Well I don't know if you've figured it out yet, but I feel like diving tonight and can't wait until March's dive trip.
So here is a list of all the cool diving gear that I have in my big bags. I will write about each item and try to give a review on each one.
Well of course, the first item is my BC. Its rear inflated, not a vest style BC. This thing has served me fairly well. After its first 25 dives it showed a few signs of wear, but I called Oceanic and they replaced it for free. The main trademark of this BC is the front inflation bladder. Some people scoff a this, but I can personally tell you it works. Last time I was waiting to pass gear up to a charter captain with 2 foot swells all the other divers kept getting mouthfuls and I was high and dry. The downside of this BC is the size, it doesn't pack away very well (I guess you cant win them all). I think if I had the option to do again, I likely wouldn't buy this model. I discovered recently that newer Scuba pro models can accommodate some small doubles if they have screw holes in the backplate. Man I wish I would have known that..
Scuba Pro © Mk17-G250V Regulator Set
Well this is probably the most expensive item in my dive bag, however it was well worth the money. When all said and done I have about 700 bucks into the first stage, second stage and octo. I have dove this regulator to 121' and it has preformed like a workhorse without any problems. The only real question is when can I afford another one. I would without a doubt purchase another one of these bad boys.
Well not quite the one pictured here, my backup BCD is a Scuba Pro older model BCD. I really like that this model packs down to virtually nothing. It is small and light, but not rear inflated or weight integrated. Its basically just there in case my primary takes a dive mid trip or charter.
My Tank Situation
Well, I currently own 3 tanks soon to be 4 tanks. My first tank, like any beginner was a standard Luxifer AL 80. Aluminum tanks are the cheapest tanks, but they have terrible buoyancy properties when empty vs. full. My second and third tanks were true garage sale finds. I picked up 2 steel 72 cfu tanks for $12 per tank. This was a gamble seeing that the last viz sticker was from 1976 but both still had air. So I had new valves put on (I hate J valves) and had them tumbled and prepped for nitrox. I am still looking for a feasible way to double these tanks and get them on a backplate. My current bc (the outrigger) does not support doubles... listen for more detail later if I figure that one out. The last tank is a pony that I mentioned in the last article. Its a necessary system for deep diving.
The Wet-suit Situation
This is my primary pool and warm water diving wetsuit. The interesting thing here is that it is like laminated so it doesnt absorb water like a normal neoprene wetsuit. This means it drys in like 20 minutes. The downside, the welding of the seams used a tacky glue that really pulls on any hair that it comes into contact with.
Henderson © Thermoprene © 6.5 MM
Well this is my suit of choice when diving in cold Michigan waters. I usually pair this with a 7mm hooded vest when entering frigid water. Usually if I know the water will be less than 50 degrees I will wear the hooded vest under.
After diving a Oceanic Veo 100 for my first 50 dives, 25+ of them with nitrox and no ability to profile it on that computer, I finally decided to upgrade to a nice computer that will profile in nitrox. My old Veo had a terrible one-button interface. The first time my buddy and I were diving the Veos in a cavern we actually had to surface early to discuss what the hell the various screens meant. To my surprise, the more complicated Gekko was actually easier to operate. With up, down and enter buttons its.. dare I say intuitive. We will see how durable this computer is, if it lasts I WILL be a Suunto consumer for life.
Princeton Tec Torrent, Amp 1.0I just picked up a Princeton Tec Torrent, and AMP 1.0. This after I had absolutely no luck with a Princeton Tec Rage. Their warranty support was great but after 4 units flooded I gave up on that flashlight. Stay Tuned for reviews of the torrent and amp. Update: I have now dove this light several times and I am very impressed. I also picked up the Torrent which is the mate to the Amp, and they are a great combination of bright but not too bright! Great Product!
Dive ReelsI managed to acquire two dive reels on the cheap, one 150' and one 300' reel. These are necessary when doing wreck diving or cave diving. Good stuff. Also for any great lakes divers these are a NECESSITY. You really need to have one of these secured to a safety sausage in-case of getting blown off a wreck. Also for mooring from a buoy to a shipwreck. Also, one might consider finger-spool reels. These are reels that are quite a bit more compact and allow the users to avoid the hassles of large cumbersome reels.
Other Gear
Fins, Dive Slate, Spare regulator (Mares), Dry Bag (XPS), Mask (Oceanic), Spare Air
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