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Chat with an old timer in Port Fourchon made me rethink my gear setup
I was waiting out a weather delay down at Port Fourchon last month and got to talking with this guy who's been diving since the 80s. He was using the same style Kirby Morgan hat I've seen in old photos. I asked him why he never upgraded to something lighter. He said 'Son, I've swapped out the regulator, the exhaust, and the harness on this thing three times. It's not the same hat I started with. You kids think buying new is the same as moving forward.' That stuck with me because I've spent over $1500 on new gear in the last year trying to modernize, but I never once thought about rebuilding what I already have. Has anyone else had an old hand break down a habit you thought was just 'normal'?
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wright.michael2d ago
@abbyd36 got it right, that line sticks with you. But I want to ask you something pointed: how much of that $1500 was stuff you actually needed versus stuff that just looked nicer in the catalog? I've got a buddy who drops cash on new fins every season because the old ones are "dated." He's still got the same dive buddy and the same dives, just shinier gear. The old timer's point seems to be about knowing the difference between updating and just swapping out whole systems for the sake of it. What are you actually trying to fix with the new purchases?
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