Opinions on My Beginner’s Gear List

[aquatic ape]

Opinions on My Beginner’s Gear List

I am ordering my gear in the next couple of days and I wanted to get some opinions on what others might think of the list. I plan on recreationally diving and spearfishing reefs, wrecks and blue water. I think the progression will follow that order, I don’t see myself spearfishing in blue water any time soon.

Cressi sub Minima
Cressi sub Gara 2000
3 mm socks
A decent pair of gloves, any suggestions? I have no preference yet.
Snorkel, any suggestions? I have no preference yet.
Simple small dive knife, maybe a folding knife. (Like a spyderco)
No wet suit planed yet, mostly tropical waters for now. Do I still need one if in water for prolonged time?
No weight belt. Do I need a weight belt if I do not wear a suit? I am 6 feet tall at 175, I am not very buoyant.

 

[Johan]

Originally posted by aquatic ape
Opinions on My Beginner’s Gear List

Cressi sub Minima
Cressi sub Gara 2000
3 mm socks
A decent pair of gloves, any suggestions? I have no preference yet.
Snorkel, any suggestions? I have no preference yet.
Simple small dive knife, maybe a folding knife. (Like a spyderco)
No wet suit planed yet, mostly tropical waters for now. Do I still need one if in water for prolonged time?
No weight belt. Do I need a weight belt if I do not wear a suit? I am 6 feet tall at 175, I am not very buoyant.

gloves..If you dont feel you need a wetsuit, you probably dont need gloves either

snorkel: go for a simple one without valves. i like Sporasub samurai. it sits close to your face, so it doesnt wooble too much and it has a soft barrel that doesnt break if you step on it..

weightbelt: get a rubber weightbelt. they are comfortable and most of the time stay where you put them.
and even when not using a suit, you probably going to need 1-2kg of lead if you're diving in saltwater

Johan

 

[cdavis]

Hello aquatic ape,


Some suggestions.

Have you tried the cressi's on your feet? They are good fins, especially barefoot, but feet are funny, yours might want sporas or something else.

You definately want a weight belt. Spearing in less than 15 meter, I usually wear 4-5 lbs. Rubber is by far the best, but a lot more $.

Snorkel preferences are all over the map, I prefer a large barrel, no purge or valve to keep out water; one that wraps around my head and minimizes drag. My farallon is an antique, but other similar brands are available.

Gloves, you want something that fits close to the skin with as good tactile transfer as you can find and which comes off easy if it gets stuck in a fish's gills. Lots of choices, and the most $ doen't always buy the best glove.

Have a good time with your gear

Connor

 

[Murat]

welcome aquatic ape

fins---I advise gara 3000s over gara 2000. They are better comprimse for both underwater and surface swimming than gara 2000s. Hovewer in my opinion you better to buy omer milleniums because they have interchangeable blades which means you can change the stiffness by changing blades with very little money and you can use footpockets later if you decide to upgrade to carbon or fiberglass fins later.

Wet suit---I am using one in tropical waters of cyprus which the temperature can be between 28-31 degree celcius in summer. The reason that i am using it is when you dive the bottom is still cold and the temperature changes affect your metabolizm and makes your heart beat faster. This deplete your precious oxygen reserves faster.

Snorkel---You will be fine with simple silicon models like omer zoom.

Gloves---Definitely you will need it fi you will spearfish. When your hands been in water for long time they will be easier to had been cut by sharp surfaces like rocks, wishbone, fish thorn...

Weight belt---Be sure to get the elastic ones not nylon with quick release buckle.

Knife---You better to buy dagger style ones if you intends to kill some fish with it, not like the rambo stuff.