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Originally Posted by prow  hello, well i finially signed up to get cert. just dont know what the good brands are for fins, mask, regulators and everything else. any brands or things i should avoid or look into? i will be using this alot so need something thats not junk and will last. any tips are welcome on anything. |
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HOME - Scuba Diving Magazine, they have a ton of reviews and are sort of the standard authority when it comes to rating gear.
I would highly recommend getting your regulator from a local dive shop. It's life support equipment and the initial price becomes less of an issue when you consider you need to get it serviced once a year and if you don't have a warranty or an authorized dealer close you're going to cause yourself a great deal of grief.
As far as fins go I have the Appollo split fins and love them. I had some Mares paddle fins that were nice but the flexible material and the lack of effort you need to use the split fins with the flexible material is incredible.
I also recommend the Henderson Gold Core exposure suit stuff. It's a lot more comfortable, easier to get on and off, and dries quickly.
I personally have the Suunto Cobra computer and love it. It's pretty conservative but that's fine for me. Nicest features are remaining time based on air consumption, and it starts counting down a 3 min. saftey stop for you automatically when you hit 18'.
I like Scuba Pro regulators, I like my Oceanic back inflatable BC.