I just started SCUBA lessons last weekend and I am looking into the equipment I'll need to buy for myself. Specifically I'm looking for a mask, fins, and a decent knife. Do any of you SCUBA veterans have any recommendations as to what brands I should look out for, which ones I should avoid, which ones are overpriced, etc.? In the lessons I've taken so far with borrowed equipment, I've found that I prefer small masks (none of those big ones with side windows and purge valves) and adjustable strap fins that have a fair deal of flexibility to them. I have no experience with dive knives so all I really know about them is what I have read from my own research online -- any info you have on them would be appreciated.

sidenote: I'll be in Topsail Island towards the end of June so anyone happens to know any good diving spots in the area, please post them! I've heard that there is are a few shipwrecks (including a German WWII sub) somewhere not too far from Topsail but I don't know if I should have a little more experience before I do something that intense.

5/12/2011 11:12:12 PM

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd like a recommendation for a prescription mask if anyone knows about those.

5/12/2011 11:57:22 PM

PM CharlesHF. He can answer all your SCUBA questions.

5/13/2011 1:11:19 AM

when i took scuba at NCSU (7 years ago? yikes), the instructor recommended gypsy divers (http://www.gypsydivers.com/)...i can't remember his name and i don't think he's there anymore (or, at least, i couldn't find him online), but he was that really tan guy, built, blonde hair

anyway, he said that if you went to gypsy divers and said you were in the scuba class, they'd give you a discount and throw in some freebies...that's what i did

most (if not all) of my gear was scubapro...not the most expensive, but not the cheapest (it came recommended by some scuba enthusiast friends)

5/13/2011 8:37:05 AM

Enjoy the lessons, it opens up a lot of cool things to see.

For the equipment... I'd start with mask, fins, and a wetsuit.
Mask, go in the stores and try them on.
Fins, if you can try a few pair in the pool. Don't fall for this years new design just because of the marketing.
Wetsuit, best to use your own. It's worse than renting bowling shoes. It also helps you have one that fits right. Again try them on and don't fall for the most expensive one. Stretchy is nice.
Knife, you won't use. Usually people get the big one to strap on the leg and get tired of it about time it rusts from the salt water. ..I do like my small Wenoka squeeze lock titanium knife. Mounts anywhere any puts up with the salt water.

Gypsy is nice. They know what they're talking about and have a pool.
Down Under Scuba is good too and has a really large club that's pretty active. They also seem a little more tech oriented if you think you might want to go that way later.

I know of one charter and dive shop in Topsail but there's a lot more out of Wilmington.
Aquatic Safaris runs a great operation down there with a couple of nice boats. It's worth the drive from Topsail or Raleigh.
The U352 is out of Morehead. Lots of dive boats out of there too.

NCDivers.com is a local board with some pretty active divers. Lots of opportunity to meet other divers and get practice at Fantasy Lake or the ocean.

Probably best to hit the ocean first with a more experienced buddy you trust at some of the closer more shallow sites. Aquatic Safaris runs to the Liberty ship and the shops out of Morehead hit the Indra. The ocean is awesome but take it slow, there's plenty of time to get to the big stuff.

5/13/2011 10:35:56 PM

Thanks for the info so far guys but I should probably have mentioned that I don't live in Raleigh anymore so I won't be able to go to any of the local dive shops around there.

5/13/2011 11:53:59 PM

Us divers for fins
zeagle for bc
Aquatec for regs
Suntoo for gauges
scubapro for mask+snorkel

Make sure everything fits. Fit and comfort are key.

5/14/2011 7:05:48 AM

^^Where do you live then? Or would you prefer gear recommendations you can purchase online?

5/14/2011 9:30:34 AM

ScubaPro Jet fins. You'll never need another pair. Mares Avanti Quatto Pro's might fit what you described better.
Backplate and wing for BC. You'll never need another one.
Aqualung, Scubapro, HOG, or whichever brand regulator your shop services. Lots of opinions here. They all work.
Suunto computer. (air integrated isn't a big deal)
Whichever mask fits your face best.
Folding snorkel so you can put it in your pocket later when it gets on your nerves.

Mask, fins, snorkel first. Wetsuit. Computer. Regs. BC (Bp/W). Eventually dive lights, camera, little things will come up. Tanks are last.

My opinion is a little different than some.. rent the big stuff for a long time. The shops want you to buy now. Wait until you've rented and used a few different things and know what you like before you spend money.

5/14/2011 11:25:16 AM

^Great advice.

Scubapro JetFins (you don't need to even think about anything else). Flexibility in fins means you work twice as hard to get to where your going. A good pair of stiff fins is really better.
I'm going to say a Halcyon backplate/wing set up. Or Deep Sea Supply (this is what I have, great price, phenomenal quality).
You really should try a wetsuit on in person. This is going to be dependent on the type of diving you do. Whether you're diving on vacations in 85* weather, or in a quarry at 50* weather.
A mask is going to be a personal decision, and you'll need to try a few on to see what fits your face. Get what feels comfortable to you, regardless of brand.
I have a folding snorkel. Once you're out diving, you won't really use a snorkel very much and may not even keep it on your gear. Having one you can pull out when you need is more convenient than keeping it attached to your face.

You can probably wait on the regulator/BC purchase (I use Apeks regs for what it's worth), and you really won't need a dive knife yet. Are you taking lessons through a dive shop? Through a university? Good luck. This can be a good place to seek advice. I do also recommend ncdivers as a great forum for feedback, even if you are not in NC.

[Edited on May 14, 2011 at 11:47 AM. Reason : ]

5/14/2011 11:44:49 AM

I meant aqualung for regs. sorry got the name wrong.

5/14/2011 12:10:50 PM

I'm learning NAUI in Huntsville, AL at the neutral buoyancy tank where they used to train astronauts before they moved all astronaut training programs over to Johnson Space Center. I'm actually very fortunate in that the classes there are only open through word of mouth referrals so the classes are quite small and the instructors give you lots of one on one time. I realize that the main thing to look for in fins and masks are fit so I was planning on buying them at one of the local dive shops around here after trying them on (or fitting them at a shop and buying online if cheaper)... I was just looking to see if there were any brand names you guys would recommend over other ones. I figure the dive shop staff would probably try and get me to buy the most expensive equipment so I wanted to get a few opinions before I bought anything.

Right now I'm only really looking at masks and fins. I will be doing some quarry diving this summer and as I mentioned before I'll be going to Topsail Island in a few months and I'll probably be making a trip to somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico this summer so I figured I'd need some kind of knife for that stuff (I'm well aware I probably will never use it but better safe than sorry). I don't plan on getting my own BC, regulator, or tank any time soon but I may get a wetsuit down the road a bit. Luckily if I'm diving anywhere within driving distance of here, my instructor said it would be fine if I just borrowed the BC, regulator, and tank for free just as long as I replace it if it gets damaged.

Question on knives: Is there any benefit to having a pointy tipped knife instead of a blunt tip? It's not like I'm gonna be fighting sharks or whatever so it seems that all a pointy knife is good for is accidentally stabbing my BC.

[Edited on May 14, 2011 at 6:38 PM. Reason : ]

5/14/2011 6:30:01 PM

Quote :

" (or fitting them at a shop and buying online if cheaper)"

Not a diver, but am curious...

As someone who worked in a small sporting goods shop, with a niche market... that closed...don't do this. You may pay a little more, but you get to:

-touch them
-try them on
-ask questions
-take them home that day.


Unless it's an obscene price difference, I strongly encourage you not to abuse the fact that they're there to help. Only to give your business to someone that won't give you any service. Its a real slslap in the face.

5/14/2011 6:38:40 PM

I definitely see that point, but usually it is an obscene price difference on *some* scuba gear. Like the difference between $65 and $130 for jet fins.

5/14/2011 6:53:38 PM

^Do you have any site recommendations for where I can get $65 ScubaPro Jet fins?

5/14/2011 7:09:59 PM

Keep an eye on LeisurePro. That's where I found mine for about that price. They aren't there right now, but they'll end up in a package a few times a year, or by themselves occasionally. You have to watch out for it. I do recommend you get the spring straps for your jets, which will add some $$, makes putting them on (and keeping them on) a breeze.

5/14/2011 7:36:40 PM

In the case of a doubled price, then yeah, go online...

If you're talking like 65 and 80... that's something else.

5/14/2011 7:51:36 PM

Quote :

"Unless it's an obscene price difference, I strongly encourage you not to abuse the fact that they're there to help. Only to give your business to someone that won't give you any service. Its a real slslap in the face."

The slap in the face is the price the dive shops charge on a lot of things. Why would I buy a mask from them for $80, when I can get it online for $30-35? For the same exact mask.

As for Jetfins -- they used to be $65 on Leisurepro and $120+ in dive shops. Awhile back Leisurepro raised the price to ~$90, and now they aren't on the website at all. I wonder what happened...IMHO they're the best fins on the market. Honestly I should have bought a few extra pairs at $65.

I've been on both sides of the counter at a dive shop. Don't be afraid to tell them exactly what you want -- sometimes they'll try to upsell you on something else with a larger profit margin. As a consumer that really bothers me, especially if I walk in and request a very specific product.

Quote :

"^Do you have any site recommendations for where I can get $65 ScubaPro Jet fins?"

Keep an eye on Craigslist. Especially with the economy on a downturn, lots of people are getting out of diving and selling all their gear.


Let me also point you in this direction, for a good equipment configuration. Note that it is a big slanted towards Halcyon, but it is still quite informative.
http://www.gue.com/?q=en/Equipment/Config/index.html

If you're interested in the reasoning behind that equipment config, read this:
http://www.gue.com/?q=en/Equipment/Evolution/index.html

[Edited on May 15, 2011 at 9:11 AM. Reason : ]

5/15/2011 9:03:11 AM

^not gonna see me argue with price situations like that.

5/15/2011 11:08:53 AM