Should you buy your own gear? My $0.02

[emcbride81]

I just thought I would post about something I was thinking about on the way back from diving today. I was always told by my instructor to "buy your own gear" so that you will "fully enjoy the sport". I had also read this in books, magazines, online, etc. However, being a college kid, I couldn't afford it, so I rented when I went diving.

After a year or so, I put diving away. I loved it, but I just thought I would never be able to do it because of the price. Also, my LDS closed down so I had nowhere to rent. Six years went by.

Last August, I was watching Into the Blue for the first time, it got me thinking and dreaming again...and about 20 minutes into the flick I got a call from my friend Mike (GlockDiver) and he was 4 miles outside of Key Largo headed for a dive. Six years of pent up diving frustration hit me all at once! I craved it again, and it was painful! So, back in April of this year I picked up a full set of gear.

To give you an idea of how important owning your own gear is, let me tell you about my dive history. I was certified in December of 1998. Over the next 6 years and one month I dove 16 times...total...that is just under 3 dives a year. Since I bought my gear in April...7 months ago, I have logged 18 dives. That is just under 3 dives a month! All while working 2 jobs and pursuing a master's degree.

I don't know why I felt the need to say all of this. I guess part of it is because I have the chance to actually enjoy the sport I love, which I couldn't do before. Also, I hope that if someone is debating on wether or not they should get their gear reads this, they understand that if they are bitten by the bug they should get the gear. It really is the only way to get the most out of this sport.

So, thanks for letting me rant.

[Cheddarchick]

Plus you feel very guilty if you buy gear...and don't use it

[FishFood]

Absolutley. Bite the bullet and pay the big up front cost and it's all downhill and fun from there.

[booger]

I got certified when I was 17 and I couldn't get enough of it! Unfortunately, when you're 17, you definitely don't have enough money to buy your own gear. Now that I'm older, I've been acquiring some new equipment, and let me tell you... it's worth it! Only because there are so many dive shops out there that don't care for or even look at their rental gear. For example, I rented a reg through a lds for a week long trip. The mouthpeice on my octo got ripped off when I was coming on board from my last dive. When I returned the gear, I told them about it because I would either buy a replacement, or give them one that I already had. They said not to worry about it. Well, the next time I rented from them, I had the same set up minus the mouthpeice. I can only imagine how many people went out with this same gear in the interim.

[Steve Scuba]

Booger's story is one of the reasons I'm in the process of purchasing my own set of gear. Well, not the story, but the general idea. That rented stuff can sometimes be improperly maintained. I say can, since I'm sure that many places are very careful with their equipment. Also, I always seem to have sand in the regulator mouthpiece when I rent, and that drives me nuts. Lord only knows what else is on it.

[rach]

i agree--it's always easier to dive with your own familiar and spit free (well, except your own) gear...not cheaper, but with the way things last (i've yet to replace any gear in over 5 years!), so SO worth it!

my other two cents are: when you get to buy your own gear, research, test and try out as much as you can--then 10 years from now you'll still be glad you went with split fins or not!

[WV Diver]

Certainly there is a lot to be said for having your own gear. Besides the repair issues, it really is cheaper in the long run if you do very much diving and a lot more convenient. You are always more inclined to go diving when you don't have to make a trip to the dive shop to get gear before you go and have to plan it so that the shop is open and yaada ,yaada, yaada.

On the other hand it is also not a bad idea to rent for a while and to rent different BC's, reg and what not so that you have a good idea for the styles and types of equipment that work and feel good for you. Since the gear is very expensive for most us you want to be sure that when you buy you will be happy with it from the start.

[Soonerwink]

I must agree with emcbride. If you purchase your own gear and a buddy calls and wants to make a dive on short notice you don't have to run down to the LDS. I don't know what the percentage is but I bet it is pretty high, for divers who have their own gear to continue taking classes, AOW, rescue, etc. compared to divers who don't have their own gear.

[Navy OnStar]

My wife was still a little nervous about diving so I thought it might help if she had her own gear to get used to and would be more willing to dive if we made an investment. so far it has worked.

[navyhmc]

I found renting gear was a pain-one of my first reasons to buy my own. It was also impossible to do a spur of the moment dive as these were usually night dives and the LDS was already closed. That was a reason to get a number of tanks as well so I could make a couple of dives without having to worry about fills.

Renting a little to get the feel for all sorts of gear is alright as well though.