Equipment Selection

JaceCady

Thanks. I'll still need an octopus for my "starter" OC rig, but if I won't need it long term I can probably get away with lower-priced, lower-end model. The Apeks AT20 looks good for that; it's a quality brand I can rely on, but a relatively barebones model.

quickean

USIA :: Seriously Dry

USIA makes very well constructed dry suits. It's a small company based out of Oregon. I dive the aquapro plus, which rugged and durable. If you go with this company and want a lighter weight shell to knock around in, you could look into the aqualite. The also just came out with the Techniflex, but I don't know much about it. What ever suit you go with, make you get measured accurately - whatever you get, you want it to fit well! I was originally looking into the DUI compressed neoprene, but the price what a little bit of a deterrent at the time. I was not a fan of DUI for a long time because of their prices, but in retrospect, if you have to pay an extra $500-1000 for a suit (considering how long you'll have it for), it's worth it as long as you're happy with it and it fits well.
I haven't gone diving in a DUI suit or zip seals, but I've heard that they're coming out with compressed neoprene dry zip gloves next year - very intriguing! Forget about tearing and leaking a gove no matter what kind of diving you're doing.

For a harness (if you go that route), go with something simple. I have a Hog harness (single piece of continuous webbing) with a 2" crotch strap (no, they actually aren't uncomfortable) that is very adjustable, comfortable, and uncluttered. If you get a Hog style harness with a quick disconnect buckle on the left shoulder, that would probably be perfect - very simple and easy to get out of. I find that "complicated" harnesses with chest straps and extra buckles are just more cluttered and I've found that the less cluttered and unrestricted, the more comfortable. Everyone is different however, so try a couple on at the store and see what you find most comfortable.

Also, if I had to do it over again from scratch, I would have bought a backplate and simple harness right off the bat (my first BC was a Seaquest - can't remember the exact model though). They are actually surprisingly comfortable having an uncluttered chest with the BC behind you is a huge bonus for comfort and being streamlined.

ISC, who makes the Meg, recommends the DiveRite TrekWing - that's what pretty much everyone at the company dives with. Any backplate will do. Just get one that has slots for cam bands, which most do, so you don't need a single tank adaptor (makes it a titch bit more streamlined).

If you want a small ("travel") backplate, you could look into ordering one from ISC or from golemgear (Golem Stream Backplate). The Mark Meadows backplate is another travel-like plate (not sure if that's the one ISC sell or not).

I myself have a DiveRite full size steel plate. The full size is a little bit more comfortable and takes a more weight off the belt, especially if you're diving in a dry suit.

rdmmdr

dry suits are nice, but a 7mm shorty with bibs will get you by for most dives. i have even used it in the red sea but will admit that the zipper was open, and shorty only. me and dry suits have a love hate relatonship, the damn thing leaks half the time and i always have to pee the second i hit the water. so unless i hit lake tahoe the dry suit stays home. and i have trim control problems with a drysuit but that is probably just the fact that i dont use one often enough.

if you dont intend to work on your own gear then scubapro regs are fine, but they will not sell you parts and trying to find a decent dealer is a pain. that said i love my mk20s and g250,s. dont go cheap here regs that work in the pool breath like garbage at 200 ft.

bc vrs wings and backplate.

you will miss the pockets of the bc but you will apreciate the clean lines when you have two spgs and two displays to deal with. both ways work your choice. better trim with the wing though. with your curves a decent harness is the best bet, some women dont like non padded harnesses without chest straps.

keep a single tank adapter with cam bands in your kit for when the damn thing breaks you can still get wet.there is always a spare tank on the boat.

fins
hit the pool and use what you like, pink be damned. i still have a twenty year old set of jet fin that get used regularly.

ebay or the dive shop rental fleet is a great place to find decent gear for back ups. a backup reg and mask is a requirement.

spares

your instructor should cover this, but after spending a hundered bucks to go diving and snap a fin strap right before you go in, will really piss you off. the trick here is not to go overboard. you still have to carry it. i carry a spare fin complete,a spare mask with snorkle retainer. a spare reg. orings, and a spare bc inflator hose complete.

computers

a decent nitrox with two mix will get you by for starters

bailout

if you are doing any kind of deco or overhead work the little on boars 13/19cf tanks are just too small. off board bailout is a requirement, that said i use a 30 side slung always, and will carry more for the deco requiremnets.

have fun and remember the gear is about 20% the cost of the meg and we have not even talked about a booster yet.
rick

JaceCady

The ADM Online store carries both the Mark Meadows and the Stream; I think I like the Stream, as it's $10 cheaper and is explicitly stated to be compatible with the Armadillo CCR sidemount which looks like an *awesome* setup for carrying backup/bailout tanks.

JaceCady

A couple of the sites I've seen pushing drysuits claim that 7mm wetsuits are highly restrictive of motion. Thoughts on that?

I'm looking at Golem Gear, Dive Rite and Apeks equipment, as those seem to be well-regarded brands. I figure the safe approach is to get baseline models from good brands.

Hehehe. Fins are the one part of this rig that I don't need certification to buy and test.

I'm looking at the Armadillo CCR sidemount which would let me carry two tanks...from the pictures it looks like you can carry full size 80s if you need, but I'd probably start with double 19s for less bulk in shallow conditions.

What's a booster? I think I've figured out how the BOV part works -- a single second-stage regulator with BOV hooks up to *both* your rebreather and bailout so you don't have to switch regulators -- but I'm still rather fuzzy about the rest of "what goes where".

RonMicjan

a booster is what allows you to get full fills on your O2 cylinder from a supply that is half empty, see my website, left frame, click on "Jetsam baby booster"

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Dutchy

Some are indeed restrictive. I remember wearing one such suit the first time in cold water after getting qualified in tropical water in a 3mm shorty
Now I found one 6.5 that is extremely flexible (and hence very easy to get into) and near dry (semi-dry with drysuit zipper on the back). It's made by Beuchat (French) so I'll doubt if you can get that one but basically it means good ones do exist...

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Doorduijn, Niels

Booster is a pump used to get gas from one cylinder to another. For an open water diver, it so far down the list that you will not need it for a long time. Rgs.

caveseeker7

Dutchy, semi-drys with dry zip are very rare on the West Coast, the only one I ever saw was the old grey and black Mares. In one shop, for almost $700. My front entry Mobbys trilam cost me $799.

Jackie, found it easier to don and doff, easier to do so yourself, much more comfortable once you're in it both underwater and on the boat. No getting into the water when semi-drys become semi dry or wet suits wet, no half way through the dive when you get cold, no getting back into a cold, wet suit for the next dive.

Rick, nothing wrong with pink.. The stuff from the website goes to a good cause, by the way, Kimber's recovery. Quite some of it is Tobin's handywork.

Jackie, a good, basic setup, suit, fins, mask, bcd and reg will cost quite a bit, last you a long time and get you through the basic classes, OW, AOW, Rescue/1stAid and Nitrox.

Sidemounting, bailout, CCR, booster, compressor and your own boat are way down the line.
Worry about your mindset, skills and discipline.

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Cheers
Stefan



"Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority,
and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media,
which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.!"

JaceCady

*nod*

I'm a girl, girls like window shopping. Doesn't everyone know that?

And I don't want a dive boat anyway, I want a helicopter to drop out of like SEALs do...skydiving + diving would be the ultimate adrenaline rush.