SCUBA cert. costs
- Thread starter willember
- Start date
gflat65
New member
The $200 cert dive could be done elsewhere for less (especially if you are already going to some place tropical). I got my open water in Pelham, too. Nothing too exciting, but everyone should dive a quarry at least once
. It will be cold (we did it in late March I think and it was cooolllld) in Pelham (Blue Water, I think?). My wife did the classes in Nashville and did the certification dive in Playa del Carmen, Mx. That saved the expense of traveling to get certified (as we were already planning on being in the Caribbean).
As for wet suit, that is an individual decision. Most ladies need the wet suit (in tropical waters) because it can still get cool under water for extended periods. I don't use them unless I'm in the cenotes or on a night dive (I'm like a heater-too bad 'being hot' didn't mean something else in my case growing up).. People that dive all the time wear suits every time because their bodies are in cooler water so much, but as a recreational diver, I don't feel the need. You can rent them if you like, but just know that someone else has already taken a whizz in it...
. It will be cold (we did it in late March I think and it was cooolllld) in Pelham (Blue Water, I think?). My wife did the classes in Nashville and did the certification dive in Playa del Carmen, Mx. That saved the expense of traveling to get certified (as we were already planning on being in the Caribbean).As for wet suit, that is an individual decision. Most ladies need the wet suit (in tropical waters) because it can still get cool under water for extended periods. I don't use them unless I'm in the cenotes or on a night dive (I'm like a heater-too bad 'being hot' didn't mean something else in my case growing up
).. People that dive all the time wear suits every time because their bodies are in cooler water so much, but as a recreational diver, I don't feel the need. You can rent them if you like, but just know that someone else has already taken a whizz in it...
Codeman00
Premium Member
I'm not up on the exact costs nowadays..but diving is an expensive hobby...especially starting out. That sounds pretty normal pricing really. And you haven't even looked at buying a regulator, BC, and computer for the both of you.
Wetsuits... gflat pretty much covered it. You can rent wetsuits if you want...but you will need one at sometime IMHO. I have a shorty (short sleeve and short legs) and a full. I can usually stay warm in tropical waters without a suit, but I like the exposure protection that the shorty gives; especially the protection from the BC rubbing the shoulders. not to mention entry or exit on the shore, boat or from a dock. Even a comfortable BC will dig into the skin after doing several dives in a day. Plus the shorty is easy to take off. If the water is chilly, I will move to the full suit and if it's really cold (like in a quarry), I'll use both....and sometimes I still get cold when I go deep. It all depends on the person. I haven't seen very many women that can go suitless....but many guys can.
Here's my tip of the day...
I would decide now if you are going to buy your own equipment (BC and regulator, maybe computer). I know its going to be a lot of money (and I mean A LOT OF MONEY) if you buy it from the Dive Shop or any shop...but if you decide to do it now, you can go back to the Dive Shop and see if they have any Deals going on where you get discounted or free classes with a certain level of equipment purchase. I got my advanced certification this way...5 free specialty classes) The reason I say that is if you plan to dive a lot (which from knowing you guys you most likely will), you need too look at the big picture of how much you can save now on classes and also how much you will save in rental fees for equipment in the future. I'm pretty sure that renting equipment for a week is going to be $$200 and its cash basically goes down the drain. Check out my numbers please....its only an estimate. Do you plan to take any weekend trips to dive at a quarry? Rental fees will eat you up there too. Another thing is that having your own equipment in my mind is piece of mind.....I dont have to worry about when its been serviced, etc. or if the last person threw up in the regulator.
Your other option is buying your equipment online (which I really don't advise), but it is an option. You just have to make sure you're getting the real stuff and know that you will be missing out on a warranty, etc. By buying from the Dive Shop, you will be getting top notch customer service and some good friends out of it too. I think its worth the cost to go with the Dive Shop instead of risking getting counterfeit equipment with no warranty or help if something goes wrong. ...lol but on the other hand, a friend of mine bought off the internet, and his equipment works fine and he saved a lot of cash.
Its up to you... thats my 2 cents for the day.
Wetsuits... gflat pretty much covered it. You can rent wetsuits if you want...but you will need one at sometime IMHO. I have a shorty (short sleeve and short legs) and a full. I can usually stay warm in tropical waters without a suit, but I like the exposure protection that the shorty gives; especially the protection from the BC rubbing the shoulders. not to mention entry or exit on the shore, boat or from a dock. Even a comfortable BC will dig into the skin after doing several dives in a day. Plus the shorty is easy to take off. If the water is chilly, I will move to the full suit and if it's really cold (like in a quarry), I'll use both....and sometimes I still get cold when I go deep. It all depends on the person. I haven't seen very many women that can go suitless....but many guys can.
Here's my tip of the day...
I would decide now if you are going to buy your own equipment (BC and regulator, maybe computer). I know its going to be a lot of money (and I mean A LOT OF MONEY) if you buy it from the Dive Shop or any shop...but if you decide to do it now, you can go back to the Dive Shop and see if they have any Deals going on where you get discounted or free classes with a certain level of equipment purchase. I got my advanced certification this way...5 free specialty classes) The reason I say that is if you plan to dive a lot (which from knowing you guys you most likely will), you need too look at the big picture of how much you can save now on classes and also how much you will save in rental fees for equipment in the future. I'm pretty sure that renting equipment for a week is going to be $$200 and its cash basically goes down the drain. Check out my numbers please....its only an estimate. Do you plan to take any weekend trips to dive at a quarry? Rental fees will eat you up there too. Another thing is that having your own equipment in my mind is piece of mind.....I dont have to worry about when its been serviced, etc. or if the last person threw up in the regulator.
Your other option is buying your equipment online (which I really don't advise), but it is an option. You just have to make sure you're getting the real stuff and know that you will be missing out on a warranty, etc. By buying from the Dive Shop, you will be getting top notch customer service and some good friends out of it too. I think its worth the cost to go with the Dive Shop instead of risking getting counterfeit equipment with no warranty or help if something goes wrong. ...lol but on the other hand, a friend of mine bought off the internet, and his equipment works fine and he saved a lot of cash.
Its up to you... thats my 2 cents for the day.
Reefdiver77
Premium Member
It has been 30 years since we were certified and I have no idea how much it costs now to get certified. We did our check out dive in Greers Ferry Lake over in ARK. In fact, the Dive Shop still has their houseboat there. In fact the same one they had 30 yrs ago! They have several trips every summer to dive off the boat. We have all our own equipment, including tanks. However, when we go diving on vacation, we take all our own equipment except tanks and weights. It is real peace of mind being familiar with my own equipment. I have it checked out yearly and serviced at the Dive Shop. The only time I have ever worn a wet suit was in Hawaii. I dive in Florida and Puerto Rico with no wetsuit. I rarely ever get chilled. I have my own built in fat pad to protect me from the cold ~
-)-. We bought our last BCs in 2001 in Destin and made sure they were weight integrated. I bought my dive knife a couple of nears ago with Narcosis in Tarpon Springs FL. All other equipment has come from the Dive Shop. Well, maybe a mask from Nashville. The only time we ordered online was my husbands used Suunto Cobra Dive Computer. It is in perfect condition. When we are not diving together, I use it. I did buy a nice net snorkel bag with fins, booties, dive tables, and a few more things, all from the dive shop, at Goodwill for $15. They are my favorite fins now. I do have a used small Sea Quest Women's BC for sale. Pink in color. Appears to work good, but best to have it checked out before use>asking $35.
-)-. We bought our last BCs in 2001 in Destin and made sure they were weight integrated. I bought my dive knife a couple of nears ago with Narcosis in Tarpon Springs FL. All other equipment has come from the Dive Shop. Well, maybe a mask from Nashville. The only time we ordered online was my husbands used Suunto Cobra Dive Computer. It is in perfect condition. When we are not diving together, I use it. I did buy a nice net snorkel bag with fins, booties, dive tables, and a few more things, all from the dive shop, at Goodwill for $15. They are my favorite fins now. I do have a used small Sea Quest Women's BC for sale. Pink in color. Appears to work good, but best to have it checked out before use>asking $35.
turboex901
New member
willem, my wife bought me a scuba package for xmas that included a snorkle, mask, wetsuit, boots and flippers. also, it came with 5 pool dives and a freshwater dive in florida along with 2 ocean dives in panama city for final certification. the hotel is paid for as well in the deal. she paid roughly 1100 dollars for the deal but these are nashville prices, im not sure how the market is down there. this didnt include a reg. or a tank, or dive computer etc. thats where the cost truly gets wild. HTH<~~steve
Cabin3tGuy
New member
Its been ages since I got certified ...but I will say this no reputable company will lease you equipment or fill up your O2 if youre not so its worth the cost ..... I used to give lessons @ the community center in Germantown and 350$ covered 8 weeks class and your certification .... dive shop is expensive becasue they are professional dive instructors ... as soon as you get into the water though you'll forget you had to pay anything .... i just got back from Stuart, Fla and even thougth the water temp was low we went out 2 times and 1 night dive .... i miss living there soo much .... if you worried bout your open water you could wait until spring and go do it in nashville ... quarry diving is always fun
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