3:14 you say there is no warranty on used gear. Warranties sometimes travel with the item and are not tied to the purchaser. For example Shearwater computers have a 2 year fully transferable warranty. So it is important to know when the item was purchased and what the manufacturer policy is.
James, When talking about used gear, the question of new-old-stock eventually comes up too. In your opinion, how long can regulators sit new-in-box before they need the same attention you would give to used gear? Do shops usually test and tune brand new equipment? It seems to me that a freshly serviced regulator of any age is safer than using new-old-stock that has sat for a few years. What are your thoughts on the effects of shelf age?
The local cylinder service guy(self-employed) never charges for a failed test, guys a diamond geezer. But you don't get the tank afterwards, for obvious reasons.
One thing to concern is the availability of spare parts versus location you are going diving and overall performance. For example, a scubapro basic rental grade set is dead easy to get bits for worldwide. Now try getting poseidon xstream bits in the middle of nowhere. However the bugatti veyron of diving regulators does have its place in the upper echelon of recreational and technical diving areas.
Great advice as always. I've had similar cases buying second hand gear where the buyer includes a load of extra bits. That is a jackpot right there though! Nice going. Also nice if you get to chat to them, and find out about other places and sites to dive as well. :)
Best advice I have is buy from people in your dive community, buddys of buddys, people from your dive club or just people you have a connection to around some corners. Just more trustworthy and I never had problems with the gear I got these ways
Nice to see someone encouraging even looking at secondhand stuff. I’m super new to diving (7 months)but got a few thing’s secondhand. I got my first reg set secondhand hand from a dive shop because I was nervous about not knowing what I was looking for so it was already serviced but if got a second set for friends to use, that I scored that works mint. everyone told me to stay away from secondhand scuba but fortunately for me I’m good at market place surfing. Got 2 full sets 4 tanks and a bunch of other stuff for a very good price definitely couldn’t afford it all new 🤣
The warnings against secondhand gear have made it so cheap that I could toss 2/3 of my purchases and still be financially ahead of new gear. Much of that is the willingness of my LDS to work on anything. Even then, my strikeouts lead to fun stories from the owner reminiscing about the days when my latest junker was new.
Used gear can be a ton of fun to say the least. I have a true antique in my Scubapro MK5 and 109 which I bought used for less than 50. I was able to find parts and rebuilt it myself (I am a geek and am as happy working on a computer as I am a car or a house or a piece of large hydraulic powered equipment) and after doing the rebuild I now fully understand how a piston regulator works. Yes, this is life support equipment so you have to be smart and careful (if you don't understand it and can't work on things leave the rebuild to the pro's) but it's similarities with a hydraulic system are uncanny but air is considered a fluid and the same tools used for modeling water flow are also used for air it's just a difference in density. But after doing the rebuild myself I can make quick field fixes and save my dive or someone else's, in fact I was diving with a guy who had a inflator malfunction and with a little cristolube equivalent in the line for the inflator the issue cleared up and got him through the weekend instead of constantly connecting and removing the air line from the inflator as he planned. The one good thing about buying new is some manufacturer's will give free parts for a certain amount of time which makes the service/rebuild a little cheaper since the labor and parts are each around 25 per stage respectively so to take in your reg set to be rebuilt will run around 150 if you buy used. When you buy new and the parts are covered you only pay the 75 or so labor.
I bought some regs and the seller took them to be serviced and had an official receipt... But it seems they weren't actually serviced because they breathed terribly and there was a lot of corrosion under the covers. My local technician got me sorted, but it was pretty dirty of that shop to not do a real service.
I try to be very thorough when selling used stuff. I find many people are finicky about appearance. I've had good luck buying used scuba gear and try my best to make others feel the same.
Hello. I know this isn't quite the same. I work at an Auto Parts Store. And constantly see people put "Bandaids" on cars with the intention of "Flipping" onto an unsuspecting buyer. JB Weld, Erase the Engine Light. Which is Illegal(Without an ASE License) in my state. My Best Advice is to have the gear Inspected by a Dive Shop before Purchase. Especially Critical equipment like Regs, BCD, Computer. I have broken Several Computers Freediving in a college pool over the last year and a half.
basically know what your looking for and what price point makes sense to you . I have purchased mostly new but some used items make sense. I have bought and sold many used tanks. So many people are afraid of an out of inspection tank, but you can get an al80 for $50 or less and have it recertified cleaned and valve rebuilt and good to dive for a total investment of less than $100 so only 1/3rd of the price of a new one. If you know the value of the piece of gear and it's history there's no reason not to buy used and save a buck.
The only thing which I would never buy used ever again are wetsuits of any type. Even if the seller of that wetsuit claimed that he or she used it only once. One would probably never know how many times that person has used that wetsuit and neoprene, latex seals, even the zipper does wear out really quick to the point where the wetsuit may not protect the diver from cooler temperatures of the water any more. Also the cost of repairs to some wetsuits is as much as getting a brand new wetsuit in some cases. I always buy my wetsuits and other thermal protection brand new.
Most of my gear was bought used. It's a risk for sure but can have some decent rewards if you get a good deal. I however agree that you have to learn about what you are purchasing and how it works. I actually have an old Scubapro MK5 and 109 that I bought used and it still works very well after a complete rebuild and upgrade to the S wing poppet, I use it with a little 19 cuft pony bottle. The issue is that parts for a lot of the older stuff like the MK5 and 109 are not available unless you head to a place like vintage double hose but even that site is kinda dead right now. I did buy my dive computer and cylinders new. I also had to replace the used console I had as after a dive the pressure gauge didn't want to read right, my replacement pressure gauge ended up flooding but at least there the manufacturer was able to get things straightened out for me as the seller (who is part of a large NYC sales warehouse conglomerate) wouldn't even give me some info or RMA because I didn't keep the box. For me used gear is a great thing because I don't have much spare cash and I started diving a few months after my wife passed away. I figured 100 for a BCD with an Air2 and 90 for a MK20 with a G250 was a great deal even if it needed rebuilt. It got me in the water and has served me well over the last couple years for less than rentals would have cost me which helped me to heal from my loss.
I continue to dive my Scubapro mk5's, mk2's and 109's. Great regulators. As long as the MK20 and G250 were in good shape that was a great deal. The G250 alone was worth it. Many consider the G250 the best second stage ever made. Scubapro brought it back as the G260. Make sure to get used gear serviced.
@@jeffconley6366 I agree the G250 is great and I am often on the lookout for another one. The MK20 was in pretty good condition though and is very similar in function to the MK5 as well which was great but yeah serviced them all including the Air2 I ended up with. Used gear can be a risk because you have a ton of people going to estate sales buying a bunch of true junk then passing it off as good leaving everyone else to deal with the aftermath.
Put the S wing poppet ss volcano and new spring. For your 250. I too bought a g 250 and mk 20. For a scubapro full face mask used. I got mine diwn ti 8.5 Crack or freeflow point with the 59.00 adjustment tool with gsuge. I read and srticle of a guy who now has 6 of these 250's and says they sre much.better then the bew S600. In fact i believe he said it preforms better the most new regs regardless of manufacturer ! Easy to install too.
what sort of service do you do on a dive computer, besides change the battery and o-ring. i get my regs, bcd and tanks serviced annually but never my dive computer. oceanic geo 4.0
I just don’t trust it. I have scrutinized and looked at hours worth of used gear, bc I want to hurry up and have all my own gear but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Too many variables. Maybe after a couple years when I’m a lot more experienced but right now it’s only new gear one piece at a time.
Okay, good deal, not a good deal... (I already know, but I was wondering what the survey says)... I purchased used just yesterday a scubapro reg, MK25 1st and a 600 second, subapro basic console (which will be removed since I dive shearwater Perdix AI. Bought 2 years ago with about 20 dives on it w/case. Serviced in May 2023, there are no dives on it since. All records of purchase and servicing came with it, $100. Gentleman begrudgingly has to stop diving because of health issues and Dr's orders. He meticulously took care of his equipment. 80 aluminum cylinder with yoke valve, needs visual $30, subapro D mask $20... and a bunch of free things because he liked me and wanted to see it being used... brand new, never worn scubapro booties, smb, bolt snaps, double enders, dry bag, scubapro jet fins with only 10 dives on them, 2 spools, an Olympus tough camera that was used once. 2 dive knives, an Eezycut and a mesh stahlsac dive backpack. Total spent $150... good deal or not a good deal? Basically the same exact thing that happened to James happened to me yesterday. As I was loading the cylinder he came out with all this stuff and said he really just wanted the stuff to go to a good home and started handing me stuff for free. I think he would of given me some other incredible things for free but they were size large and I'm a small/med. I drove away thinking what the hell just happened!!
Definitely be wary of scams/scammers. Working in fraud, I see this A LOT!! If I’m doubt don’t make the transaction! Needs to be much more education out there to help people avoid scams.
Buying used tanks is a bit of crap shoot unless they have current hrydro, and it if is less then say two years left you should take that into account as well. In my area (AZ) rarely see used tanks for sale by a "diver" that are in hydro and then they get all grumpy that no one wants to pay them the 100-200 per tank price they are asking lol. Snice they need a hrydro and vip in addition to the price, plus the risk of hydro failure. The shop I use will rarely pay more than the cost of a hydro for a used tank someone brings in to sell, as 90% of the time they are out of hydro and that was like 5-10 years ago lol. So that's how they manage the risk. Anyone know what Shearwater does when you send in your computer for "service" like James was talking about? I have only ever heard of divers sending theirs in if there a problem with the computer. Thanks!
Also have to take into account if you are after something odd or rare. 117s and 130s seem to be far and few between. As a newbie diver I got a literal truck full of gear for about 500 that came with a lot of really good stuff among the 10 or so tanks that came with everything, were 2 pst 130s which are just short of being worth thier weight in gold.
This guy says "If it sounds too good to be true it is." Then proceeds to tell a story of lucking into a bunch of gear for nothing that sounds too good to be true. 😂
Girls dive gear is always cheap used as guys normally buy it for their partners as a sport they can do together . So if you want cheap gear have a gender re assignment lol
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If you are going to buy a used regulator make sure service kits are still readily available.
I made that mistake one time with what seemed like a pretty good regulator, and I’m 100% sure the seller had no clue it was outdated.
Also get the service records if you can
3:14 you say there is no warranty on used gear. Warranties sometimes travel with the item and are not tied to the purchaser. For example Shearwater computers have a 2 year fully transferable warranty. So it is important to know when the item was purchased and what the manufacturer policy is.
James,
When talking about used gear, the question of new-old-stock eventually comes up too. In your opinion, how long can regulators sit new-in-box before they need the same attention you would give to used gear? Do shops usually test and tune brand new equipment?
It seems to me that a freshly serviced regulator of any age is safer than using new-old-stock that has sat for a few years. What are your thoughts on the effects of shelf age?
The local cylinder service guy(self-employed) never charges for a failed test, guys a diamond geezer. But you don't get the tank afterwards, for obvious reasons.
One thing to concern is the availability of spare parts versus location you are going diving and overall performance.
For example, a scubapro basic rental grade set is dead easy to get bits for worldwide. Now try getting poseidon xstream bits in the middle of nowhere. However the bugatti veyron of diving regulators does have its place in the upper echelon of recreational and technical diving areas.
Great advice as always. I've had similar cases buying second hand gear where the buyer includes a load of extra bits. That is a jackpot right there though! Nice going. Also nice if you get to chat to them, and find out about other places and sites to dive as well. :)
If used tanks are out of inspection, I’ll purchase at the scrap value of the tank.
Best advice I have is buy from people in your dive community, buddys of buddys, people from your dive club or just people you have a connection to around some corners. Just more trustworthy and I never had problems with the gear I got these ways
Nice to see someone encouraging even looking at secondhand stuff. I’m super new to diving (7 months)but got a few thing’s secondhand. I got my first reg set secondhand hand from a dive shop because I was nervous about not knowing what I was looking for so it was already serviced but if got a second set for friends to use, that I scored that works mint. everyone told me to stay away from secondhand scuba but fortunately for me I’m good at market place surfing. Got 2 full sets 4 tanks and a bunch of other stuff for a very good price definitely couldn’t afford it all new 🤣
The warnings against secondhand gear have made it so cheap that I could toss 2/3 of my purchases and still be financially ahead of new gear.
Much of that is the willingness of my LDS to work on anything. Even then, my strikeouts lead to fun stories from the owner reminiscing about the days when my latest junker was new.
Used gear can be a ton of fun to say the least. I have a true antique in my Scubapro MK5 and 109 which I bought used for less than 50. I was able to find parts and rebuilt it myself (I am a geek and am as happy working on a computer as I am a car or a house or a piece of large hydraulic powered equipment) and after doing the rebuild I now fully understand how a piston regulator works. Yes, this is life support equipment so you have to be smart and careful (if you don't understand it and can't work on things leave the rebuild to the pro's) but it's similarities with a hydraulic system are uncanny but air is considered a fluid and the same tools used for modeling water flow are also used for air it's just a difference in density. But after doing the rebuild myself I can make quick field fixes and save my dive or someone else's, in fact I was diving with a guy who had a inflator malfunction and with a little cristolube equivalent in the line for the inflator the issue cleared up and got him through the weekend instead of constantly connecting and removing the air line from the inflator as he planned.
The one good thing about buying new is some manufacturer's will give free parts for a certain amount of time which makes the service/rebuild a little cheaper since the labor and parts are each around 25 per stage respectively so to take in your reg set to be rebuilt will run around 150 if you buy used. When you buy new and the parts are covered you only pay the 75 or so labor.
I bought some regs and the seller took them to be serviced and had an official receipt... But it seems they weren't actually serviced because they breathed terribly and there was a lot of corrosion under the covers.
My local technician got me sorted, but it was pretty dirty of that shop to not do a real service.
Expose him ! He wont last long. Hes messing with your life !
I try to be very thorough when selling used stuff. I find many people are finicky about appearance. I've had good luck buying used scuba gear and try my best to make others feel the same.
Sensible caution advised. I agree about getting the gear inspected upon receipt. Don't want to find out at 70 ft the regulator doesn't work.
Hello. I know this isn't quite the same. I work at an Auto Parts Store. And constantly see people put "Bandaids" on cars with the intention of "Flipping" onto an unsuspecting buyer. JB Weld, Erase the Engine Light. Which is Illegal(Without an ASE License) in my state. My Best Advice is to have the gear Inspected by a Dive Shop before Purchase. Especially Critical equipment like Regs, BCD, Computer. I have broken Several Computers Freediving in a college pool over the last year and a half.
Love the split hydro and VIP tip! Also saves the next guy from purchasing potentially dangerous equipment.
basically know what your looking for and what price point makes sense to you . I have purchased mostly new but some used items make sense. I have bought and sold many used tanks. So many people are afraid of an out of inspection tank, but you can get an al80 for $50 or less and have it recertified cleaned and valve rebuilt and good to dive for a total investment of less than $100 so only 1/3rd of the price of a new one. If you know the value of the piece of gear and it's history there's no reason not to buy used and save a buck.
Can’t wait for your opinion for the Oms slipstream
👍😎🤿🇵🇭! Thanks James! Your videos are great and so informative! Please keep them coming!
The only thing which I would never buy used ever again are wetsuits of any type. Even if the seller of that wetsuit claimed that he or she used it only once. One would probably never know how many times that person has used that wetsuit and neoprene, latex seals, even the zipper does wear out really quick to the point where the wetsuit may not protect the diver from cooler temperatures of the water any more. Also the cost of repairs to some wetsuits is as much as getting a brand new wetsuit in some cases. I always buy my wetsuits and other thermal protection brand new.
Most of my gear was bought used. It's a risk for sure but can have some decent rewards if you get a good deal. I however agree that you have to learn about what you are purchasing and how it works. I actually have an old Scubapro MK5 and 109 that I bought used and it still works very well after a complete rebuild and upgrade to the S wing poppet, I use it with a little 19 cuft pony bottle. The issue is that parts for a lot of the older stuff like the MK5 and 109 are not available unless you head to a place like vintage double hose but even that site is kinda dead right now.
I did buy my dive computer and cylinders new. I also had to replace the used console I had as after a dive the pressure gauge didn't want to read right, my replacement pressure gauge ended up flooding but at least there the manufacturer was able to get things straightened out for me as the seller (who is part of a large NYC sales warehouse conglomerate) wouldn't even give me some info or RMA because I didn't keep the box.
For me used gear is a great thing because I don't have much spare cash and I started diving a few months after my wife passed away. I figured 100 for a BCD with an Air2 and 90 for a MK20 with a G250 was a great deal even if it needed rebuilt. It got me in the water and has served me well over the last couple years for less than rentals would have cost me which helped me to heal from my loss.
I continue to dive my Scubapro mk5's, mk2's and 109's. Great regulators. As long as the MK20 and G250 were in good shape that was a great deal. The G250 alone was worth it. Many consider the G250 the best second stage ever made. Scubapro brought it back as the G260.
Make sure to get used gear serviced.
@@jeffconley6366 I agree the G250 is great and I am often on the lookout for another one. The MK20 was in pretty good condition though and is very similar in function to the MK5 as well which was great but yeah serviced them all including the Air2 I ended up with. Used gear can be a risk because you have a ton of people going to estate sales buying a bunch of true junk then passing it off as good leaving everyone else to deal with the aftermath.
Put the S wing poppet ss volcano and new spring.
For your 250.
I too bought a g 250 and mk 20. For a scubapro full face mask used.
I got mine diwn ti 8.5 Crack or freeflow point with the 59.00 adjustment tool with gsuge.
I read and srticle of a guy who now has 6 of these 250's and says they sre much.better then the bew S600. In fact i believe he said it preforms better the most new regs regardless of manufacturer !
Easy to install too.
This is a really good one! Great used equipment sometimes can be like a unicorn, but they are out there!
The easy thing to remember, as you pointed out, is that your life depends on these under water. Its as simple, and as big, as that.
Very informative, thank you. I start my open water training tomorrow, not sure to be nervous or excited. Warm regards from Helston, Cornwall, UK
what sort of service do you do on a dive computer, besides change the battery and o-ring. i get my regs, bcd and tanks serviced annually but never my dive computer. oceanic geo 4.0
What can I expect from a PADI wreck speciality course, what is the next upgrade and so on. I would like to know more about it
Naui is a better org. Padi as i remember looks at numbers !
This was back in 88. But i wouldn't think much has changed. You see padi everywhere !
I just don’t trust it. I have scrutinized and looked at hours worth of used gear, bc I want to hurry up and have all my own gear but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Too many variables. Maybe after a couple years when I’m a lot more experienced but right now it’s only new gear one piece at a time.
Okay, good deal, not a good deal... (I already know, but I was wondering what the survey says)... I purchased used just yesterday a scubapro reg, MK25 1st and a 600 second, subapro basic console (which will be removed since I dive shearwater Perdix AI. Bought 2 years ago with about 20 dives on it w/case. Serviced in May 2023, there are no dives on it since. All records of purchase and servicing came with it, $100. Gentleman begrudgingly has to stop diving because of health issues and Dr's orders. He meticulously took care of his equipment. 80 aluminum cylinder with yoke valve, needs visual $30, subapro D mask $20... and a bunch of free things because he liked me and wanted to see it being used... brand new, never worn scubapro booties, smb, bolt snaps, double enders, dry bag, scubapro jet fins with only 10 dives on them, 2 spools, an Olympus tough camera that was used once. 2 dive knives, an Eezycut and a mesh stahlsac dive backpack. Total spent $150... good deal or not a good deal? Basically the same exact thing that happened to James happened to me yesterday. As I was loading the cylinder he came out with all this stuff and said he really just wanted the stuff to go to a good home and started handing me stuff for free. I think he would of given me some other incredible things for free but they were size large and I'm a small/med. I drove away thinking what the hell just happened!!
Definitely be wary of scams/scammers. Working in fraud, I see this A LOT!!
If I’m doubt don’t make the transaction!
Needs to be much more education out there to help people avoid scams.
Hello. I am trying to book a dive package with you using your website. But there is no answer. Is there any other way to contact you?
Buying used tanks is a bit of crap shoot unless they have current hrydro, and it if is less then say two years left you should take that into account as well. In my area (AZ) rarely see used tanks for sale by a "diver" that are in hydro and then they get all grumpy that no one wants to pay them the 100-200 per tank price they are asking lol. Snice they need a hrydro and vip in addition to the price, plus the risk of hydro failure. The shop I use will rarely pay more than the cost of a hydro for a used tank someone brings in to sell, as 90% of the time they are out of hydro and that was like 5-10 years ago lol. So that's how they manage the risk.
Anyone know what Shearwater does when you send in your computer for "service" like James was talking about? I have only ever heard of divers sending theirs in if there a problem with the computer. Thanks!
Also have to take into account if you are after something odd or rare. 117s and 130s seem to be far and few between. As a newbie diver I got a literal truck full of gear for about 500 that came with a lot of really good stuff among the 10 or so tanks that came with everything, were 2 pst 130s which are just short of being worth thier weight in gold.
None of my gear is new. Reckon if you added up the combined age, probably 150 years old 😂😂
I would only buy used BCD and regulators if it’s local and I can see it first, wouldn’t trust ordering used online.
I would never buy used equipment. Worth spending the extra on good quality equipment as it could save your life.
once you dive it one time it becomes used equipment.
This guy says "If it sounds too good to be true it is." Then proceeds to tell a story of lucking into a bunch of gear for nothing that sounds too good to be true. 😂
Girls dive gear is always cheap used as guys normally buy it for their partners as a sport they can do together .
So if you want cheap gear have a gender re assignment lol
😉 "Promosm"
First! 😂