Re: Need Beginner Equipment Help

HotRod wrote

Last night I started my "in pool" cause and unfortunetly all we got to do
was a lot of course work and then 20 min or treading mater and 26 laps in
the pool.

You have to do it sometime.

Next week we'll be getting in the gear but I'm excited.

We understand completely.

Anyways with that in mind I still need to get my own gear, just to put
things into
perspective I wanted to buy at the dive shop there but a set of CRESSI
FROG
fins were $139, I can find them online for $53 so it looks like I'm going
to
be better off purchasing online and trying to get a package. SO here's the
questions.

Once you've decided exactly what you want, buying it on the internet is
fine. The added risk is that what you will get will not be what you
bargained for or, worse, that you'll pay for something you never get, only
to find the seller isn't around any more. If you stick to established
internet sources, neither should be a particularly problem

I recommend against package deals. They often sound really good, but
usually contain one or more elements that you would not have chosen if you
had a chance to try it before you bought it. Of course, if you can find a
package that includes items you are sure are what you want, again, there's
no harm in saving money by buying from those that offer the best deal.

In your shopping, be sure to check www.diversdirect.com . They offer some
very nice deals on line AND have several retail stores.

1) I tried on a bunch of masks and they all feel fine and seal properly. I
don't need corrective lenses so what mask can you guys recommend for a
newbie? Is the puge hole worth it? What about angled glass to see down
better?

The don't all feel fine and seal properly. If you think they do, then get
someone who knows what they're doing to help you pick one. If you make a
mistake on the mask, you won't be happy until you've corrected it and good
masks aren't all cheap.

The purge hole gets mixed reviews. Generally speaking, those with
significant experience don't find it much of a help and prefer to avoid
complicating things with devices that sometimes have problems. Purge valves
seem to attract bits of sand, shell, weed, etc. that keep them from sealing
and cause masks to leak. They don't all do it, all the time, but it
happens. Purge valves located in the soft portion of the mask, directly
under the nose piece, involve something hard right where you reach to pinch
your nose while equalizing pressure. That can make it slightly harder to
equalize and does expose the soft portions of the mask to unnecessary wear.
If you chose a purge valve mask, look for one with the valve in a hard
portion of the mask, the lens for example.

Masks designed to increase the vertical field of view seem like a good idea
and, if they really fit you, will be something you'll like a lot. I have
two different brands, a Cressi Big Eyes and a Mares version of the same
mask. Both seemed to fit OK in the shop. Both leak like a sieve in the
water. Unless you have a couple hundred bucks to throw away, try to avoid
making the same mistake. One way to improve odds in your favor is to try on
masks with a snorkel or spare scuba mouthpiece in your mouth. The shape of
your face, right where the mask seals, is different with a mouthpiece in
than without.

2) For those that are diving around the Great Lakes in Sept-Oct what
thickness of wetsuit do you recommend? Things to look for in a wetsuit?

I'm a warm water dvier, but even I can figure this one out. The first thing
so look for in thermal protection for the Great Lakes in September - October
is the words "Dry Suit."

Tusa Olympic Package
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/CategoryID_1904/Context_948/Sort_Stock/DescSort_0/PCKDS19.html?Hit=1

Cressi-Sub Horizon Pro (Compared to FROG FINS?)
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/CategoryID_1904/Context_948/Sort_Price/DescSort_0/PCKDS18.html?Hit=1

Sheerwood Avid-Gold or Mares Optimum?????
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/PCKDS20.html
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/PCKDS21.html

Notice there are no Scuba Pro, Atomic or Apeks packages in your list? Guess
which regulators get the best ratings. Shops put packages together to
entice people who don't know how to tell the difference, to buy something
they, otherwise, might not buy. Be careful. Check, try, select, each
significant component to be sure it is what you want and, only then, buy it
as a package.

Lee


.

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