Before we get into the specifics, there is a baseline to follow when deciding to repair or replace: Safety, Parts, and the 50 Percent Rule.
If a piece of gear is compromising your safety, the decision is made for you. If your gear is so old that the manufacturer no longer makes service kits for it, it is officially a paperweight. And financially, if the cost to repair the item approaches 50 percent of the cost of buying a brand-new, technologically upgraded version, you are usually better off putting that money toward a new purchase.
The Five Minute DIY Gear Assessment
You don't need a certified technician to spot major red flags. Before you pack up your gear bag for a trip or haul it into the shop, do these quick checks in your living room.
-
The BCD Crunch Test: Inflate your BCD orally. Squeeze the bladder against your ear and listen. If it sounds "crunchy" like you are crumpling a bag of potato chips, the internal urethane coating is delaminating. It is peeling apart from the inside, and it cannot be repaired.
-
The Overnight Inflation Test: Fully inflate your BCD and let it sit overnight. If it is soft and deflated in the morning, you have a leak.
-
The Hose Bend Test: Gently bend your regulator and inflator hoses. Look closely near the metal fittings. If you see cracks in the rubber, bulges, or frayed braiding, that hose is done.
-
The Neoprene Pull Test: Give your mask strap and fin straps a good tug. If the silicone or rubber feels stiff, brittle, or shows micro-tears, they are going to snap exactly when you don't want them to.
-
The Screen Bleed Check: Look at your dive computer display. If you see black spots or rainbow-colored puddles in the corners, the liquid crystal is leaking.
Gear You Should Almost Always Repair
Some gear is built to take a beating and is designed to be easily serviced. If you have issues with these items, fixing them is usually the smartest financial move.
-
Regulators: A high-quality regulator can easily last 15 to 20 years if properly maintained. Unless the metal body has deep corrosion that compromises the threads, or the manufacturer has stopped making the parts kits, get it serviced.
-
Drysuits: Do not throw away a $2,500 drysuit just because your neck seal tore or your boots are leaking. Wrist seals, neck seals, valves, and even heavy-duty dry zippers can all be replaced by a good repair tech.
-
Backplates and Harnesses: The beauty of a modular BCD system is that if one piece breaks, you only replace that piece. If the wing bladder holds air but the harness webbing is frayed, just buy ten dollars' worth of new webbing and thread it up.
Gear You Should Probably Just Toss
Sometimes, trying to squeeze one more dive season out of a piece of gear is just asking for a miserable dive.
-
Old Wetsuits: Neoprene works by trapping microscopic nitrogen gas bubbles inside the rubber. Over time, and with repeated trips to depth, those bubbles collapse. If your 5-year-old 5mm suit is leaving you shivering, it didn't "shrink" in the closet—it permanently compressed and lost its insulation. Buy a new suit.
-
Crunchy BCDs: As mentioned above, a delaminating BCD bladder cannot be patched or glued back together. Once it starts peeling on the inside, it is time for a new BCD.
-
Ancient Dive Computers: If your computer is 15 years old, it is time to upgrade. Not only are you risking battery failure or screen bleed, but the decompression algorithms from two decades ago are outdated. Modern computers are vastly safer, easier to read, and calculate your nitrogen loading more effectively.
-
Foggy and Leaky Masks: If the silicone skirt on your mask has dried out or turned yellow and stiff, it will never seal to your face properly again. Just buy a new mask.
Tap the Pros for Advice
If your gear passes the living room test but still breathes a little hard, leaks a tiny bit, or just hasn't been looked at in a few years, it is time to call in the professionals.
You can bring your gear into a professional repair center and ask for an honest assessment. We can look up your serial numbers to see if parts are still manufactured, bench-test your regulator to see if it is holding the correct intermediate pressure, and pressure-test your drysuit to find microscopic pinhole leaks. A good technician will tell you straight up if a repair is worth your money or if you are better off walking onto the showroom floor.
The Hardest Part: Saying Goodbye
It is tough to retire the regulator that was in your mouth during your first shark encounter, or the BCD you wore on a hundred shipwreck dives. But retiring gear doesn't mean you have to throw it in the trash. Cut the hoses off that old regulator and it makes a fantastic paperweight or desk ornament.
When you are ready to get your gear checked out, or if you already know it is time for an upgrade, reach out to the Professional Repair Center at Dive Right In Scuba. Our certified technicians can evaluate, service, and repair your entire scuba kit to ensure you are breathing easy and diving safely all season long.