Why should I not get this Package?

[bandit6789]

Ok, I can see the Pros of this package: Dacor Talon BC and Alpha 8 Package reviews and discounts, Oceanic

I'm entry level, I'm half way through my OW now, and have been checking out equipment. I love the price on this setup. MY LDS is a ScubaPro dealer, and everything we've used in the class is ScubaPro, and I like it just fine, the only thing I'm not thrilled about is price. I know you get what you pay for, I don't mind paying extra for quality, but I don't have to have the biggest brand name to impress anyone.

I plan on doing mostly fresh water dives in Texas, maybe an occasional Saltwater.

I hear only good things about SP, but I don't think I need to buy the high end stuff right out of the box. I mean, I love Ferrari's, but when you get down to it, if you're a new driver, and are not going to go over 100 MPH, you might as well buy a Mustang, right?

So my question is, why should I NOT buy this package from Scubatoys? What don't you like? What would you change?

Thanks for the help!

[Sansho]

It looks like a pretty good package. I've used the Oceanic first and second stage, and they work quite well. First stage is sealed, which is good if you're diving below 40º to 50º.

[setesh]

Well, the main thing I see is that you are entry level. That isn't a bad thing, but it definitely means you might change your mind on what gear you actually want once you get some experience. A lot of people for instance decide that they hate their jacket BCD and end up getting a BP/W instead.

[Fireman6458]

I would try as much equipment as you can before buying. It is a large investment and you want to be happy 6 months to a year down the road. Besides resale prices suck, just look in the used section and see what stuff is going for! This is all advice I received from people with decades of experience and a few scuba shops.

[Splitlip]

Yup.
I would buy the "best" reg you can afford. (reg selection is pretty non subjective.) As for BC's, if you have the money to buy and try, fine. Other wise try as many BC's as you can (rent, borrow or whatever) before you buy.

[KJewett]

It looks like a good package. The only thing I don't like about it is the jacket style bcd. Have you tried diving with a back inflate bcd yet? It's just my preference, but I like them much better. I agree you don't need to start in a Farrari, but also think about where you want to be diving in a year. Will this gear be up to your near future goals as well? It might be worth waiting and diving in some different things until you're 100% sure of the setup you want to invest in so you don't waste the money on a setup you don't use down the road.

[dannybot]

I have a CDX5 first stage regulator, and find that the hose routing causes it to tug a bit to the right. I got a miflex hose and it helped.

[ScubaToys Larry]

Not to try to sound too much like a sales guy here... but I see a lot of people suggesting rent a bunch of different gear before you buy so you don't waste money, and buy something, then have to upgrade later. But if you stop and look at the costs for a minute... Probably to rent a full set up for a weekend would run someone about 50 bucks. Now if you do just 1 weekend a month for the next six months deciding what you want - you've spend $300 in rental, and had to run stuff back and forth to the shop before and after each weekend.

That package is $479 before any discount - which means at the end of the 6 months, even if only diving one weekend a month - he has less than $179 in it. And if he decides it fits his needs - it's fine. If he decides he wants to move up to better gear, if he can sell the whole package for 200 bucks, he's money in his pocket.

Now if you have a bunch of friends that will let you just borrow stuff for 6 months - try a ranger one weekend, a BP/W another, a jacket another, and try a mares reg one weekend, an adjustable atomic the next, an oceanic with a swivel the next... all for free... sure. Borrow stuff and find out what you like - but most people don't have access to actually rent different good gear, and many times the rentals are not in tip top shape.

I've had people say they wouldn't buy so and so brand because they rented it once and they didn't like the way the reg breathed... but if that rental was not well maintained and tuned - they may have just ruled out a very good reg because of their rental experience.

Just another take on it. I personally don't like renting anything I will use a bit. Would it be cheaper for me to rent a chain saw if I only have a few limbs to cut... probably. But then if I bought one, I'd probably use it more.

An inexpensive scuba set up is under 500 bucks. I can't even think of anyone who has rented half a dozen cars before buying one... and that is a purchase that is 30 times more expensive.

Just another perspective.

[setesh]

Larry makes a good devil's advocate!

[reactive]

+1 for Larry