Need Scuba Gear?
daveymac393 asked:
I have always took interest in it and am Finally going to go out a get some equipment, just not too sure where to start though.
I have always took interest in it and am Finally going to go out a get some equipment, just not too sure where to start though.
I saw scubalagoon.com a little earlier while browsing around and it says you dont have to pay anything for it, and theres actually a lot of testimonials in the forums. So maybe I can start off there and try to get them without paying?
What do you mean, you don’t have to pay for anything? For the scuba gear? That doesn’t sound right. I would try going to sports chalet to look for your stater gear. What kind of gear do you need? …….I would start off (after your soft gear) getting your BC ….depending on what kind you want. I have side inflate but I know alot of friends who love the back inflate.
Good luck and Happy diving.
You absolutly have to dive the Caribben…….pure heaven
Well, sure you might get some “free” gear there. It’s not really free though. It’s a marketing ploy. You’ll be giving up your privacy online and from what I saw of that site…no thanks. They are claiming, “$6665.33 of free gear” from “1654 offers”. That’s nothing. I put that dollar value of gear into my gear bag for simple vacation dives, travelling light. Double that for my technical dives here at home. I had a look at where they’re getting their gear, Tommy d sports. The prices there are average, nothing special. Their “DS1 DRY SUIT, SCUBA, RESCUE, POLICE, FIRE FIGHTER ” dry suit at $999, isn’t what a professional would use and at that price, is actually a little more than what I’d pay for a similar item at my local dive shop, for example.
You can earn the right to penetrate a wreck or cave in their entirety when you’ve taken the appropriate course and acquired some skills.
I’d also like to point out, that even though you might be able to get gear someplace, you won’t be able to fill that tank without showing your certification card. You’ll have a bunch of “free” gear that you won’t be able to use scuba diving unless you take and pass an open water course. There are also some items in a diver’s kit, that you really can’t buy online either. You actually need to make sure it fits you, which requires trying it on. If it doesn’t fit, it’s not a bargain, it’s a potential death sentence.
ALL but personal items such as mask, snorkel and fins, that you need to dive, can be rented at a fairly cheap price, but again…you need to take a course. The dive shop will want to see that Certification card.
Sorry, but it always comes down to “you need to pay to play”. Such is the way of the world.
If you’re interested in diving and want to try it on the cheap, find a local PADI ( professional association of dive instructors) dive shop near you and ask them about the Discover Scuba course. It’s free or nearly so if the shop needs to cover pool costs they may charge 10 bucks or less. What you’ll get is some basic instruction, use of gear and be set off in a pool under the supervision of an instructor for an hour or so. If you don’t feel comfortable then you haven’t spent much time or money to find out. Some people think they’ll be fine until their head goes under then they shoot outta the pool like a missile. Don’t laugh, I was married to one of these people and I’m still wondering how anyone can gather that much energy to shoot themselves out and onto a pool deck in full gear, flopping around like a just landed fish. I almost wanted to use a fish stick (bat) to put her out of my misery. Now you can laugh. You won’t get a C card from this course by the way. It’s just a way to find out if diving is for you, cheaply. You need that open water certification, from any dive agency, be it PADI, NAUI, BSAC, IANTD, SSI or hell, even the YMCA ( yup..they have or at least had a course.) It doesn’t really matter much, which agency you choose, since the C card you get will be recognized world wide for the level you’re certified at, but if the opportunity presents itself, I, personally, would choose BSAC ( if you’re from the UK) or IANTD, since both agencies (or clubs in BSAC’s case) are a tad more challenging than the other agencies in their training ( no bias here, since most of my recreational certs are PADI with one SSI and two IANTD), but the end diver produced is a bit more knowledgeable, hence a bit better and safer. I’d dive any day with a BSAC partner, no matter the conditions. A PADI or NAUI certed I’d be questioning their experience before getting on the boat.
The average cost of an open water course is anywhere between 250-350 bucks. It takes, on average, 2 evenings of academics and tests with a final exam as well as at least 2 pool dives, with swim assessment tests ( no biggie, you can doggie crawl the distance as there is no set swim style needed and you need to be able to tread water. If your instructor likes you, he/she will put 5 pounds of soft lead on your mellon to make it challenging. That’s actually a compliment, take it as such). You’ll also be required to do two open water dives. The minimum depth will be in the 30 foot range. It won’t exceed 60 feet. They will want you to go through at least one pressure group on the DP ( dive planner, a term you’ll learn) so that you can plan your OW (open water certification) dives as at least an introduction to an Advanced Open Water certification that allows you to dive beyond 60 feet to 130 in a non overhead environment ( no caves or inside wrecks unless they are “swim throughs” where you can see the exit from your entrance point) and using air as your primary breathing gas. This is a world wide standard. It ain’t negotiable.
Until then, if you still decide to scuba, get some gear someplace and actually find a shady joint that will fill your tank. then drop me a line. There’s an unwritten code, that after the dive accident and subsequent investigation, the diver that finds the body gets to keep the gear ( even if it was “free”) unless there is a widow or other dependants involved.