Must gear be purchased from the LDS you are getting Open Water certified at?

[phoenix31tt]

You need to bring them up on course requirements that state gear would be provided by the shop for ow training, train in it then let your wife dive with her own BCD... Or is it to hard to find another store?

 

[dvankirk]

Ok, so an update. I went to the dive shop today after work. I asked them specifically about how my wife had come in with her own bcd. Blah blah. They obviously knew who I was. Mikes wife was in the shop. I said "My wife came in last night for classes with her on BCD" she nodded her head in agreement. I said a "Apparently I'm required to have purchased my BCD from here, as it was apparently a liability issue?" She confirmed this was the case. And said that there insurance policy required "All Life Support System's" to have to be purchased through them for insurance to cover an issue if any, that had ever occurred.

Thinking to myself I have thought that maybe the Zeagle would be a better buy and the $200.00 dollars extra for the BCD might be well spent. However, the tactic still seems somewhat misleading. I mentioned the fact that this was never told to me and their response was "Well we never thought you'd go buy gear somewhere else either". Being a mom and pop shop I'd tend to believe they think I hurt their dignity by going to another shop.

Ultimately in the end I am somewhat forced to make a decision here. My wife can use their rental BCD's and with a small frame potentially be uncomfortable throughout the dive. Or I can spend the extra $200.00 and have a BCD that could last me the next 20 years, and she can become proficient and comfortable in. Or lastly walk away from it all and have to reschedule things.

In the end I think I might bite at the Zeagle, however I probably wont ever be doing business here again. As I feel somewhat bait and switched.

I wouldn't do it. Right now, you don't even know if you wife will like or be physically able to dive. I would suggest getting a refund and finding another training facility that can provide her proper training gear that fits. You are about to trust your life to a facility that you don't feel warm and fuzzy about.

 

[lionfish-eater]

The LDS was too crude in their approach. My LDS uses a more subtle approach. First, the front of the shop looks more like a BMW showroom than a dive shop. Then they tell you why you are "going to die" using that other gear. They point out a "failure point" and tell horror stories about a diver who lost their life because it failed. They then show you all the shiny new scubapro gear and tell you it's the best there is, and the product that all others wish to be. They then pull out a sport diver magazine and show you the "paid for" phony product reviews, which if you read carefully say they are all best. They then pull other "I-Phone/Apple" status/bling bs. Sure the one piece is only 200 more, you deserve to own the "best". I even bought the AIR2. The Bs didn't end with the equipment purchase, in fact that just marked me as a sucker who made the mistake of trusting them. Since then, poor gear service, and pulling the "leaking hose trick" on me twice. they lost my business. Shop in Lakeville MN

 

[chrpai]

Sadly this business model is all too common for me to believe it's a coincidence. At a minimum, there's a special room for scumbags at the DEMA show. More likely the rep's go from town to town "teaching" owners and managers how to be a "pro".

 

[yardpro]

what is wrong with you....if i was close to i would smack you and shake you and yell at you to WAKE UP..

seriously, they are LIARS, and trying to BULLY you into what they want you to do...

IF you give in you are only reinforcing this type of behavior. You should absolutely run away from this shop.... demand a refund and if they will not issue it file a dispute with your credit card company...

If you give in you are letting them get away with lying, cheating, and taking advantage of you, your wife, and others......

dont be a schmuck, grow a pair and tell them to forget you EVER spending a dime with them.

 

[redacted]

Also, you need to understand that the shop has been advised of this thread and has read it closely. Right now, they don't like you. I would expect they will take advantage of your continued relationship with them to extract retribution. They will probably get as much of your $$ as you let them, and in the end, your wife will not successfully complete the course and be certified.

FIND ANOTHER SHOP.

 

[chrpai]

I had an awkward moment with an LDS manager last year who had read some of my opinions online. He confronted me and I decided that instead of backing down I'd tell him exactly how I felt. That the shop didn't sell anything I'd want to dive and that even though the sign on the window said "tech" that there wasn't a single piece of tech gear in the store. It actually went well.

Some time has passed and that LDS location has now closed. I know for a fact he'd be welcomed at the other LDS I go to now. IMO, he'd be a real upgrade in customer service for them.

 

[DougK]

Looks like i would just have her use the shop BC. You can tell them you took it back and decided to use the rental. Might be good idea anyway to take it back until she decides if she likes diving or not. I can't remember anything about any BC I used in my training over 5 years ago. So even if its a poor fit, it will not matter down the road.

 

[flots am]

In the end I think I might bite at the Zeagle, however I probably wont ever be doing business here again. As I feel somewhat bait and switched.

• They're jamming you up just to make a buck. I wouldn't trust their Bathtub Farting class at this point.
• Ditch the entire shop, get all your money back from your credit card company. They engaged in deceptive business practices and have undisclosed requirements. The CC company won't give you a hard time.
• Go somewhere else and buy whatever you want.
• Sign up for classes with someone who is more interested in making a good, competent diver than a sale.

flots.

 

[Jon_R]

That shop has been around since 1954 so they must have enough support from enough divers to get along ok. I have priced numerous things with them and found them very competitive. My GF is taking the ow there and we bought her a zena for 539 from them. Same bc on leisure pro is 549..

If you are not happy feel free to talk with your wallet. The shop can have whatever policies they like and the market will sort it out. Maybe they had a diver get in trouble with some life support gear off Craigslist so this is the policy they have now.

Good luck hope she enjoys diving wherever she ends up.


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