BC & Reg

[chocolate]

Planning on buying my first set of BC & Reg. What do you recommend? Since, I'm a novice, am not planning on getting anything too expensive. Looking at maybe US$350 - 500 total.

 

[kelp princess]

hi chocolate - are you diving in warm water or cold? depending on your answer i might recommend different things but in general seaquest makes a wide range of great BC's, some designed esp. for travel, some designed esp for women etc., take a look at their site to see the range of what they offer.

as for your regulator i wouldn't skimp, since you want to feel comfortable and this is perhaps the most important piece of diving equipment you may eventually own. if you are diving cold water i suggest going with the mares proton ice, if you are NOT diving cold water you could go with the mares MR 12 proton.

whatever regulator you do buy - get it from a dive shop that is a dealer of whichever product you choose so that 1) it is sold to you under warranty, 2) they know how-to and can service your reg at least once a year.

 

[Erik]

Sherwood makes some inexpensive, reasonably-well-performing and very reliable regs. You could ask a shop about their rental sell-offs of regs and BC's too. You get all the warranties of new gear usually.
Cheers,
Erik Y.