What kind of scuba gear should I rent or buy?

Question

I just signed up for scuba classes at Underwater Sports here in Seattle, WA but am opting to do my final dives in the Bahamas in July.

Since I am not rich I'm wondering what scuba gear I should rent instead of buy, for a beginner.

Also - should your wetsuit fit snug or loose? I found an Oceanic brand 2 pc wetsuit on craigslist for $40 (in great condition) that's for a female 100-120lbs & 5'-5'5" tall, and I am 120lbs but almost 5.6.

What gear do I need for the Bahamas? Should I just rent there?

Answer 1

absolutely you should rent equipment in bahamas and you should also rent equipment for your local dives. to buy all the equipment will set you back big bucks and the reality of it is you may not do more than twenty dives in ten years. if you dive in seattle area a dry suit is much nicer than a wet suit but bahamas you really don't need a wetsuit other than to protect your body from scraping rocks. you do not need it for warmth and it should fit you properly or it defeats the purpose

do some night dives off alkai it is spectacular but spooky

Answer 2

rent your gear but buying your own mouth piece is always a good suggestion. make sure to buy standard stuff and take it with u to make sure it fits with the rental gear.

Answer 3

Your gear should be snug but not tight.  The reason that scuba gear works is because it allows a thin layer of water in between your body and the suit and your body temp warms it allowing it to act as instillation.  If you get something too tight this layer will be thinner or non existent and thus negate the purpose of the wet suit.  Especially in the cold waters of the Sound you are going to want a thick wet suit most likely 3/4".  

As for the Bahamas you will not need a wet suit as the waters in that part of the world are warm.

Answer 4

Buy your own mask - as you need one that fits your face shape.  To get the right fit fold the strap in front of the lense, pull your hair out of the way and put onto your face, breathe in through your nose, if it's a good fit it should stick there while you move your head around, only falling off when you breathe out through your nose.  Make sure it has tempered glass and a double skirt around the seal.  Unless you are an unusual size you should be able to rent everything else.  Wet suits should be very snug, they are your only form of insulation in the water and even in tropical climes the water is a lot colder at depth.  You should be able to breathe comfortably when the suit is fastened but there should be no gaps around the arms or legs.  If you have a large bust you may want to buy your own wetsuit so that you can buy a womens suit with a tailored bust, lots of rental suits are mens and might hurt your b***s.  

If you think you might do lots of diving it might be worth buying your own kit otherwise you may as well save your money and just hire it.

You need to check the website for diving companies in the bahamas to see what gear they recommend, whether you want a long wetsuit or a shortie.  Personally I would recommend a 3mm or 5mm long wetsuit for tropical water.  As well as keeping you warm underwater a long suit will protect you more from jelly fish, coral, bites and stings ( I learnt that one the hard way - ouch ;-(

Have a great time - it sounds great

Answer 5

Hello look you just need to get the basic stuff if you´re a beginner which are:

Fins (you can choose between normal or boot type if you choose boot type you would also need a pair of booties)

I recommend Aeris,Beuchat,Scuba Pro or Mares

Snorkel with purge valve

Mask be sure is Tempered Glass (an accident without tempered glass would be a disaster for your eyes)

Be sure it fits properly

There is a Scuba Pro kit that contains snorkel and mask.

Optional equipment

Skin (the suit) if you´re going to Bahamas the weather should be warm you do not need a Neoprene suit of 3mm or 5mm you would feel like a chicken in the microwave. The skin suit is less than 1 mm thick and is not expensive.

Dry Bag Water proof, they`re cheap you can hold inside a towel your camera your room keys stuff like that without getting wet inside the boat.

Gloves

That's basically all you need