wasser_1@viking.DEC (John A. Wasser) (04/29/85)
This Saturday I will be making my first open-water dive (part of a PADI certified open-water diving course). As such, I am a complete novice and could use some advice on what equipment to buy and where to buy it. I would be interested in any recommendations for specific equipment and mail-order dealers (or dealers in northeast Mass.). I would also like to know things like "I bought a ____ when I first started out but later discovered that a _____ was so much better/easier that I wished I had bought one of them instead." If there are any other novices looking for similar info, I would be glad to send a copy of whatever I get... If there is a lot of interest (more than 4 requests) I will summarize and post to this news group. Please send info or requests to me at the address below. -John A. Wasser Work address: ARPAnet: WASSER%VIKING.DEC@decwrl.ARPA Usenet: {allegra,Shasta,decvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-viking!wasser Easynet: VIKING::WASSER Telephone: (617)486-2505 USPS: Digital Equipment Corp. Mail stop: LJO2/E4 30 Porter Rd Littleton, MA 01460
dellinge@zinfan.UUCP (Ken Dellinger) (04/30/85)
*** REALIGN THIS PLACE WITH YOUR MASSAGE *** As far as what brands to buy, I've found the following to be quite reliable.... Regulator: Sherwood Magnum (It's fairly cheap from any mail order ($115.00) and it's rugged as well as light). BC: I've been using a Tabata vest. Again, cheap but reliable. Guages: I prefer the Tekna consoles for readability and size. Tank: Any* brand will do since there are only two places in the US that actually manufacture them. Just be carefull of used tanks with custom paint jobs and/or non-current Hydro-stat test date. S M & F: If you don't already have snorkel mask and fins of your own, check out some of the silcone stuff (like Plana fins). They're light and seem to hold up longer to everything except heat. Be forwarned, the car heater on a friends VW bug melted his pair! Also the silicone masks are usually more comfortable and *I* think visibility is better due to more light coming in. Don't pair a silicone mask with a regular snorkel, though. It'll ruin the silicone (don't forget a silicone snorkel keeper in your spares kit, too.). Wet/Dry I'm shopping around for a dry suit at the moment and would Suit: appreciate any advice on what's good. Wet suits just don't keep me warm enough up here in the Northwest -- you may find the same in the Northeast. I'm currently using a wet suit (1/4 inch, high waist) that I bought used (a rental) for $40.00. I fit most clothes of the rack and finding a wet suit that fit wasn't a problem. Since I don't know how you're put together, all I can say is the laminated nylon dry suits are more forgiving of shapes and sizes than about any other suit, wet or dry. General: If you try to buy all of this stuff at one time, it'll break you and make it harder to afford dive trips. I bought my stuff over a period of a year and a half. Personal things like a regulator were first on my list. Things like tanks* and weights were last on my list. The reason being, you can rent weights and tanks, all of which are like ones you might own. Since dive shops pay little for maintenance on these items (in comparison to regulators, BCs, wet/dry suits), they charge little for you to use them. You can usually rent a tank (full) for $3 - $5 a day. Most shops will charge at least $2 to fill a tank you own. I can walk in to a shop and rent a full tank for only a dollar more and be out before they can fill an empty (so even if you own a tank, you have to stop at the dive shop). The only mail order place I've dealt with recently is Laguna Sea Sports in CA. They're really a chain of stores but they also do mail order. They advertise in Skin Diver, pricess are reasonable and delivery runs about 5 - 8 working days. -- Ken Dellinger Digital Equipment Corporation 9570 S.W. Barbur Blvd. Portland, OR 97219 / decvax \ anywhere! < > !decwrl!zinfan!dellinge \ ucbvax / * UNIX is a trademark of A.T.& T. ULTRIX belongs to us...
dellinge@zinfan.UUCP (Ken Dellinger) (04/30/85)
...oops, wrong key! Anyway, good luck with your open water. Mine was only four years ago and probably one of the best dives I've had! Let me know if you're ever in the OR - WA area, we'll have to get wet. Also, I'd like to know what everyone else recommends in equipment lately. My wife just got her open water and we're starting all over again buying stuff. Later, Ken -- Ken Dellinger Digital Equipment Corporation 9570 S.W. Barbur Blvd. Portland, OR 97219 / decvax \ anywhere! < > !decwrl!zinfan!dellinge \ ucbvax / * UNIX is a trademark of A.T.& T. ULTRIX belongs to us...