Posted by Eins on September 06, 2000 at 09:35:43:
In Reply to: Regulator or BC? posted by skelly on September 06, 2000 at 05:41:59:
I'm with kelphead on this one: get the BC first.
It is a vital piece of gear that needs to fit right, that needs to be known to you blind, how to operate itquickly, precisely and without thinking, searching or trying.
You want to be sure, though, which type of BC you want--back inflation or wrap-around, hard vs. soft, weigth-integrated or not, streamlined or a dive gear organizer, etc.
Regulators are basically all good, unless you want to dive deep or have other reasons for needing a top performing reg (which normal recreational diving does not require).
Sorry, Matt Bell, but I always laugh about America's paranoia of getting infected on any occasion. Do you kiss? One single kiss can infect you ten thousand times more than biting on a dried piece of rubber or silicone, no matter who had it in his mouth. And for the faint of heart, there are even regulator condoms. Made for America ;-)
No offense,
Eins