Advice Needed

littlemisspiggy

Mods - this is in here and not in gifts forum on purpose - hope that is okay.

Hi. My oh loves diving. He did his courses last winter and we went back to Thailand this summer so he could do loads of dives. He's been down to 28 metres so far. I'm thinking of getting him some diving equipment / voucher for equipment for crimbo this year. I have two questions:

1. He dives a bit during the year but mainly on holidays - it is worth buying him equipment over here when he would have to bring it on holidays with him or is it cheaper and easier to just rent when he needs it?

2. If it is a good idea to buy some for him, what should I be looking for? He currently just has a very good snorkel and goggles. Would I get a wetsuit and fins etc. (I've been told not to call them flippers!) or would I get him the tank that goes on his back and all the tehcnical stuff etc????

Sorry but I've not the faintest clue about diving - I don't like going underwater and can only just about cope with snorkelling while wearing a lifejacket!!!

Triangle

Boots and Fins are a definate - they go well with just snorkelling as well as Diving.

Going further is gonna cost - generally owning your own BCD + Regs is a good idea if you plan on diving lots. Knowing your gear is safer than renting it (as long as you take care of it!!). But this does add to baggage weight.

I used to do ALOT of diving and brought my gear everywhere - but this was back before airlines became strict on the weight allowance. My diving bag used to weigh around the 17 - 20kg mark but this had added extras that your OH prob wouldn't need.

A nice idea is a Dive Watch/Computer - it maps the dive profile for you. He'd definately love one of them
Check out the following dive computer manufacturer.
Suunto

littlemisspiggy

Thanks for the help. Yeah he would do 80% of his yearly diving abroad so I guess I will get the boots, fins and a dive computer.

I looked at that site but it means nothing to me!!! I would be willing to spend around the 400 euro mark. Can you recommend any dive computers or tell me the rough price I should be looking at so I can pick one out??

Also, should I get the boots and fins or should I get a voucher for them - do they have to be a perfect fit? I think I would like to at least get the actual dive computer for him even if I was to get a voucher for the boots and fins. I hate giving him just a voucher on christmas morning.

Thanks so much.

whosedaddy?

My advice would be get him vouchers.

A good fit is the main thing. He needs to try on boots/fins to ensure they fit properly.

As a first timer, I would not go and buy online, even tho it might be cheaper. If things don't fit/work out, a brick and mortar shop will be easier to deal with.

I would buy a regulator next (after fins) instead of using rental stuff (you just never know that maintenance the rental gear gets).

You can go diving without a computer - its a nice gadget, but not really that essential. Hence it would be down the priority list.
And like with the things above, he might have an idea in his head. So just buying something some else has recommended, might not what he would have bought. I would involve him in this.... He must like it and most importantly he must use it - hence size/ interface etc must be to his liking. And if he prefers something more expensive - you can subsidize it.

I know not quite as a surprise as you might like it to be. It is too much money to not get it spot on.

WD

Fratton Fred

I'd say a computer myself. When I go abroad I take mask, snorkel fins and my computer, that's all.

Although a computer is a luxury, I find it easier than messing about with charts after a dive.

Oh yeah, and its a gadget, us boys love gadgets!!!

juvenal

My OH got me this watch, and I have to say I love it.

It's an Citizen Eco-Drive, which means that there's no battery, it's solar powered and the panel is the face of the watch.

It is a normal watch, but also a fully functional dive computer, rated to 200m - time and date of dive, current depth, max depth, dive alarms, current water temp, min water temp, time under water, and monitors your surface time between dives. It has a log that stores the last 20 dives, and yet is small enough to wear as a normal day-to-day watch. It also comes with surface alarms and world time for 40 cities.

I love it, although it depends on whether he wears a watch every day. I also dive with a dive computer along with the watch, but it's rated as a dive computer as well. Also comes with a 5 year warranty.

I better stop now, I sound like a shill!