Fins and other gear for a n00b :)

[Tom A]

you live in south ms you will be doing more diving just drive over to fl

[Jas0n]

North Mississippi

Actually I did a trip to Guam about 2 years ago and enjoyed the snorkeling. I didn't get the opportunity to get dive qual. I do know that as far as fins are concerned it took me a week to find a pair that I could get my feet into and even then they were really stiff and didn't fit properly - narrow and tight on the foot.

[thor]

Although it is better to try out a lot of gear before you buy, so that you know your preferences, for me, my reg was one of the first things that I bought. Maybe it's just me, but rental regs are like using a toothbrush that 100 other people have used before you. Yuck. Have fun in Guam

[Jas0n]

I'm definitely going to have to convince the wife to dish out for a reg (bcd optional LOL). I got my openwater while I was in guam, but nearly ditched my gear and said to heck with it (well with the rental gear anyway) on the first open water dive. I jumped into the water and swam out 150 yards or so to the spot we were going to dive down to. I pulled up my 2nd stage and it was missing the mouthpiece (yes it was there before I swam out as I had it in my mouth when I jumped in), so my instructor said to use the alternate... ok I can do that... put the alternate in, took a couple good breathes and started my decent -- soon as my head went underwater my next breath was nothing but water... I inflated my bc hacked up all the water and spit out the mouthpiece - my alternate had seperated itself from the mouthpiece. put it back together and tightened down on the already cut zip tie as much as I could, descended and prayed the whole time.

needless to say, I've already learned my lesson on rental gear

[meesier42]

wow, I hope the rest of your diving was much less eventful, welcome to the clan, Guam was a great place to dive and I can't wait to go there again.

a good reg is a great first solid piece of gear. Don't skimp on it, but that doesn't mean that you have to spend a ton to get great regulators. I personnally use Zeagle regs and they are great and inexpensive for their performance, but you have an issue getting them serviced outside the US as they are not all that common.

[NoTime58]

Originally Posted by Jas0n

I'm definitely going to have to convince the wife to dish out for a reg (bcd optional LOL). I got my openwater while I was in guam, but nearly ditched my gear and said to heck with it (well with the rental gear anyway) on the first open water dive. I jumped into the water and swam out 150 yards or so to the spot we were going to dive down to. I pulled up my 2nd stage and it was missing the mouthpiece (yes it was there before I swam out as I had it in my mouth when I jumped in), so my instructor said to use the alternate... ok I can do that... put the alternate in, took a couple good breathes and started my decent -- soon as my head went underwater my next breath was nothing but water... I inflated my bc hacked up all the water and spit out the mouthpiece - my alternate had seperated itself from the mouthpiece. put it back together and tightened down on the already cut zip tie as much as I could, descended and prayed the whole time.

needless to say, I've already learned my lesson on rental gear

Just picked up my "new" reg. the other day.....gonna get a tank and test dive it in my pool this week if the weather holds of the rain .