anyone a diver?

[GKeeper316]

now that you can do all the classroom stuff to get certified through PADI online, ive been considering doing it, but i was wondering about equipment costs... bout how much will the mask, fins, and all that generally run someone? i don't want to get ripped off by some retail jerk padding his commission.

[StoopTroup]

My last dive I came up with these in my teeth. :D

http://flypaper.bluefly.com/images/hot_pink_ear_muffs_bluefly_blog_flypaper.jpg

[GKeeper316]

My last dive I came up with these in my teeth. :D

http://flypaper.bluefly.com/images/hot_pink_ear_muffs_bluefly_blog_flypaper.jpg

well you lucked out then... they match the giant vibrator currently stretching your ******* to biblical proportions :D

[AlbqSooner]

How do you do the water work online?
I can give you approximates for what I spent on mask, fins, snorkel, booties, and weight belt, but that was in 1983. The prices might be a bit out of date.

Search U.S. Divers. They make good quality equipment.

[Sooner_Tuf]

now that you can do all the classroom stuff to get certified through PADI online, ive been considering doing it, but i was wondering about equipment costs... bout how much will the mask, fins, and all that generally run someone? i don't want to get ripped off by some retail jerk padding his commission.

Training and diving gear is a good place to cut all the corners you can.

[Mjcpr]

The title of this thread is very misleading.

[GKeeper316]

How do you do the water work online?
I can give you approximates for what I spent on mask, fins, snorkel, booties, and weight belt, but that was in 1983. The prices might be a bit out of date.

Search U.S. Divers. They make good quality equipment.

you do the classroom stuff online and schedule your dives with a local instructor. blue water dive in okc seems pretty top shelf and they're sorta close to me in moore/south okc.

[reflector]

I can honestly say that I am not a diver.

[dolemitesooner]

I just got back 2 days agao from diving in mexico

[BigTip]

http://www.theatrehouse.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/8641-hand-muff.jpg

[Lott's Bandana]

now that you can do all the classroom stuff to get certified through PADI online, ive been considering doing it, but i was wondering about equipment costs... bout how much will the mask, fins, and all that generally run someone? i don't want to get ripped off by some retail jerk padding his commission.

I got certified at Oklahoma Scuba, dived in Thailand and the Philippines and my only equipment outlay so far has been a dive computer and a rash guard.

My equipment rentals have been inexpensive and good quality.

[C&CDean]

I own ScubaPro equipment. Regulator, fins, mask, snorkel, computer, wet suit, weights, etc. It's very good equipment, but it ain't cheap. It's also a major pain in the *** to lug that **** around to foreign countries. I have a giant ScubaPro suitcase for it and when me and momma's gear are in it it is pushing the 50lb deal on the airlines, and it's bigger than ****.

When my brother goes diving with us he only brings his mask and fins. Rents everything else. He doesn't have to worry about all the crap.

My advice? Rent everything. That way if you decide you don't like it, you won't be out a few thousand $$. Another thing, spend as much time in a pool/pond/lake/etc as you can when you're learning. Do all the drills over and over. It will make you a much safer diver, and a much better dive buddy.

[Veritas]

now that you can do all the classroom stuff to get certified through PADI online, ive been considering doing it, but i was wondering about equipment costs... bout how much will the mask, fins, and all that generally run someone? i don't want to get ripped off by some retail jerk padding his commission.
I paid $600 for fins, snorkel, and a custom fit mask. I rent the rest of it.

+1 to what Dean said. Diving is like flying: we were not designed to be there. One ****up can have very bad consequences.

[FirstAndGoalOU]

GK, I too am interested in diving. Some past co workers of mine would plan diving trips all the time, One of their favorite locations was the Cayman Islands.

Links to some stuff on craigslist...http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/spo/2514112229.html
...http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/for/2463817181.html
...http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/wan/2443886925.html

[Veritas]

Also, if you do anything, make double damn sure you've got a great mask that fits your face snugly *and* comfortably.

[BudSooner]

If you want some quality diving locally, Tenkiller is pretty good to check out and there are a number of people who rent the hardware needed.
http://www.divetenkiller.com/lakecond.htm

Correction, that is the only place. There used to be 2 or 3 more places that rented the equipment and took you on dives.

[hawaii 5-0]

Forget Tenkiller unless you're pressed for time.

Take a week vacation to Hawaii, Cozumel the Caribbean and get certified there.

At least you'll see more than a tin can and beer bottle.

I've got a decent U S Divers mask and snorkle and Mares fins. Ebay, baby.

I used to have a BCD, weight belt and octopus but got rid of them. Just rent.


5-0


Trump/ Mike Hunt 2012

[sooneron]

My thinking has always been, if it goes in your mouth or on your face, you should buy it.

[oumartin]

My thinking has always been, if it goes in your mouth or on your face, you should buy it.



Or in chucks case the bootie!

[Lott's Bandana]

To add some details:

My dives in Thailand came to about $100 per day.

This included 15km transportation to a large boat, equipment, breakfast, lunch, a world-class Divemaster for the 3 of us and 3 dives per day in one of the world's great dive locations.

I couldn't imagine schlepping all that stuff to Siam to save about $10 bucks a dive. You can pay more than that now, just to check the bags.

[FirstAndGoalOU]

For conversation, Say some one wanted to get in to diving? What are the best available ways of doing this, Norman, Moore, Okc area.
Where to go to get training, The steps you need to become licensed or certified etc.

[Turd_Ferguson]

Open water I cert through NAUI back in 89. Went diving two times...both in Destin. Loved it. Too expensive for me...

[CrimsonJim]

http://images4.cpcache.com/product_zoom/165276124v4_480x480_Front_Color-White_padToSquare-true.jpg

[Lott's Bandana]

For conversation, Say some one wanted to get in to diving? What are the best available ways of doing this, Norman, Moore, Okc area.
Where to go to get training, The steps you need to become licensed or certified etc.

I would recommend Oklahoma Scuba in Robinson Crossing. They are quite serious doing what they do and the training dives are in the YMCA pool.

See their's and the PADI websites for more information.

[diverdog]

now that you can do all the classroom stuff to get certified through PADI online, ive been considering doing it, but i was wondering about equipment costs... bout how much will the mask, fins, and all that generally run someone? i don't want to get ripped off by some retail jerk padding his commission.

GKeeper:

I am a pretty experienced diver. Actually finished my Diver Master work but did not do my water certification due to a recent heart condition which I just had fixed. I was also working on my tri mix gas certification.

In my opinion you are cutting yourself short by not getting your classwork done with an experienced instructor. If you are like me I had a lot of questions and gained from their knowledge. You can do it online but it I think you lose a lot in the process.

As far as equipment I would invest in a pair of wet suit boots, a good set of fins, a good snorkle and a mask. The shop may require a weight belt as well. Where I dive in the Atlantic it is very equipment intensive and I have about $9-10,000 in equipment including custom dry suits, dual tanks, and a lot of wreck diving gear. The diving up here is very rough and I believe in diving with the best gear I can afford. For instance, there are times I dive with two mask...one in a pocket in case I lose the other one. The guys I dive with also use mixed gas or rebreathers. Diving is a great lifetime sport and something you can do at a recreational level or go more advanced depending on your passion. Definitely give it a try.

Typical Atlantic Divers:

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n54/tim1158/Shotlineteam-1.jpg

[C&CDean]

GKeeper:

I am a pretty experienced diver. Actually finished my Diver Master work but did not do my water certification due to a recent heart condition which I just had fixed. I was also working on my tri mix gas certification.

In my opinion you are cutting yourself short by not getting your classwork done with an experienced instructor. If you are like me I had a lot of questions and gained from their knowledge. You can do it online but it I think you lose a lot in the process.

As far as equipment I would invest in a pair of wet suit boots, a good set of fins, a good snorkle and a mask. The shop may require a weight belt as well. Where I dive in the Atlantic it is very equipment intensive and I have about $9-10,000 in equipment including custom dry suits, dual tanks, and a lot of wreck diving gear. The diving up here is very rough and I believe in diving with the best gear I can afford. For instance, there are times I dive with two mask...one in a pocket in case I lose the other one. The guys I dive with also use mixed gas or rebreathers. Diving is a great lifetime sport and something you can do at a recreational level or go more advanced depending on your passion. Definitely give it a try.

Typical Atlantic Divers:

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n54/tim1158/Shotlineteam-1.jpg

Oh nay. I'm most certainly a fair weather diver. I did my open water certification in a farm pond out by Yukon - and the divemaster said when we were done "if you can dive in this muck, you can dive anywhere in the world. Zero vis at the surface, midnight black once you got below maybe 4-5 feet.

Since then, I've only dove in the Caymans and St. Martin. Momma has dove those places and Maui a few times as well - I don't go to Maui cause it's too damn far, they treat you like ****, and the water is chillier than the Carib.

[C&CDean]

Oh, and do you dive like that for sport, or for work? It just doesn't look like a lot of fun.

[diverdog]

Oh, and do you dive like that for sport, or for work? It just doesn't look like a lot of fun.


Dean:

More of a challenge. When you dive wrecks you are so focused on the job at hand that little else matters. One bad move, like dropping a wreck line or taking your hand off a wall, can spell doom. Working in overhead environments and enclosed spaces causes you to plan every move. So you have to keep your wits about you. Plus you go where most people would not go and I have seen some pretty cool chit. Don't get me wrong I love diving clear water and seeing all the fishies.

Pond diving is fun and your instructor was right that if you can dive in zero vis you can dive anywhere. I was on a wreck one time where we had two feet of vis and ran right into a sand tiger shark. Bumped him with my mask. Scared the crap out of me.

[GKeeper316]

its not that i dont want to do the in class stuff in a student - teacher ervironment, its just that my work schedule is such that i would be 15-20 minutes late getting to thier classes (oklahoma scuba in norman).

[diverdog]

its not that i dont want to do the in class stuff in a student - teacher ervironment, its just that my work schedule is such that i would be 15-20 minutes late getting to thier classes (oklahoma scuba in norman).

I would see if there is another shop with a different schedule or talk to someone who has gotten their certification online and see what they thought.

[Fish&Game]

...just wanted to throw in my recent exp...I have gotten a a few dives in here in the Horn of Africa, in the Gulf of Aden. Nothing but great dives so far. Looking forward to the end of Oct.-Nov for the whaleshark mating season to begin....have heard those can be some incredible dives. Alot of our guys have gotten certified since we have been here, we all rent most of our equip.

[C&CDean]

I got certified up at the Lighthouse place by Lake Hefner. Don't have a clue if they're still there.