Thread: Scuba Diving

havent been yet but totally want to, i would love to do some open ocean dives. i might look into it when i get back from iraq. can anybody reccommend equipment types like brand names or a good place to buy from?

-dan-

Originally Posted by sinnfein

havent been yet but totally want to, i would love to do some open ocean dives. i might look into it when i get back from iraq. can anybody reccommend equipment types like brand names or a good place to buy from?

-dan-

Im not sure, call your local dive shop they will set you up.

I just rent the gear its like 9-18.00 to rent the full setup for 24 hours. And that comes with 2 tanks of air.

So for me its not really worth it to buy the stuff.

Been diving for about 15 years. Haven't been to the exotic places like the South Pacific though, just Cozumel (like about every year), Grand Cayman, Gulf of Mexico out of Florida panhandle, and some Texas and Oklahoma lakes and quarries.

I was supposed to go to Roatan a couple of years ago but the plans fell through. Would still like to go.

sinnfein, there are so many brands and places to buy...like Mike said, your LDS would be the best bet.

You might also try this board as there are a lot of helpful people there like on this one.

ScubaBoard - Online Scuba Diving Community - Equipment, Dive Travel, Training and More!

You can usually find me in the Texas Swamp Divers forum...or the Coz. forum, with screen name sealskin98.

Texas Swamp Divers - ScubaBoard

Cozumel - ScubaBoard

forgot to add places i've been diving!

Cozumel, Cancun, Curacao (south america), Hawaii (molokini and parts of maui), the Florida Keys (largo and west).

hoping to add even more to the list this summer!

Originally Posted by sinnfein

havent been yet but totally want to, i would love to do some open ocean dives. i might look into it when i get back from iraq. can anybody reccommend equipment types like brand names or a good place to buy from?

-dan-

A local dive shop is your best bet for all of the above. A lot of this is subjective and these are my opinions; I'm sure there will be disagreement.

You can get certified at resorts but my observations are that the training you would get from a local dive shop is more thorough. The resort courses for the most part cover the bare essentials and IMHO you would not want to venture in other than shallow, clear water with their training. The two most popular certifying agencies are National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). I would seek out a dive shop that offers either of these certifications. I have certifications from both agencies and both are very good. I have found that NAUI training is more thorough, but PADI is internationally recognized so you might have an easier time getting in the water overseas with a PADI certification. There are also Scuba Schools International (SSI) and YMCA certifications. I am not familiar with them but a shop I went to years ago when I lived out of state switched from PADI to SSI. The SSI program at that time was not as thorough. The shop owner told me one didn't need all "that stuff" that PADI requires to be a good, safe diver. Maybe so. Call me old fashioned but I feel that the more training you can get the better. I don't know how SSI rates now but that experience always left me wary of them.

As far as equipment brands go, I have good equipment, not top of the line but good. My wet suit is a Henderson, my regulators are Sherwood, fins are Scubapro, my tanks are Aqua-lung and my buoyancy compensator is Seaquest. These are all good names and there are others.

One thing I would do when buying at least major items of equipment is stay away from the internet. You can get good deals on the internet but if it doesn't fit right or work right a lot of them won't stand behind it and many local shops won't touch them if you didn't buy it from them. You don't want to fool around with that stuff.

Hope I've helped. If you're at Fort Campbell aren't there SF people there? Many of them are trained divers and could also point you in good directions.

I'm a PADI Divemaster in Tucson. We do our "local" diving in Mexico, around San Carlos. I would encourage you to get some training and jump right in, the water's fine!

Originally Posted by Scububbs

I'm a PADI Divemaster in Tucson. We do our "local" diving in Mexico, around San Carlos. I would encourage you to get some training and jump right in, the water's fine!

Heyyyyyyyy that's where I did my OW dives. I lived in Alamogordo at the time. I'd love to get back there.

Originally Posted by droche

Heyyyyyyyy that's where I did my OW dives. I lived in Alamogordo at the time. I'd love to get back there.

It's still great diving. Our shop runs trips to San Carlos and we also host a beach diving operation about 30 clicks north of San Carlos. We camp, have unlimited shore diving and we run Zodiac boats all weekend. If you're ever this way PM me and I could send you details.

Originally Posted by Scububbs

It's still great diving. Our shop runs trips to San Carlos and we also host a beach diving operation about 30 clicks north of San Carlos. We camp, have unlimited shore diving and we run Zodiac boats all weekend. If you're ever this way PM me and I could send you details.

Thanks. I don't see myself getting down that way in the forseeable future but I certainly will if by some chance I can.

Originally Posted by droche

If you're at Fort Campbell aren't there SF people there? Many of them are trained divers and could also point you in good directions.

yea there are, im actually attached to the SF group here as support, thinking about actually joining SF in the future though

-dan-