Beginner scuba diving package including BCD, regulator set, and mask.
Package includes:
According to Scuba Price Dingo, buying the components of this package separately would be about $300-400 more expensive.
Just got my PADI. Is it worth looking at higher tier 2nd hand gear (in good condition)? Or entry level new gear?
I think second-hand gear is worth it if you know that it's been serviced by a reputable shop. Especially for regulators, it's hard to tell if there are issues without taking them on dives. BCDs are fairly straightforward — most problems are inflator-related, which is simple to replace. For computers and wetsuits, second hand makes a lot of sense as it should be easy to see if there are issues.
If you get serious about diving, you'll probably end up replacing the entry-level gear with higher-quality stuff, but by then you'll have a better idea of what you want. Personally, I did my first dives on cheap hire gear (from a university club) and then bought mid-level new gear (Apeks regs, Golem Gear wing, Suunto computer).
Cheers for that…
Might be a good idea for me to go down the rental route for my first dives so I can decide what I really want.
I've done a bit of diving - 20-30 dives I guess but still a novice. I considered buying gear but then realised I am unlikely to dive enough locally to justify the upfront and ongoing cost in maintenance.
I guess it comes down to how regularly you dive, and if you travel to do so.
I've been lucky to dive in the Maldives, Fiji, Thailand, QLD, & NSW, yet never in my home state of Tassie.
And no it's not that cold… I've done plenty of snorkelling.
I reckon your own mask/snorkel/fins and are essential though, if only for snorkelling. And probably your own computer if diving.
I bought all my gear brand new (from dive imports, as they are pretty local, and well priced) a few years ago…
got an oceanic pack for about $1300 - $1500 (forget exactly).
I was more then happy to buy brand new.. my reasoning being, is that you are trusting this gear with your life under the water… I would rather buy brand new, and know the gears history.
only thing I have that wasnt brand new, is my computer (did have a brand new oceanic VT4, but ended up selling it, and buying a factory refurbished OC1.. I ended up making $200 from upgrading.
dive imports are having a huge sale this weekend.
unsure if this has been updated to reflect the sale, or if it is instore only… but worth a look.
also, adreno (scubadiving.com.au) currently have their easter sale on at the moment, so might be worth checking out
What does servicing cost and how frequent does gear need servicing (including the air tank maintenance)?
Thinking about this, but if it's going to run significant servicing costs, then I may as well just hire the gear for $50/day.
servicing costs roughly $150-$200 for BCD and regs + then you will need to also pay for parts if/when they are required. (sometimes you can get parts for life, as long as you get it serviced yearly.)
manufacturers recommend gear gets serviced yearly… if you choose to do it less then that, that is your decision, just remember that you are trusting this gear with your life while under the water.
personally, I get mine done every 2 years.
Tanks need to be tested every year, and a dive shop will not fill the tanks if they are out of date.
I have found you need to do roughly 10 dives a year to justify buying a tank.
This does seem like a pretty good deal….