Snorkle/scuba diving gear?

[FROSTY:Me]

Hey guys n gals I wondering who knows about scuba diving and snorkle diving gear.
I thought I'd have a play at scuba next month whilst on holiday.I was going to buy my own mask,fins,and snorkle so I can use them for snorkle diving in NZ
Any advice on brands and types would be apreciated

[george formby]

I'm into freediving / spearfishing. I used to do a lot of scuba before I saw the light. If it's a one off you might as well get a 3mm suit from the Warehouse & a hood. If you intend pursuing it on a more regular basis you can get 5mm freediving suits for $250 - $350. The only problem is they are unlined & you need to soap yourself to get in or lose all your body hair. Very comfortable & warm in the water though. Scuba suits tend to be more expensive because they are lined & have zips etc. I would recommend a semi-dry which allows water in but then stops the flow. It's the water that keeps you warm Fit is more important than brand & you get what you pay for. Too loose you get cold, to tight you get tired, sore & cold.
Masks are about fit too, when you try one on you should be able to hold it on your face just by inhaling through your nose with no pressure on your brow or nose & no leaks. The smaller the mask volume, the better for snorkelling. Rubber masks are not much chop. A snorkel is a snorkel, you don't need a purge valve, just remember to blow before you suck. Decent scuba fins tend to have an adjustable ankle strap to hold them on, split fins are nice but not vital, really cheap ones are like a shoe but only last 5 minutes, a strap can chafe so you need booties. Scuba fins are more about comfort & energy saving than speed. Freediving fins are twice the size, have a high quality shoe fit & are very expensive in comparison. They also give you a huge workout & can be very tiring if your not fit. The upside is they are very fast compared to scuba fins. Again look for comfort first.
Hope this is a help for you. If you intend doing a bit of pillaging you need gloves, cheap leather gardening gloves are adequate but might stain your hands initially. If your gonna pursue it proper a weight belt is a huge help when snorkelling but you need a bit of knowledge & ability to be safe. Get some local advice or PM if you want more info. Have fun!

[FROSTY:Me]

Thanks mon--wasn't planning to get a suit up front and to be honest was of two minds on the strap on fins.--I thought slip on snorkle fins would be fine.
I'm more wondering about brands and sources
Is there a diving version of KB out there?

[george formby]

Thanks mon--wasn't planning to get a suit up front and to be honest was of two minds on the strap on fins.--I thought slip on snorkle fins would be fine.
I'm more wondering about brands and sources
Is there a diving version of KB out there?

Your local Dive HQ or equivalent is the best place to start, check the phone book, go in & hit them up for a deal. The net is chocker & will probably make your head spin with brands etc. Worry less about the brand & more on fit & value. It's a very competitive market so their is little to set one brand from another. Your local shop is unlikely to lead you astray if they know you could be a repeat customer or can come back & moan about dodgy service / advice / pricing. Each dive shop chain will sell their own group of brands but they are all on a par. Don't buy on the net unless you can try the product on at a shop.

[george formby]

Er, last thing. If a shop is more interested in selling you bling first & comfort/fit/practicalty second take a walk. Right, I will shut up now.

[scissorhands]

Forget scuba initially, see first if you like snorkling (freediving is the new word)

this site and shop here in Mairangi Bay: http://www.wildblue.co.nz/

if you like hunting get a speargun, a knife is a safety item too

your life
may depend on a knife

where you going on hols? plenty of dangerous critters to be aware of.....

[george formby]

I like wild blue, lots of boy toys. Spearfishing is NZ's fastest growing water sport & internationally we are very competitive.
I would not worry to much about getting in the water before your hols, if your going to dive on the Barrier Reef or in Thailand it's a different experience. The hardest part with Scuba is the first time you submerge telling your brain that yes, you can actually breathe, if your used to holding your breath it can be a bit more challenging.
Just get yourself in the water, all the cliches are true, it's a totally different world & will blow your mind, whether your looking at all the pretty things or trying to get a feed.

[FROSTY:Me]

Sorry guys as per the norm for KB i'm only tellin half the story.
I'm the son of an ex RN diver-hardhat,scuba,rebreather,dry/wetsuit qualified. In the 60's he was gonna do time on the rigs but mum convinced him to come to NZ instead.
I'd been doing snorkle diving for years up till the 80's with my dad -never really got time for scuba back then.
I've done 2 scuba "dives" in the last 5 years. Both in the "natural" salt water pool at the Marriot in surfers.
3.0m pool made to look like a coral reef -complete with golden sand faux reef and tropical fish.
So I know I'm into the experience but I hate loan gear so I thought I'd reinvest in the basics again. BUT I'm 20 years behind the times

[scissorhands]

TM is the place if you have more time than money,

check out these kingi's at hen and chicks northland

[FROSTY:Me]

sorry folks but anyone else with specific advice?

[george formby]

I would love to make it easy & say X is better than Y but everything I use for scuba & freediving is a different brand. All bought because of fit & value. Check out a couple of shops & compare apples.
Check out sites like this http://www.aquanaut.com.au/ for an idea. You also have NZ companies like Trident, Ocean hunter, Wild blue, Pro dive etc.
Just make sure mask is a good fit, your snorkel is cheap & your fins are comfortable. Sorry I can't just say "buy this", it would be mis-leading.

[Vampirella]

sorry folks but anyone else with specific advice?

yea dont forget to hold your breath on the way up

[FROSTY:Me]

I would love to make it easy & say X is better than Y but everything I use for scuba & freediving is a different brand. All bought because of fit & value. Check out a couple of shops & compare apples.
Check out sites like this http://www.aquanaut.com.au/ for an idea. You also have NZ companies like Trident, Ocean hunter, Wild blue, Pro dive etc.
Just make sure mask is a good fit, your snorkel is cheap & your fins are comfortable. Sorry I can't just say "buy this", it would be mis-leading.

Ok so the mask thing I get--like bike helmets -personal choice n all that
But what about the rest of the gear. If I was ya best mate and wanted to dive what would you personally reccomend from your experience

[eelracing]

Ok so the mask thing I get--like bike helmets -personal choice n all that
But what about the rest of the gear. If I was ya best mate and wanted to dive what would you personally reccomend from your experience

As george formby say's you can't beat the advice from a good dive shop,in saying that tho all dive gear manufacturers should be up to standard as the consequences of failure while in use will soon see them out of business for obvious reasons.

But if it helps I can recommend Sherwood BCD,Regs & weight belt as this is a package that I have used since doing my course and have had excellent use from.Also I use a Brut wetsuit (7mm recomended for NZ temperate waters)and of course regular servicing of gear is a given.

But like bike gear,buy the best you can afford.

[scissorhands]

Freedive equipment and scuba equipment are totally different.

Go to wildblue and see their stock. They do package deals at great prices really, walk in walk out all fitted up. Offer them lower.....