SCUBA anyone?

[21isFun]

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I don't know about you, but i'll miss it during med school. Anyone else dive?

Also, if so, I am looking to buy some new entry level equipment, and since I won't be using it much after next year until residency ends I'm trying to stay in the $500 range for a BCD/octo/regs/guages/mask/fins setup. I think it can be done- any advice from other divers?

 

[Ashers]

I dive, but I just always use the boat/store's stuff. I own my own fin, mask, flashlight, and dive knife. Those are handy anyway. I'd say if you go, just use the store's equipment. If you don't plan on going much for the next >/=7 years, there's going to be improvements in equipment. I've used the same fins since I was 13 (14 years old -- they still work well, though my booties are getting really beat up; my mask cracked a few years ago). Fins and masks and that stuff are a good investment.

 

[Maxprime]

NASDS/SSI certified - no need to quit during med school - just can't go every weekend.

$500 is possible, but unlikely - check a local dive shop to see if someone is selling a used kit and have their service department check everything out for you. You don't want to skimp on something that keeps you alive underwater. 🙂

 

[Bartelby]

PADI certified here. I hope to dive at least a couple of times a year in medical school, although whether I will manage to do so remains to be seen. I am not going to buy anything more than the fins, mask, snorkel, and rash guard I already own. You should probably wait until you go more regularly to make that kind of investment.

 

[oconnslo]

It's possible.

I've managed to put together a full set of equipment for pretty cheap by keeping an eye out on deals. It took a few years, but you can do it.

I have a 25 year old regulator (Scubapro Mark V), but I took it to a shop to get it checked out, and the guy said that many old regulators are exactly the same as new ones. The new ones are just shinier.

If you want to skimp on something, you may want to wait on the BC because new ones are pricey, and the rentals work fine. Having your own is very nice, but by no means essential.

 

[Ki45toryu]

Looking to finish dive master work this summer in Thailand, between 1st and 2nd year of med school...should be fun.

 

[21isFun]

Looking to finish dive master work this summer in Thailand, between 1st and 2nd year of med school...should be fun.

That my friend, makes me very jealous to hear. Thailand would be amazing to dive as would anywhere near my #1 (indonesia) or #2 (Belize). Good Luck with DM training!

 

[Ki45toryu]

That my friend, makes me very jealous to hear. Thailand would be amazing to dive as would anywhere near my #1 (indonesia) or #2 (Belize). Good Luck with DM training!

I d'appreciate it...it wont be all fun and games over the summer, but I am sure I could do much worse.

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

That my friend, makes me very jealous to hear. Thailand would be amazing to dive as would anywhere near my #1 (indonesia) or #2 (Belize). Good Luck with DM training!

Im snorkeling Belize this summer for a marine biology course. I wanted to dive but couldn't fit it in my schedule until next spring and the location we are going doesn't have dive equipment- we are on a private research island about 9-10 miles out on the reef.

 

[CTtarheel]

I don't know about you, but i'll miss it during med school. Anyone else dive?

Also, if so, I am looking to buy some new entry level equipment, and since I won't be using it much after next year until residency ends I'm trying to stay in the $500 range for a BCD/octo/regs/guages/mask/fins setup. I think it can be done- any advice from other divers?

Don't go buying gear if you're not going to use it much. All that gear is very cheap to rent (less than $100 for a weekend locally, even cheaper if you're going to be diving with traveling). If you buy it you're going to have to get your regs and BC serviced every year and you'll get much lower quality gear from cutting corners than you'd get with the rental gear. Wait until you live near a diving site and go frequently to buy gear (or until you just have money to burn).

 

[ChiDoc27]

Does anyone know how long a PADI certification lasts? I got mine ~6 years ago but haven't used it since. I want to take up diving again, but I don't really want to redo the whole course if I don't have to. Thanks!

 

[Bartelby]

PADI Open Water Diver certification lasts for a lifetime. If you need to brush up on your skills, though, you can take a refresher course in an afternoon for (I'm pretty sure) under $50 at a resort or dive shop.

 

[ChiDoc27]

Thanks Bartleby, that's good to know. I'm definitely going to need a refresher course, but I have a week off in the fall that I want to dive during, so I'm glad that by cert. is still good. Yay for scuba