Im new in the SCUBA hobby.

I don't mean to sound like a smartass
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your not!!
i dont need to necessarily buy them now, but i was looking into getting some.
there are people that go around here (within a few hours) and go diving. I am also planning on going diving over spring break and over the summer. I have family in Houstin so going off the coast isnt a problem later.

i wear a 14-15 shoe

Are you certified yet?
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in the process.
I am taking a SSI Certification in school, so technically i dont have it yet.




i just hate the felling of trying to kick in the water and going nowhere. and also feeling the tip of the fin hit the bottom of my foot while trying to grab my mask off the 16-18 foot deep pool.
(being a big guy, i am quiet buoyant!!)
 
dahenley said:
i wear a 14-15 shoe
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Yeah, then definitely you're out of a size XL ScubaPro Jet fin. It's going to be between an XXL ScubaPro Jet fin (larger) or an IDI Turtle fin (smaller). I think that the Turtle (smaller) will probably be the fin that fits you best, although the XXL ScubaPro Jet will probably fit you great if you decide to dive with a thicker bootie (like the ones with a "sole" like a sneaker) of if you get into drysuit diving.

Yeah, no wonder why you're "folding" cheap plastic fins! :)

Normally, I tell people to forget about the gear and focus completely on the diving - in your case, getting your C-card... That way you can rent the whole time until you find the exact gear that you want. That's usually the way to go, since it gives a new diver a lot of experience with all kinds of different gear so that they can figure out what they like.

However, in your case, it's probably going to be pretty tough to find rental gear that fits correctly. I mean, how many people out there have a size 14-15 shoe? :) They must grow 'em big in Texas. Hope you're playin' ball, boah. :D

Is there any way that you can try on either a set of IDI Turtles or a set of ScubaPro XXL Jet fins? Maybe a buddy or a day-trip to a dive shop? It'll be worth it! At the right shop, they may even have spring heels for you to try and have installed. :)

I wouldn't blow any money until you know for sure...
 
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dahenley said:
i just hate the felling of trying to kick in the water and going nowhere. and also feeling the tip of the fin hit the bottom of my foot while trying to grab my mask off the 16-18 foot deep pool.
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Yeah, don't we all... For the life of me, I can't understand the attraction of split fins - or any other soft, floppy fin. They can talk all they want and "market" all they want, but the proof is obvious when you get in the water.

For what it's worth, the XXL ScubaPro Jet fin is a little stiffer than the Turtles... Although either will probably be such a huge improvement, you'd be thrilled either way. :D
 
dahenley -- Get your c-card, then find your way up here for a long weekend in May when our lakes warm up enough to dive them, then I'll strap you into the same rig that SeaJay strapped me into, and we'll go diving. :)
 
SeaJay -- Being that I wear a 10 bootie (9.5 shoe, but since no 1/2 sizes I wear heavy wool socks to take up the slack), what size Jet should I be in..?
 
my instructor Was a Scuba Pro dealer. (he was for years, and in fact was certified through ScubaPro's facilities. haha... ) he said he quit after they were bought out and started making crappy plastic 2nd stages. (he loved the original metal ones but you cant get parts for them anymore.... he was talking about the "no questions asked lifetime warranty.)

I was checking out the internet, and there is a ScubaPro Dealer in Amarillo Texas. so i will probably be making a 1-2hour drive to try on a few.

Thanks for all the info. im sure i will continue to hang out and ask more questions.


SayJayInSC
i wish i could play B-Ball..... i might be tall, but i cant run. (i would look like Yao Ming just hanging out and waving my arms.. lol )
 
tgreene said:
SeaJay -- Being that I wear a 10 bootie (9.5 shoe, but since no 1/2 sizes I wear heavy wool socks to take up the slack), what size Jet should I be in..?
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I'd put you into an XL Jet fin and buffer the difference with a bootie that has a thicker sole (the ones that you like anyway).

A size L Jet fin might also do the trick, but the fin blade is a lot smaller than on the XL Jets, and probably a little weak for your strength.

XL ScubaPro Jets, then find the right bootie to make the marriage between the fin and your foot work well. :D
 
The booties that I have are Deep Sea with a vert heavy rigid sole, so I should already be good in that regard then.

Thanks. :)
 
dahenley said:
my instructor Was a Scuba Pro dealer. (he was for years, and in fact was certified through ScubaPro's facilities. haha... ) he said he quit after they were bought out and started making crappy plastic 2nd stages.
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That's so freakin' funny... I was just talking about that on "the other board" - how SP second stages were full of plastic! ScubaPro calls them "composite" so that they sound more technically advanced - but the bottom line is that they're plastic!

...And I don't mean the HOUSINGS of the second stage - plastic works fine for that. I'm talking about the INNARDS - the WORKING PARTS - which are normally stainless steel or brass in most regs... THOSE are plastic!

I know a lot of people who are fans of ScubaPro regs. I'm not one of them. :D

Tim: Our new friend here probably doesn't know it yet, but he's probably going to have some fitment issues with BC's too... A perfect candidate for a Hogarthian "continuous loop" harness. :) There won't be much on the market that'll offer him a perfect fit - but a bp/wing will, 'cause it's infinitely adjustable.

After he's certified and starts asking that question, maybe you two can hook up at a dive site so you can show him your new Halcyon beauty...

...Which means that you might need webbing. Here's the best stuff I know:

http://www.divegearexpress.com/hardware/webbing.shtml

2", of course... :D Soft, durable, and no little "H"s. :)
 
tgreene said:
The booties that I have are Deep Sea with a vert heavy rigid sole, so I should already be good in that regard then.

Thanks. :)
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Yeah, I think so. They're the same ones that you were wearing at the Aquarium, right? They'll probably work out pretty well. I can't wear them that thick and properly fit in an XL Jet, and I'm a size 11 shoe. I use a ScubaPro Delta bootie in a size 10 (ScubaPro booties run one size large).

I can't remember whether or not your Deep Sea booties had a rubber instep (top of the foot) or not, but I've found that rubber insteps work really well with Jet Fins.

Once you get your fins and find the right adjustments for them, spring-heel them from EE. Measure the length of your fin strap to know which spring heel to buy... Buy the size that's closest to your measurement, but UNDER your measurement. Give me a shout when you get to that point and I'll give you a hand with it. :)
 
Tim: Our new friend here probably doesn't know it yet, but he's probably going to have some fitment issues with BC's too... A perfect candidate for a Hogarthian "continuous loop" harness. There won't be much on the market that'll offer him a perfect fit - but a bp/wing will, 'cause it's infinitely adjustable.
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We were playing with our BC's in the Pool, and i had to use a XXL Scuba Pro Classic like this one.
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/CategoryID_964/Context_954/Sort_Stock/DescSort_0/Filter_1%3d300/SCPCS.html?Hit=1

it was an older/used model, but it was fine by its self.
we are going to load them with the tanks and other equipment next week so i will be able to let you know how it fits. (or assume it fits)

COOL, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING!!!
I will keep updated, and when i get the fins, i will update as well!!
 
Yep, the ScubaPro Classic is a great BC... I know it very well, as well as it's weight-integrated brother. It's got a lot of interesting features.

That said, take the time to check out TGreene's new Halcyon backplate and wing (I'm sure he can provide a link)... Capable of carrying double tanks and sling bottles (additional gasses for deep diving - the Classic isn't), the Halcyon system improves on a lot of things over the ScubaPro Classic... Like moving from a "sport grade" to "professional grade" piece of equipment. There's a lot of features and advantages that I could tell you about, but won't really make much sense to you until you've done some diving.

...So if you're getting a good fit out of a rented BC, then I'd say to stick with it for now and get some experience so that you can see what things you like and don't like about certain BC's. Basically, you want to hold off on gear purchases as long as possible, which is tough to explain to the new diver. The only exception to that rule that I can think of is when the fit of rental gear is so poor that it threatens to keep you out of the water - only then should you consider your own gear early.

...Like these fins. They'd be a good early gear purchase. Otherwise, hold out and spend your money on diving, not gear.
 
I honestly cant wait to finish my Certification, and the weather to warm up and actually do more then Pool diving.
 
Halcyon - rigged for singles

HOG - rigged for doubles


mini-DSC_8415.JPG
 
Great pictures, but that brings up another question
A good friend of mine is a certified diver (he is graduating this year) and he was mentioning something about liking the BC's like what you have pictures verses a vest style. (im assuming there is another name for it, but i figured that you would know what i mean.)

what are your opinions?
from my observations (because i have no real experience) is that those would give you a better range of movement verses the vest style? and it looks to be a better padding for the back as well. (the plastic back brace inside the BC that i use puts pressure on my sides. i guess i have a fat/wide back verses the "Normal" individual)


Yall are full of good info, and i learn something every time i get to my computer.

and SeaJay, i dont plan on buying anything for a while, that is after i get a set of fins. i will get some dives under my belt before i even plan on getting anything else. (if i decide to purchase anything)
 
dahenley said:
and SeaJay, i dont plan on buying anything for a while, that is after i get a set of fins. i will get some dives under my belt before i even plan on getting anything else. (if i decide to purchase anything)
Click to expand...

Good call! Now, try to keep that mentality as long as you can. The longer the better. :)

Yall are full of good info, and i learn something every time i get to my computer.
Click to expand...

Thanks, my friend! Glad to talk about this stuff - there's not a whole lot I'd rather be doing than diving or talking about diving or thinking about diving or planning diving. :)

I wrote an article several years back about the basic different types of boyancy compensators. It's at http://www.deepsouthdivers.org/old/homebc.html

You’re absolutely correct that what you see above is a tremendous improvement over traditional BC designs in terms of streamlining and simplicity… But the sheer stability and ruggedness and modularity of the system is what really makes it so great. It’s also infinitely adjustable… Meaning that one size truly does fit all, because of a lengthy fitment process that includes cutting the webbing to your exact size. This would be a huge advantage for you.

…But more on that another time. Focus on the C-Card. :D
 
vest style are very restrictive in my opinion.

some of the standard style BCs out there that have the back-inflate bladder are a good mix between the backplate (halcyon style) and a standard Vest.

for work i dive a SeaQuest Balance BC that i really really like. minimal "stuff" in front of me, but still a nice comfortable back support, as well as simple clip belly strap with only one small pocket.

another option for those that want more back padding is the Zeagle Ranger (pretty HD an bulky) or Zeagle Stilleto (the more streamlined version). pretty sure you can get both with a nice padded lumbar support. i know the Ranger has it...as i have one as a personal BC.

my old Ranger was 10yrs old and thousands of dives on it, and was finally wearing out due to sun damage.
had i not found a nearly brand new Ranger on the bottom last year (yep...FOUND IT) i would have bought a Halcyon BP setup
 
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