Did a search but didn't see anything recent. I'm Melb based and on the hunt for some standard equipment for future dives/snorkels.
Ideally buying from a dive shop (no cheapos from department store) but they are often spread out so it's harder to do price comparisons. Wondering if anyone has any experience on any particular shops that tend to have good prices?
yeh I'm planning on spending the $$ but I'm from OZB so if I don't have to spend extra for the same thing from elsewhere I def won't.
Why don't you just borrow or hire them? Unless you planning to do it professionally.
Personally if your going a few times it's worth just buying those things outright light snorkels and masks. You can just leave in boot of car or in a bag ready to go. If your hiring your have to be more organised and arrange hire and return. If its a once off thing then hire maybe cheaper.
Cause each time you have to find one that is the correct fit. Usually it takes me at least a dive to find a good mask
Seriously, keep hiring for now. Make a note of the make/model mask, fins etc that you do like and have a good fit. A $100+ mask is not something you want to purchase twice because it doesn't fit well :)
Then you can start searching for bargains on those specific items. Most dive shops (here in Perth, I assume in Melb as well) also do an annual sale of ex-hire equipment where you can pick up some good bargains, but this will let you do focused research online.
Most melb stores do not rent this stuff.
When you borrow/hire a mask, you do the "breathe in while holding it to your face" test, right?
After that, any fit issue should be minor at worst, which means a small amount of water trickling in. If you can't clear a small amount of water in your mask as a matter of routine then I'm guessing you're a beginner diver - which is cool, we all have to start there.
But then in the spirit of OzBargain as you noted above and I'd suggest not forking out $$$ on personal equipment until you gain some more experience and have a better idea of your equipment preferences.
yeah that sucking test sucks lol. i feel everything sucks to my face.
more annoyance to clear out more often that needed. I have had better fitting masks in the past but wasn't ready to buy then. i can keep trying while diving but still good to know where to turn to when i'm ready to buy
Because spitting on the mask glass is standard practice and would you really want a used snorkel?
and people pee in the water too ;)
Do you bring your own cutlery when you visit a restaurant?
Are you comparing metals and ceramics cleaned in industrial washing machines at 70c with the inaccessible insides of a plastic snorkel?
@[Deactivated]: Yes, I am. But I'm happy to conver to your way of thinking if you can provide any evidence for this. I searched online and couldn't find any articles which said anything about the health risks (or safety) of using gear at dive clubs.
Do you know of any evidence which shows that this is a potential way to transmit diseases?
@blimpyboy: I'm not trying to convert anyone. You can make your own judgement about your safety. You are welcome to do as you please. For me, it sounds like a great way to get meningococcal. Where is your peer review that states snorkels cannot transmit meningococcal? It sure follows cruise ships around. Who said anything about 'dive clubs'? OP didn't. I didn't.
Most places do not rent this stuff.
I don't know where you've been, but I've done scuba diving in four countries over the past 15 years and I have never encountered a dive club or resort which didn't hire out equipment. Literally everything has been available for hire - though admittedly some of the smaller shops don't always have dive propulsion vehicles, everyone offered things like masks and snorkels.
Scuba culture, academy of Scuba, bayplay and scuba Doctor in melb all do not rent personal gear. It might be common to in tourist areas but not here.
Vehement disagreement here. Yes, you can hire from a resort and some hire or include decent, well maintained, clean gear. Many do not. Getting a dirty mask - and by this I mean one with a film of goodness knows what from sunblock, etc will give you a mask that continually fogs up. This depends on whether the backpacker that is paid to hand out the gear even understands this.This means you are constantly having to clear and clean it over the course of a dive. Many will just put up with a foggy dive. So you’ve spent thousands travelling to a country, hundreds for a dive and waste your experience because you won’t pack a mask that is clean and fits.
Been diving for almost 50 years and my advice is buy a reasonable quality mask that fits. Keep the lenses clean. Done. You don’t have to buy or hire again.
I been scuba diving in Great Barrier Reef few times and you can hire them everywhere over there or some let you borrow as part of the tours.
These are the type of items you not use all the time, unless you are a pro or do it regularly. But if you using regularly, it make sense to buy your own.
Same apply for ski gear.
https://wetsuitwarehouse.com.au/pages/contact-us-melbourne Sale on and around the corner from my place. Have bought beach gear there, not dive equipment. Worth a look. They also have $20 off(spend min $100) voucher if you sign up for first order. Think you can do store pick up.
Alternatively Decathalon might have some stuff.
Adreno and subsidiaries (wetsuit warehouse, spearfishing.com.au… quite a list). Cheltenham.
MrDive in Clayton.
Legendary in Brunswick.
For mask and snorkel, Adreno is best.
Good fins are eyewateringly costly and are roughly the same price anywhere. Expect to pay $500++ for a decent fin setup.
might just do mask + boots first lol. I can live with less ideal fins for awhile longer.
Are you fishing whilst diving? There's actually a difference between a snorkelling mask vs a diving mask.
Checkout Dive Gear Express. Even with shipping prices are good. I dive with their Ren Mask (with prescription lens)
Adreno rubbed me the wrong way when I went in there looking for wetsuits, trying to upsell me ridiculously. Haven't been in there since.
Scuba Doctor in Rye is a top bloke, and he has a good online shop to assist with price comparisons, but it really is all about the fit for the expensive parts:
Find a shop that suits your location, and give them your support if they help you get the right fit.
Buy it right or buy it twice!
Academy of Scuba on Toorak road in Camberwell is a nice little dive shop.
Decathlon has a lot of Dive/Snorkel Gear.
Decathlon for some gear.
I like Adreno, got some booties on special for about $25. Awesome quality too. Also got a mask/snorkel/fin set on special. However I would recommend buying all separately if you're serious about it as it's hard to find a set that's got everything that perfectly fits and is good quality for all three items.
if you are from the northern end of town All about scuba is worth a look.
If you're over in the west, Snorkel Dive Safari in Altona is a great shop. I'm an experienced diver but in true Ozbargain style my first set of mask/fins/boots etc was bought cheap from the USA. The mask never fitted right and over time became increasingly fuzzy. The staff at that shop really helped with several tests to assess the fit - personally having had dives ruined due to cheap/ill fitting equipment I'd worry less about the cost and more about the comfort.
Fins and boots you could probably buy cheap online as long as you know the right sizes (and what style of fin you'd like) but I would never buy a mask online again unless I'd tried it several times in a shop first.
Visiting a store also allows you he opportunity to see what is on the market.
It provides you the opportunity to speak with someone with knowledge.
They have dive-clubs you can join and also have regular dives.
They have boats, they have the air, they have the friendship.
This is your life… don't take the gambol on "internet" get off the lounge and
physically meet these people.
One of my friends didn't know anything about diving and wanted to start doing it so he went and bought a whole package of secondhand stuff from a guy in a dive club for a fraction of the price of new and couldn't be happier.
Wow.
This is extremely risky by your friend. Good luck to them.
No training, secondhand, guessing unserviced equipment. What could possibly go wrong…….
Did you friend have trouble getting a mask to fit? I am thinking his head is the shape of a penis.
Maybe not scuba. If it is just apnea diving, the worst that could happen is a really bad day out.
The bad stuff during free dives happens regardless of the quality of gear.
Thanks for everyone's input!!
There are plenty of dive shops around Melbourne. My advice is to visit two or three shops and get a feel for prices for the same brands/items, but don't focus on price alone.
For scuba, you need to rely on the quality of your gear. Of the items listed, your mask is the most critical and needs to fit your own face properly, so trying out a couple at reputable shops is always a good idea.
The people you dive with, or other divers at the same dive locations, can provide recommendations as well.