Ask us about SCUBA (and other forms of) diving!

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Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

My wife and I have decided to get certified, likely in Denver since it is close, and are planning a trip to Bonaire in January or February. This started as a snorkeling trip and progressed into insanity. My question is how do I pick gear and what should I pick up before we go?

We live in the prairie but do get to the Florida coast three or four times a year. We will not have a relationship with a local dive shop, and need your help.

# ¿ May 31, 2015 18:52

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:58

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

I should have clarified better.

We have been snorkeling for years, mainly west palm and the keys. We own fins, masks and snorkels.

I was considering buying up front because it looks like the rental price will be $50 per day in Bonaire. Spread across the two weeks will be there plus the few weeks we will be in Florida between now and then and the costs start to add up.

# ¿ May 31, 2015 19:44

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

With the above in mind should I pick up the below before going to Bonaire.

3mm wetsuit (Florida / Caribbean)
Mask
Fins
Regulator

# ¿ Jun 1, 2015 02:20

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Thanks for the advice everyone. I would suggest the OP be updated to include a suggested order in which to buy gear. Because my wish list is up and including an island and boat at this point while my budget is more mask, booties, computer..

I'm buying for two and really need to start with the minimum and work up. Being average I can probably rent everything, but my wife is an xs and gear will likely be hard to rent.

# ¿ Jun 2, 2015 00:52

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

My wife and I have started our etraining and ha e scheduled out dice training. I expect we will only be able to dive three weeks a year. We already have a two week trip to Bonaire booked for January.

With that information dump in mind should we buy or rent our gear. I would usually never rent safer gear but am getting conflicting information. I can afford to but gear but don't want to waste money either.

The dive shop we are taking our training at offers Tusa and Sherwood at a discount. Any suggestions will be considered and appreciated.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2015 21:32

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Squirrelo posted:

Three full weeks or weekends? Right now, I'd say buy mask/fins/snorkel and rent to see what you like. Gear is a really expensive investment, so you want to know what you're getting is what works for you.

Three full weeks, possibly some weekends when work takes me to Florida. In the next 6 months we have three full weeks of diving planned. And likely another few later in next year. My heart ache is that gear rental in Bonaire is flipping expensive and I could throw that money at my personal gear, maybe I will relax and pay the rental for the first trip.

Friends suggested the below and I will likely follow his advice and buy 1,2 and 3 before leaving for Bonaire.

1) Mask, fins, and snorkel. (I bought my prescription mask online from Seavision and am very happy with it.)
2) Dive computer. My wife and I both use a basic $300 model from Oceanic.
3) Wetsuit. You can dive with just swim trunks, but will get cold faster and will end up using more air, which will result in shorter dive times.
4) Regulator. You can easily rent one during your first couple of dive trips.
5) BCD. Also something you can rent at first.

Ropes4u fucked around with this message at 02:23 on Sep 21, 2015

# ¿ Sep 21, 2015 01:53

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

PADI eLearning is death by power point

# ¿ Sep 24, 2015 02:19

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Any recommendations for fins and basic computer?

My wife and I are currently driving to Florida to wrap up open water certification.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2015 21:59

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

pupdive posted:

Fins are very personal things. I need light fins because I dive with little flotation in my legs (shorties and no wetsuit) often, and I need something I can grab quickly by the side. Also my kicks are all of them (except flutter) , especially when diving all day, including a heavy dose of back kicks when shooting video. I also need a fin that can be worn wihout booties and with, which is a rare thing in fins

I love my fins But they are pricey, and they don't last for poo poo, which is rare for fins. (Fin name redacted, because). But then again 'lasting' is relative 300 dives is more than most people will ever dive. It's a couple months for me. I don't care too much about having to buy new fins/masks a couple times a year because that's just what's needed. Masks break, get crapped out with mold, get eaten by cockroaches. I do go with cheap masks so I don't cry when I have to loan them out and don't get them back. I do not loan out my fins.

Get a computer than fits how you like to wear it underwater. If you want to keep it on all week when diving get a watch sized one. If you have to put on a wetsuit anyway so the computer gets put on as part of gearing up, then watch sized (which means a smaller display) is not so important.

I still like the second generation of bigger wrist computers that stopped trying to be the same size and shape as the depth gauges in consoles. Mares Puck Pro was the first and Cressi, and Tusa , and others also make them. Oceanic still goes either bulky-ish depth gauge size or slim watch size, but they are probably the easiest to get fixed because everyone' and their mother is an Oceanic dealer.

For the computer, get whatever brand your LDS (local dive shop) sells, and choose the shape you want to wear. Because eventually every dive computer will crap out or need the battery changed, and you need a local shop that changes the battery O-Ring and pressure tests the new O-Ring. Suunto is a tricky brand. They no longer allow dealers to change batteries apparently, and they use custom bands that crap out and ruin vacations. I love Suunto computers, but the battery and band choices they have made have made them tricky to count on.

If you are thinking about one computer, you need to think it all the way through and buy two *each*, which means you will probably get at least one watch sized dive computer because it takes up less wrist space, and another one. Eventually any dive computer will fail, even if it just because of the battery, and if you are traveling, your day of diving (or your liveaboard trip) is over the minute your computer craps out on you.

Thank you for the advice. I will start with a brass gauge on my tank, a wrist computer with a big and easy to read screen. Step in fins in the middle of the range.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2015 11:28

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Fairly passive posted:

'Ask me about accidentally cutting short my safety stop by 30 seconds and developing Type II DCS following an 18m dive'

Well?

I'm new (open water class next weekend) and am interested in hearing your story.

# ¿ Oct 4, 2015 15:18

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Day one pool dives over - So far so good

# ¿ Oct 11, 2015 01:40

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

My wife and I survived our first five dives to 65 feet. Taking a day off to relax and then we are going back for two more days of boat diving.

Now I need a computer, regulators and a cool knife (scissors).

# ¿ Oct 12, 2015 23:01

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Make no mistake I will own a proper kick rear end knife. There was an old crusty dude on the boat who was killing lion fish and catching lobsters - the giant knife strapped to his calf made me jealous.

# ¿ Oct 13, 2015 01:49

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

pupdive posted:

The important thing to remember about diving it is for fun, and we are only able to get to breathe underwater due to the outsized imaginations and balls of some pretty amazing dudes, and women if we include the free diving side.

So go for the BFK as it is called if your heart cries out for it:

http://www.johnchatterton.com/the-politically-incorrect-blade/

Interesting post about a BFK on an interesting blog overall by one of the old crusties. He has some association with "Shadow Divers" the book.

We are in a place where we are not designed to be, through the magic of technology. The only reason we are there is because of some irrational desire to begin with. SO go crazy with the biggest knife you can find, because if you don't love your gear, why buy it? (I bought a dive knife years before I had the chance to get certified, just because Dive!! Knife!!!

*****
That said, my only time being truly entangled badly underwater was when monofilament wrapped around my leg mounted knife, and managed to tie my legs together with invisible fishing line. My exact thought when this happened was "if only I did not have a knife". After my buddy cut me free, I threw the big knife in my boat because on a boat (and really only on a boat) big rear end knives are useful, and switched to a wrist mounted cutter. That cutter is now is a Trilobite on the strap of my wrist computer. And an opposite wrist mounted computer and cutter as well for adventurous dives. I really don't like body or harness mounted cutters for a number of reasons, the most practical of which is that my wrist computer and the knife stay on from the first dive on, and so the cutter ends up being useful for a bunch of stuff that a knife on a rocking boat is not the best idea for.

Trilobite: http://eezycut.com/

The blade is perfectly protected (fingers and hoses won't fit easily into the cutting area, but fishing line, tuna cord, and kelp (the common entanglement hazards) will and are driven into the cutting edge).This means that when you are trapped by invisible monofilament behind your head you can safely slash away at the line without having to worry about cutting your own hoses or fingers. This came in handy when a fishing hook magically appear on a student's face, and I was able to cut the attached line without having to find it first or worry about waving a knife at a student. I was able to do this before the student was even aware she had been hooked.

Horrible, and hilarious, because I had an open water student swimming around with a fish hook stuck on her. If you have ever tried to point out something to another diver on their body you will know why telling her anything was pointless, until we were back on the boat. So I just laughed and laughed, and made sure she posed for a picture while she was still hooked.)
***
As far as the shears go, they fail at the rivet because the rivet cannot be made of the proper stainless for strength reasons so it rusts and fails. So the blades are fine and the rivet fails either due to rusting. I used to try and rivet them back together but the over-the-counter rivets are not strong enough.

When I have a bunch of underwater rope course work to do, I do use the surgical shears but they are not reliable to leave them in place and expect them to work when really needed. I do always have a pair my tool kit on the boat though, in case someone needs a penny cut in half.

Excellent post, thank you.

# ¿ Oct 13, 2015 11:15

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

My wife and I completed our open water and then booked, and finished three days of two tank boat dives.

At the end of the last boat my wife and a couple new acquaintances mentioned I looked and was acting tired.

Is it normal to get tired when first starting out? I have a two week trip to Bonaire scheduled, should I plan on a few days of rest?

# ¿ Oct 16, 2015 01:50

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Run and cycle regularly, haven't drank in 21 years. Diving with my wife added some stress as I feel responsible for her safety.

Efficiency obviously needs work.

# ¿ Oct 16, 2015 02:44

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Okay that all makes sense, especially the lack of feedback, I will make sure I plan some rest days to recover.

And yes it was an amazing experience.

Ropes4u fucked around with this message at 11:44 on Oct 16, 2015

# ¿ Oct 16, 2015 11:25

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

I have been debating which regulators to get my wife s and I. I was pretty set on atomic, they are sold by the shop I will dive with when in Florida. But I see a lot about the HOG zeniths being equal in performance and cheaper.

Can anyone here comment on their HOG or atomic regulators ?

We will only be rec diving.

# ¿ Oct 18, 2015 18:00

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

For a dude that gets buyers remorse buying a regulator set is a nightmare of choices.

# ¿ Oct 26, 2015 14:25

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

The way I see it my wife and I have a few choices for purchasing regulators.

1) Atomic B2 and an Octo-Z - safe enough for a reef bitch (us for now). Light and easy to manage but won't grow beyond nitrox if we go crazy.

2) Atomic M1 streamlined kit for DGE - can grow into this and safe enough for any diving we will ever do, never needs replacement.

3) Atomic Z2 Octo and Reg - cheapest option. No swivels or flex hoses which may bother my wife.

Option two appears to be the safest and longest lasting bet to me, and at 1100 each isn't out of reach but my dreams of a crazy computer would be tried up to a Geo 2 or something similar.

Are any of these a bad choice?

# ¿ Oct 26, 2015 23:16

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

pupdive posted:

Seconding this, though why not go Atomic SS1 and match the rest of the Atomic for ease of service issues? (Although now that Atomic and Zeagle are under the same company, it may be the case that most dealers in one will become dealers in the other at least , I still now some Zeagle dealers that don't stock Atomic and vice versa.)

Also

The GEO 2 is not a fall-back choice at all. It's a wonderful computer.

GEO 2 is a decent enough watch (though it does not, annoyingly, show the date without pressing a button) that you can use it as your backup computer no matter what kind of diving easily because it will always been on your wrist on diving days anyway.

And it's a great computer in and of itself, with a sensible display (big enough for all but a few reading glass blind people, just small enough that wearing it like a watch does not make you look odd.) Oceanic in general makes smart, well thought-out computers. When they get the "form factor" right (like they did with the GEO 2, Atom, etc.) they really shine. And remain useful for whatever kind of diving you do down the line, even if you want to spend 4 grand on rebreather capable brains.

I am about to get one as the "always on the wrist backup" to go with my main strap-ons. (He said strap-on).

The only reason I was think about the Octo-z is that we both have Zeagle BCDs.

Thank you for the input.

# ¿ Oct 27, 2015 11:08

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

DeadlyMuffin posted:

I've always wanted to see a flying gurnard in person and never have. Very cool.

Since we're posting pictures... Bonaire is beautiful! The profile is the same on just about every dive so it can be a bit repetitive, but it's still an absolutely gorgeous place underwater and there's lots to see. We did a couple of boat dives out to Klein Bonaire as well, but I thought the shore diving off of Bonaire itself was just as good, if not better.

You should be able to click on the images to see the full size ones.

Spotted Scorpionfish

Fairy Bassalet

Graysby getting cleaned by a Paderson shrimp

Creolefish with a parasitic isopod on its face

Longsnout seahorse

We are going to Bonaire for two weeks in January. We planned on a week of boat dives and a week of shore diving. In your opinion is there anything we should do or avoid?

# ¿ Oct 29, 2015 11:25

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

DeadlyMuffin posted:

It's common sense, but use the boat dives to do places that are more difficult or impossible to do by shore. The means Klein Bonaire, the east side of the island (if possible, I don't think many outfits go there and I wasn't able to) or the more inaccessible sites on the west side of Bonaire. The Hima Hooker, Bloodlet, and La Dania's leap are both a bit obnoxious to get to from shore, and I'm sure there are others; ask your boat crew.

The shore diving is very easy, and if I go back that's probably all I'll do. Karpata is one of the best sites in terms of large healthy reef, and the Salt Pier has enough structure that it is very different and I'd highly recommend going there (that's also the only place we saw a seahorse, for whatever that's worth). I'm disappointed I didn't do the Salt Pier at night while I had the chance.

When shore diving be sure to take everything with you, and leave your vehicle unlocked with the windows down. They do get broken into, it's not just something people say.

Also, the road by Kirpata becomes one way, so to get back South you need to either loop up through Rincon where the road is nicer, or take a super bumpy and occasionally steep dirt/gravel road that's a bit shorter as the crow flies, but sporty. Worth keeping that in mind when you're picking what order to do dive sites.

If you haven't picked a spot yet, I'd recommend looking for a location a bit north of the capital. We stayed about 5 minutes north and our drive times to both the northern and southern dive sites weren't bad at all. If you stay very far south, where I saw a fair number of houses, that would not be the case.

I've got to run to work but if you have any more questions (logistics, supermarkets, whatever) I can go a bit more in depth later.

Please post or PM me all you have...

# ¿ Oct 29, 2015 21:06

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Can anyone post a pic of a DIN vs DIN and yoke connection? I am trying to decide which to order..

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 20:45

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Cippalippus posted:

DIN is superior to Yoke under every regard, and DIN regulators can be converted to the yoke system if you need. Get DIN.

I understand I may need to go to din sooner or later. That said, I am under the impression that the adapter isn't ideal due to its added length.

Alternatively, and likely, I am being a bit of a nit picky goon worrying about the extra length..

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 23:38

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

I appreciate the answers and will work with the dive shop (DGE) to get a yoke set up.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2015 03:41

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

How does everyone travel with their gear on international flights?

I plan on carrying regs and computers in carry on. The rest I hope to shove into a rolling duffle?

# ¿ Nov 15, 2015 17:50

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

I'm hoping to fit everything for my wife and I in a patagucci Blackhole or Eddie Bauer rolling duffle. We have simple glass and brass gauge and wear a wrist computer that we will wear on the flight.

# ¿ Nov 15, 2015 22:43

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Dive Right In posted a Black Friday sale. The Hog D3 / Zenith sale is swinging me away from the Zeagle F8s I was going to order.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2015 12:49

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Bought my wife and I a complete set of Hog D3's & Zenith regulators at the Dive right In Scuba black friday. Just need a knife and a thigh pocket to call it done�..

# ¿ Nov 25, 2015 02:29

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Is there such thing as a good roll up snorkel?

# ¿ Nov 25, 2015 19:50

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Hmm I guess I thought they might be useful for the shore dives in Bonaire, on the swim out. Or possibly the rough winter water in Florida - in the event we get stuck on the surface waiting for the boat.

I have a good snorkel for snorkeling but wanted sow thing that I could store for the never going to happen event I am thinking about.

Bought regs and computers yesterday this was one of the last things I wanted to pick up other than a knife or shears.

# ¿ Nov 26, 2015 05:00

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Is a thigh pocket a bad idea? I am thinking about buying one to store my tablet, smb, and reel. I hate having things flopping around but am open to suggestions.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 15:57

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Maybe I am asking the wrong question.

Should I plan on carrying a slate / pencil / reel / smb when shore diving?

My wife and I are going to Bonaire on our first trip abroad and are trying to get our finial gear setup squared away.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 18:23

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Icon Of Sin posted:

SMB: always. Slate, pencil, and reel, not so much. I've got a slate, and the only time I've used it since buying it was to loan to my friend for her mapping project as part of her divemaster course. The only time I've used a reel was for distance measurement underwater (to verify distance estimation done with kick cycles) and searching for lost equipment (also as part of her mapping project). Even shore diving here I keep my SMB with me, since the current here can get fairly strong pretty quick when the tides start to change and I don't want to end up out in an active channel without some kind of surface marker.

Perfect, thank you for the help.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 19:07

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

We will wrap up advanced open water, nitox and shore diving the first week. Second week we will be shore diving and possibly grabbing a couple boat dives.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2015 17:39

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

pupdive posted:

I will never understand why divers reach some arbitrary point in diving where they think being a dick and hassling divers they see as somehow 'lesser' is in anyway appropriate. I could destroy basically any divers confidence in their abilities in about 10 seconds by causing the right combination of gear problems, and they'd probably never dive again, if they manage to not panic and kill themselves. I am not sure what that would prove though, other than to show that people dive for fun, and if people in charge of their safety go out of their way to make it not fun for divers, the divers will quit, and those idiots will be out of a job.

This is almost every sport known to man. In sport I have participated in I have found people who rant, brag, bully or generally and act like jackssses.

I think you can split any population of people into subgroups (assholes / not assholes) the percentages would almost always be equal. The difficult part in adventure sports is that those attitudes can kill people.

We should all have the courage to look out for the new people. I have been blessed with good mentors in skydiving and rock climbing and hope to find the same scuba diving.

(Forgive the grammar sentence structure I'm phone posting. But to be honest it would suck if was at a computer)

# ¿ Dec 12, 2015 15:41

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Trivia posted:

Glad you guys like them. All that effort when probably no more than 20 people will ever see that post. A labor of love.

It's kinda criminal that I go through all that trouble and only use a cheap digicamera. gently caress if I'm going to spend several thousand on a good setup though.

As someone who used to rock climb and skydive alone i completely understand the go explore it alone mentality. That trip is epic and you are lucky to have gotten some beautiful memories and photos along the way.

How were the guides? What depth were the majority of the wrecks?

Im going to show your post to my wife as a hint to our next trip.

# ¿ Dec 16, 2015 00:55

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

Stupid question alert

My SPG arrived and in the box was small tube that looks like a flow restrictor. My guess is this gets installed and helps prevent gauge damage when opening the valve and allowing pressure into the lines?

# ¿ Dec 19, 2015 17:22

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:58

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

I am perfectly happy with my $65 dive gear express light.

# ¿ Jan 14, 2016 16:44

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