Dropped $1,100 on a used SuperLite 17 and it saved my bacon in the Gulf last month

Michael Green · 2026-09-11T11:30:03.52188+00:00

So I finally bit the bullet and bought a used SuperLite 17 off a retired diver down in Morgan City. Paid $1,100 for it, which felt like a lot of money at the time since I'd been getting by in a cheap fiberglass bucket for years. Fast forward to a job three weeks ago about 40 miles off Galveston, and my tender accidentally let too much slack out on the descent line. Before I could get back on the comms the current grabbed me and slammed me into the structure. My old helmet would have cracked like an egg, but this thing took the hit and just scratched the faceplate. Sat at 60 feet for a second just breathing and checking my neck, and then finished the job like nothing happened. I keep thinking about how that $1,100 is the best money I've ever spent, but it also makes me mad that I cheaped out for so long. Anyone else got gear they spent real money on and later realized it was the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy?

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Dropped $1,100 on a used SuperLite 17 and it saved my bacon in the Gulf last month | Commercial Divers - Free To Speak