Getting started in both Free and scuba diving

[Saloooh91]

So I'm getting started to train in getting my first open water course and would like to know a few things. I would also like to train in free diving after getting my advance open water certificate because the whole idea of being free in the water with no tank is beautiful. I know it is also challenging and sometimes might be dangerous.

I'm 24 year old student. My height is 180 CM and weigh 117 KG/258 lbs ( I know I need to lose some weight which is part of the plan)

Could you guys recommend the best equipment and brands to buy for both free and scuba dives ? Also could you include all the basic equipment that I need ?

Mask, snorker, fins and what ?

 

[Mahmoud_Sami]

Hi lucy
First you have to know that the scuba equipment is differ from freedive equipment .. my advice to you is not buy any equipment as beginar .... in my home country Egypt you cannot scuba dive unless via a certified scuba dive center whitch will supply you with the entire equipment for your diving .. if you wanna to know the different between both you have to know that the snorkel tube is not important in scuba but very important in freedive , the mask in scuba is a high volume for better vision but in freedive the musk is low volume to be easy equalized, the weight belt in scuba is not expensive but in freedive you can't us the scuba one instead you use a rubber or silicone belt , the fins in scuba is small plastic one but in freedive is long blade made from plastic or carbon or glass fiber , for dive computer , some for only scuba like suunto zoop some for only freedive like f10 some for both like suunto d4i ... again don't buy any equipment untill you become a professional . The equipment will not make you a professional, You will be a professional when you scuba dive a lot to enhance your air consumption and buoyancy and do freedive training for years .. I hope this post answer your question bay

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[Saloooh91]

Hi lucy
First you have to know that the scuba equipment is differ from freedive equipment .. my advice to you is not buy any equipment as beginar .... in my home country Egypt you cannot scuba dive unless via a certified scuba dive center whitch will supply you with the entire equipment for your diving .. if you wanna to know the different between both you have to know that the snorkel tube is not important in scuba but very important in freedive , the mask in scuba is a high volume for better vision but in freedive the musk is low volume to be easy equalized, the weight belt in scuba is not expensive but in freedive you can't us the scuba one instead you use a rubber or silicone belt , the fins in scuba is small plastic one but in freedive is long blade made from plastic or carbon or glass fiber , for dive computer , some for only scuba like suunto zoop some for only freedive like f10 some for both like suunto d4i ... again don't buy any equipment untill you become a professional . The equipment will not make you a professional, You will be a professional when you scuba dive a lot to enhance your air consumption and buoyancy and do freedive training for years .. I hope this post answer your question bay

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Hey thank's for commenting Mahmoud. I actually got back from Sham El Sheikh about a month ago and did one scuba dive without having license though an instructor was with me all the time during the dive. I also did try to freedive for a couple of seconds and enjoyed both experiences. A month from now I'll be starting my freediving course level 1 here in Kuwait. It's a 3 long day course.

 

[Sergeyvladivostok]

Completely disagree with "huge"difference in scuba and freediving equipment.
The only difference is fins. I saw some divers use freediving fins though. But it is not the best idea.
The mask. Just buy freedivers mask (as a beginner you don't need "top level" mask) and it will be ok for scuba as well.
Wet suit. I use HEAD wet suit both for scuba and freediving. More than satisfied. Depends for the temperature of course. "open sell" wet suit is much more better than any scuba wet suits, but again it won't be big problem if you re a beginner.
Weight belt almost everywhere provided by the scuba/free dive dive center. But if you want to buy, buy silicon, it will suits scuba diving perfectly as well.
Snorkel both important in scuba and freediving - buy silicon, perfect for free diving, ok for scuba.
If you want to progress in free diving - you HAVE TO HAVE dive computer. Otherwise how are you going to measure your progress with the time and depth??
With the specific scuba equipment such as BCD and reg, I agree, it is better to use rented equipment in the beginning (main reasons - reg is expensive, and BCD difficult to understand which one is good for you in the beginning)

 

[go-hard]

Completely disagree with "huge"difference in scuba and freediving equipment.
The only difference is fins. I saw some divers use freediving fins though. But it is not the best idea.
The mask. Just buy freedivers mask (as a beginner you don't need "top level" mask) and it will be ok for scuba as well.
Wet suit. I use HEAD wet suit both for scuba and freediving. More than satisfied. Depends for the temperature of course. "open sell" wet suit is much more better than any scuba wet suits, but again it won't be big problem if you re a beginner.
Weight belt almost everywhere provided by the scuba/free dive dive center. But if you want to buy, buy silicon, it will suits scuba diving perfectly as well.
Snorkel both important in scuba and freediving - buy silicon, perfect for free diving, ok for scuba.
If you want to progress in free diving - you HAVE TO HAVE dive computer. Otherwise how are you going to measure your progress with the time and depth??
With the specific scuba equipment such as BCD and reg, I agree, it is better to use rented equipment in the beginning (main reasons - reg is expensive, and BCD difficult to understand which one is good for you in the beginning)

A lot of the gear has cross-overs between the two. On the snorkel front - go simple, and don't let people talk you into a "dry snorkel" or whatever.

Dive computer: You don't HAVE TO HAVE a dive computer for free diving (yes it is useful but not essential). It would be better to find a club to join and spend money on training (pool and depth) rather than buy a computer. ( I don't have one but am thinking of buying one soon and have still managed to measure my progress with line diving etc. and no computer)