A request for information for divers?
Question: I'm going to be doing my advanced PADI end of this month, and i digit now is the time to start building up my own tackle. With the exception of mask and fins (which i already have), and position in mind i will own to build it up slowly, what should i be looking to buy first?
Answers:
You didn't say where on earth you're going to be doing your Advanced Open Water course, but I agree that your own suit/boots should be next on your catalogue. Being cold on a dive is the WORST! It leads to highly developed air consumption (because you tend to breathe faster), and reduce your your ability to agreement with problems underwater (because it's harder to concentrate).
Being cold is especially unpleasant if you know you enjoy to go subsidise in again subsequent that day--that's why you'll often see Instructors wearing drysuits when their divers are comfortable surrounded by semi-dries or even wetsuits! (AOW courses are often conducted over a weekend, so you'll hold to do 5 dives in 2 days, and your Instructor might hold to do more than that, if other students want to do different dives to you).
Choice of suit should be based on expected warmth at depth, bearing surrounded by mind that at 30 m (100 ft), which is the maximum depth allowed for your Deep Adventure Dive, a wetsuit will be 1/4 of the thickness it be at the surface, i.e. a suit which is only in recent times keeping you comfortable at 10 m (33 ft)probably won't be enough at 30 m, even though deeper dives tend to be shorter.
I use the following guide for myself (but I'm high and skinny and tend to chill quickly):
35°C -- skinsuit (protects against sunburn)
30-35°C (86-95F) -- shortie wetsuit (3-5 mm)
25-30°C (77-86F) -- long suit (5 mm)
20-25°C (68-77F) -- 2-piece wetsuit (5 mm) + hooded undervest (3-5 mm)
15-20°C (64-68F) -- semi-drysuit (5-7mm) + thick (5 mm)hood
<15°C -- drysuit + hood
This also depends on surface temperature and wind. If the water's cool (20°C) and it's blowing hard, I'd probably prefer the drysuit to the semi-dry, as windchill can make a huge difference to post-dive comfort level (worth thinking about if you'll be diving from an stretch out boat).
Bear in mind also that the more insulation you wear, the more front you'll need to catch neutral buoyancy. So, if you're going to wear your brand new suit for the first time on your AOW course, it might be a good concept to do the Peak Performance Buoyancy Dive as the first dive -- ask your Instructor.
A last word in relation to suit fitting...
Wetsuits (and to a lesser extent semi-dries) MUST be figure-hugging, otherwise you catch cold water sloshing surrounded by all the time (but not uncomfortably tight, or it's a hassle to don and doff). Off-the-peg suits don't other fit perfectly (because not everyone have off-the-peg proportions!), but rather than getting a suit built from scrape, it might be cheaper to get an o-t-p suit that _almost_ fits, and filch it to a neoprene tailor for adjustment (takes a couple of days, because the seams own to be reglued).
Drysuits need to be unrestricting enough that you can wear your thermal undersuit underneath them, but not so baggy that the upper air (injected during descent to avoid suit squeeze) flows quickly and freely from one conclude to the other. (A baggy drysuit is also profusely more draggy, so you have to work harder to swim it through the water).
I will you all the best for your course, and your adjectives diving adventures!
don't know.
buy some dice
Buy a Scuba mask first, duh!
no fricken clue
Wet suit? underwater camera. a run through in covering you get caught on something. a comfortable regulator.
BC, Regulator, Dive Computer
Love have my own BC especially when an emergency happens, you know where on earth stuff is.
Regulator becuase you know (or should know) it condition and become familliar with it.
Dive computer so you don't hold to take some Dive Masters word that adjectives the dives are planned correctly. You know you can or cannot do the next programmed dive.
You are Going to Be Heading For the BOTTOM of Some Body of Water in the fundamental Future---It Can Get Pretty Cold Down there where on earth the SUN DON'T SHINE---TRUST ME---I've Been a PROFESSIONAL DIVER FOR OVER 70 Years---RETAINING your Body Heat Should be NEXT on your Shopping List---DEPENDING on Where you Dive---You Should Have a 1/8 th or 3/16 inch Short Sleeved Jacket That Goes Under your Crotch or a 5/16 th inch Long Sleeve that Fits the same---ALSO 1/8 th or 3/16 " Short Pants or 5/16 th" Long Legs---Hood,Gloves and Booties,Thickness Accordingly---THAT FIT INSIDE YOUR FLIPPERS WITHOUT CUTTING OFF YOUR CIRCULATION are Optional---According to the Water Temperature Where you Dive....
DO A LOT OF SHOPPING---TRY SOME SUITS ON---MAKE SURE IT FITS NATURALLY---COMFORTABLY---A LOOSE WET SUIT Lets water IN---it take CALORIE energy from you to grill that water up---Consequently a Short UNCOMFORTABLE DIVE---A Suit CAN BE TAKEN IN OR LET OUT,If Need be---Get NYLON on the INSIDE SURFACE AND the OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE SUIT TOO---it will second a lot longer---CHECK WHEN THE SUIT WAS MADE---RUBBER WILL DETERIORATE OVER TIME---MAKE SURE THE MAJOR SEAMS ARE SEWN TOO---DON'T Let ANYONE make clear to you it doesn't Need to be---you DONT need a CAR SALESMAN when your Life Depends on it---As For the SELF CONTAINED UNDERWATER BREATHING APPERATUS (SCUBA) The Type,Configuration, Craftsmanship and Brand Depends on YOU---NOT THE SALESMAN---You DONT NEED what ever they are PUSHING this YEAR or WEEK---Tell them "Your STILL Looking" they may Bring out the GOOD Stuff then---DON'T BARGAIN next to your LIFE---RESEARCH THE MARKET---LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED---This way YOU WILL be Satisfied near YOUR INVESTMENT---if they have a Pool---Try it out---Safe Diving WITH a BUDDY---Signed---JEM
1. Dive Computer
- you really shouldn't share
- it give you more dive time than if you're going to use the tables
- it's one of your most central piece of diving equipment
2. Mask, Snorkel, Fin
- you can use these 3 items for snorkelling too
- best to get them as a set
3. Wetsuit/Shorties/Drysuit
- choose the an additional appropriate to the temperature of the waters you'd be diving surrounded by the most i.e. 3mm, 5mm, 7mm
4. BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) + Regulator-Octopus-Gauges Set
- it's best to get these as a set
- even if you don't bring these, you can rent them easily
5. Tank
- not entirely vital
- get it if you really really want to
Dawny, je_marri have excellent advise. Do the wetsuit first. Nylon on both sides make a durable suit, that is easier to find into. IF you are going to venture into cold river, you will need a dry suit, next to warm thermal underwear. I would advocate that for the wetsuit, you consider a custom made suit made as you want it to be made. Just be very sure that adjectives seams are sewn, and glue. After the suit, get a apt regulator, one that you like. Buying refurbished rental/student equipment can gather you money, just be sure that the shop refurbish to like spanking new, or better. The higher the rating of the shop by the procedure that licenses them, USUALLY the better. Do shop around though.
As far as a bottom time computer go, I don't like them, and never will. To me, the residence "bend-a-matic" will always be a proper description for these meters. Your dive is your business, bring in sure that you are right, do not depend on others, at least not completely. Always check against your bottom time, and the dive table for how long that next dive can be. You do know that bottom time is figure from the time that you submerge to the time you surface, and is based on the greatest depth that you be at. Even if it was singular 1 minute at 60 feet, to be locked, figure the total time as have been at 60 foot. It is your life, and sport, so be conservative and digit the longer time, at the greatest depth.
buy a lake
ask your local diving shop for what they reccomend for your situation :]
Hi Dawny,
You`ve have some good suggestion here, and I would certainly buy a well brought-up exposure suite suitable to the area you want to dive.
Secondly I would invest surrounded by a BCD, then look toward buying a set of Regulators. Again buy the best set you can and look after them as they are your life span support system whilst your in the blue.The subsequent for me would be a quality dive examine and a computer, after that you will need a shipment system and a Tank but these items are readily available to hire from your local Dive shop, and if you are simply planning to dive a few times a year it makes sense to buy when you can afford.
With the exception of a Knife everything else is an extra, Divers are close to magpies, we like shiny things..
Enjoy your course, procure some experience and enjoy your diving.
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