well

[chrisch]

Seems like nice kit to me (fins excluded).

I would get an O2 clean tank - yes. Have a look at the internet suppliers, Go-Dive and Kent Diving are very very good on tanks, even with the postage included. However, check your local dive shop will fill an empty tank - some don't becasue they are pissed off you bought it of the net and not from them...

Best wishes for the diving.

Chris

[sch]

A few comments below ...

Originally Posted by JonR400

Already got: O'Three 500 drysuit

- Can't go wrong with O3 (why did that come out as O£ first )

Thinking of buying:
Seac Sub Pro 2000 (I was thinking of getting a wing straight away, but I'm used to diving with a jacket and am just starting out on UK/drysuit diving. I'm thinking start with the jacket at a bargain price, and sell it later if I want a wing)

I've always recommended that people start out with a BCD until recently - and if you're set on a BCD the Seac Sub is a cracking BCD, mines got 3 or 4 hundred dives on it, never had a problem and apart from the embroidered name coming off still looks in good nick. However, as a few people have said it can be expensive to get a wing later, so why not see if you can find someone who'll let you try out a wing beforehand?

12l Faber steel Tank (Is it work getting a Nitrox ready one? I've done Nitrox certification in warm water)

Shouldn't add much to the price since most tanks come o2 clean anyway - I'd say go for it, but of course it depends on the dives you're planning on doing but since you're already nitrox certed you should quickly find nitrox useful for dives.

What do you reckon? And is there anything else I should look to pick up at the show? I plan to dive in the UK at least once a month, and a weeks warm water diving each year (I was also wondering if it's worth getting a travel BCD if they're cheap as chips)

A torch - not necessarily a huge monster thing, but even a small one that fits in a pocket can come in useful for checking out holes, under rocks etc.
Compass?
Simon

[JonR400]

Yep, don't like the fins. Bought em because they were only £30. And they don't fit on my drysuit boots. To ebay with them I say!

Thinking of getting a set of Mares X3 or quattros at the show. I think I'll need the XL size to go on my 9-10 O'Three boots. By the way, did I tell you what a nice bunch they are down at O'Three? I have now anyway.

You've reminded me, was thinking of going for a UK torch, and a console mounted compass. I know wrist mounted is better, but I'm going to get my girlfriend one of those and I'll just follow her round. I can't navigate, have problems finding my way to bed sometimes :-;

Any other comments?

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by JonR400

Any other comments?

Dive lots.

Worry about kit, little.

Chris

[neilh]

Originally Posted by JonR400

Sorry for the blatant request for advice, but comments would be appreciated.

Don't apologise - that's what the board's all about

Originally Posted by JonR400

Seac Sub Pro 2000 (I was thinking of getting a wing straight away, but I'm used to diving with a jacket and am just starting out on UK/drysuit diving. I'm thinking start with the jacket at a bargain price, and sell it later if I want a wing)

Tricky this - I had similar thoughts and rented a BCD for a while when I wanted to dive. Once I'd tried a wing I decided that was the way to go.

Originally Posted by JonR400

12l Faber steel Tank (Is it work getting a Nitrox ready one? I've done Nitrox certification in warm water)

If you're buying new then you might as well. Some places just slap a nitrox sticker on instead of air when you buy them, some charge you a tenner extra for the sticker Perhaps check out your LDS for prices first. I bought mine from my LDS partly to support them and partly because I get my fills there so I know they'll be happy with the tanks

Personally I'd think hard about buying a tank at the show - remember that you'll have to carry the thing around with you

Originally Posted by JonR400

A suitable reel!

As Pete says, think about possibly a spool instead of a reel. Some people like them, some don't. If you're not sure then you could wait for now and hook up with people who can let you try a few and see what you feel comfortable with.

Originally Posted by JonR400

I was also wondering if it's worth getting a travel BCD if they're cheap as chips

One thing to keep in mind is that with a backplate/wing you can swap a SS backplate for UK diving with an ali one for travel - but keep the same wing. (Assuming you dive the same tank config of course!).

Hope that helps!

[RichW]

Jon,

I'm not sure where you're based, but if you wanted to try out a single tank wing, then just let me know. I have a few kicking around for exactly this kind of thing.

Cheers,

Rich

[Woz]

Buddy SMB's are quite big and that annoying bit of webbing on them is, well, annoying. I use a 33 from www.advanceddivingproducts.co.uk but have a look on eBay as they often flog them for about 20 quid on there.

As for reel the LB divers reel or the NAS tekkie reel are nice. But try before you buy.

Anything else?
Torch
Backup mask
Compass

If diving a single 12 you might also look at a pony package too.