Lurking for a while

[Thomas Magnum]

Just registered, I've been lurking for a while and I've learned quite a bit, and enjoyed reading stories and looking at pictures. I live in Northern California and got SCUBA certified in the middle of last year. The day I got certified the instructor let my buddy and I borrow his spear gun and I plugged a ling cod, right through the eye. Ever since then I've been hooked. I'd like to buy some gear and I think I've found a pretty good deal on some dive-rite equipment. I know that equipment is all personal, but I was wondering if anyone had any input on that gear, either positive or negative. Thanks for the response.

[mjphawk]

I don't have anything specific on that gear. I personally own Sherwood gear. It would pay to check out Leisurepro.com. That's where I got all of my stuff. Got it all for about half of what I would have paid at a dive shop or DiversDirect/World Watersports. The only down side is that since they are not certified dealers there is no Warranty. All my stuff came packed in new packaging and I am very happy with it. Figured it was worth mentioning so you could check it out and make you own decision.

[eward4]

TM, I've gotten some good deals on eBay in the past you might want to check there. There is also a section on this board with gear for sale. As far as what type of gear to get I don't know. I live in NC and I'm sure diving in N. Cali is very different. We mostly shoot groupers and hogfish here and I use a 54" Biller(I got on eBay) most of the time. Leisurepro.com is good also as MJPHAWK said.

[Forum Admin]

Originally Posted by Thomas Magnum

Just registered, I've been lurking for a while .

Welcome to the Board Thomas Magnum!The ratio of lurkers to registered seems to have been anywhere between two and five to one lately. Glad you took that big step and jumped in the water. Good luck on your gear search. Think about subscribing to www.spearfishingmagazine.com also.

[Grin]

Just remember! WHen you are in that stage of buying a ton of new gear at once, you are in the drivers seat and can make some pretty good deals at many places, including your local dive shop. They want you as a regular customer and you probably should be locating a local shop you will need help from sooner or later with.
1. Find what you want!
2. research it using this site and any others you can find
3. look up the prices on Liesure Pro
4. Show it to your dive shop and they should match it. If they don't, you might question using that shop for your future services. Alot of the time they just don't carry what you want, so then places like LP are your easy option. I try to buy local and have not been denied LP prices by either of the two shops I use. I have become a Zeagle fanatic and my closest Zeagle dealer is about 25 miles away and not convenient for most service and fills. But I still go there routinly and also have my, 5 mile away, local shop I buy fills and tons of crap from also. Occassionally I do buy over the internet when prices are just too outlandish to even ask them to match. I got my Zeagle Ranger, new in box, off EBAY at 1/2 the shops sticker.
Some things are much better bought where you can try on one of each size right there instead of buying 2 or 3 and returning or finding it isn't really that impressive in real life. I just learned this when trying to buy a wetsuit over the internet. I returned 3 before getting one I really like. Probably watsed $100 in shipping.
I think everyone buys gear then a year later wants different stuff. If I had it to do again I would get High Pressure Steel 100 tanks right off the bat. If you don't, it is a huge hit later to switch. Get a decent Nitrox computer also, or you will regret a cheapo or non Nitrox CPU later. Might as well get Nitrox certified also. Wetsuits,regulators, fins masks etc... are relativly easy to replace without killing the bank later. You were smart to get a nice gun to start with, I am still on my 48 Biller, which is adequate, but I wish it was a 50 something SS.

[wvandeman]

Thomas,

Welcome to Spearboard. There are a tremendous amount of experienced hunters who are very open with their expertise on this board. It is pretty unusual for sportsman in most outdoor sports to be this unselfish with their experience. I won't offer any technical advice, because you will get alot of that. I might offer a couple general tips:

1) Find the guys on the board who have similiar diving styles, abilities, quarry and geography. Different fish, locations and diving methods are almost different sports. Ask the guys who have a history of getting the fish in your area. The more I am on this board, the more I realize how little I know compared to some guys who have done this their whole lives.

2) Don't go load up on every spearfishing gadget available and be wary of features with "cutting edge" technology. I am embarassed of all the tweaked out, top of the line gear that quickly became useless, cumbersome, broken or lost on the bottom of the Gulf. Less is more; ask the salty dogs in your area what you really need.

Good luck and safe hunting,

Bill Van Deman

[PatMyGreen]

Leisurepro is the cheapest in general but you will be much better served by building a relationship with a local dive store. They might not be able to match the price but you have somone to take it to for service and the warranty is worth paying more (but not full msrp) for. Also alot of shops here in Florida have different prices for air/nitrox for their "friends" versus the out of towners it might be the same way where you are, being a friend pays for its self. Although I don't personally have any Dive Rite gear I know they are well respected manufacturers.

Welcome to the board.

[Thomas Magnum]

Thanks for the response, the local dealer has been very nice and helpful, but they don't sell dive-rite, and they're prices for an inferior setup is about the same to a dive-rite package. I'll just keep asking around and post in the California section, thanks again.

[Corpsman]

Welcome aboard.

Bar is over there.

[Ironhed]

I bought most of my gear through liesure pro and some off of ebay. I would recommend going around to different dive shops see what items you really would like get prices from them. then go shop them online and see what you could buy them for online. then go back to the diveshops and explain that you are not rich but want good gear you know how much you can get it for online but would rather buy from them and have a shop you can trust offer them a chance to do business with you. if they have a bad attitude go elsewhere. bottom line this is not a cheap sport and if you are like me you have to work hard for your money. I know there are some shops on this site that have some really killer deals and you could buy from them and have the items shipped to your door. as far as warranty they will be warranteed as long as you have the mandatory maintenance done at a authorized dealer locally. you could pm me or just do some research on what dealers support spearboard and pm them about a package deal on some killer gear. happy hunting hope this advise helps

[dagodiver]

Screw leisure pro and ebay.
How are we going to have are tanks filled when we put all the dive shops out of business. People come to my shop all the time and say well I can get that cheaper from "X" but they are out of stock right now. My response is well I give them away when I dont have them.
No go home.


just my 2 cents worth.

Support your local Dive Shop...!!!

And welcome..!!


Dago.

[titaniumdiver]

I think that depends on your "LDS" some are good shops and others just want to rape you on anything they can sell you, especially noobies. There are resespectable shops out there, then there are shops out to make a quick buck from people that know no better. Get with the experienced divers in your area, find out where "they" buy there gear. I am all for supporting your "LDS" but some make it "very" hard IMO.

[dagodiver]

Originally Posted by titaniumdiver

I think that depends on your "LDS" some are good shops and others just want to rape you on anything they can sell you, especially noobies. There are resespectable shops out there, then there are shops out to make a quick buck from people that know no better. Get with the experienced divers in your area, find out where "they" buy there gear. I am all for supporting your "LDS" but some make it "very" hard IMO.

Very true.!
Ask how long the shop has been around as this will indicate alot.


Dago.

[Ironhed]

Not trying to have anyone go out of business Dago I simply told him to get a well rounded idea of prices before taking the high hard one from a bad dealer. I have no regrets about buying what I did from where I did in fact I got very nice stuff and no disappointments. I found out later, through this web site that there were equally as good of deals through this site and supporting dealers right here but unfortunately it was after the fact. I bought not one but 2 complete dive systems for the same as what my local dealer sold one for so I am happy. maybe in 3 or 4 yrs when I change out my regs/ computers etc. with new models I will absolutely give my business to people from spearboard. that is my sentiment I am trying to convey.

[dagodiver]

Originally Posted by Ironhed

Not trying to have anyone go out of business Dago I simply told him to get a well rounded idea of prices before taking the high hard one from a bad dealer. I have no regrets about buying what I did from where I did in fact I got very nice stuff and no disappointments. I found out later, through this web site that there were equally as good of deals through this site and supporting dealers right here but unfortunately it was after the fact. I bought not one but 2 complete dive systems for the same as what my local dealer sold one for so I am happy. maybe in 3 or 4 yrs when I change out my regs/ computers etc. with new models I will absolutely give my business to people from spearboard. that is my sentiment I am trying to convey.

Perfect..!!
I am getting old and I forget that I have been diving for longer than alot
of people's age. You are right with the walk in newbe and sometimes getting
talked into the wrong gear at the wrong price. With all the great dealers on this board it is sure hard to beat there deals.

Dago.