Supporting my local dive shop(s) is frustrating

[Scuba Client]

Solu

Even the most gentle baby shampoos can contain sulfates, fragrances, parabens, and other ingredients that are toxic to fish and other marine life. One such ingredient is Sodium Alkyl Sulfate. Even a small drop of shampoo with this ingredient can cause harm.
“Aquatic algae have exhibited toxicosis at AS concentrations from 10mg/l to 1000 mg/L. and terrestrial plants are adversely affected byconcentrations as low as 1 mg/L in applied water. One study indicated that waterfowl may be subject to increased risk of hypothermia indetergent·polluted waters; AS (19 mg/L) was found to dissolve the waterproofing oils in feathers of exposed ducks.” Read more: https://www.aciscience.org/docs/11_Alkyl_Sulfates.pdf

Happy to answer any questions anyone may have regarding our mask defog and other products. Everything we put on our bodies and onto our dive gear is important to consider before entering our beloved aquatic world! Happy diving everyone!

Solution Is Simple Safe Effective. It's a long read, can you just point us in the right direction as to which is the least polluting defog spray. Would also like to know which insect-repellent spray is non toxic?

 

[TMHeimer]

Spit has never worked for me, I always use commercial defog of some type.

Same here. Tried it, often-- did not work. I guess some think that everyone's spit is the same.....

 

[Scuba Client]

I have never ever seen a dm using one of those on guiding duty.
Always a first time.

I was debating with him about it. He was adamant a long hose wasn't a suitable replacement.

 

[Stream2Sea]

Solu

Solution Is Simple Safe Effective. It's a long read, can you just point us in the right direction as to which is the least polluting defog spray. Would also like to know which insect-repellent spray is non toxic?

Ours is a gel formula, not a spray - but it's very effective -- works great! Some SB members have reviewed it here. NEW Reef-friendly Mask Defog - Stream2Sea.com We don't make an insect repellent yet, but have heard good things about Lita's.

 

[potbellied yeti]

Lot of ancillary discussions here. What the OP spent, when he's buying etc. is largely irrelevant to the discussion in my mind. It's his money, if he wants to spend it immediately that's his decision. I had the exact same problem with my LDS, the bottom line is while his prices may be able to compete with online retailers, his catalog most definitely cannot, and his refusal to accept that people may have different goals in their diving growth may be different than his was a major turnoff to me as a customer. Combine that with his and his staff's blatant and unapologetic scare tactics to get a sale is major turn off to me to ever send my dollars there. If you have to guilt or scare yourself business, you don't deserve to have a business, period. If you can't compete with selection or delivery from other (online) retailers, it's time for you to shut down the doors on sales of those goods. OP should not feel bad whatsoever if he ends up buying online.

 

[formernuke]

Lot of ancillary discussions here. What the OP spent, when he's buying etc. is largely irrelevant to the discussion in my mind. It's his money, if he wants to spend it immediately that's his decision. I had the exact same problem with my LDS, the bottom line is while his prices may be able to compete with online retailers, his catalog most definitely cannot, and his refusal to accept that people may have different goals in their diving growth may be different than his was a major turnoff to me as a customer. Combine that with his and his staff's blatant and unapologetic scare tactics to get a sale is major turn off to me to ever send my dollars there. If you have to guilt or scare yourself business, you don't deserve to have a business, period. If you can't compete with selection or delivery from other (online) retailers, it's time for you to shut down the doors on sales of those goods. OP should not feel bad whatsoever if he ends up buying online.

As far treating your customers bad, guilt scare etc, I totally agree.

But to say that you should shut your doors because the manufacturer doesn't have any gear to send you really? You cannot get gear...... big difference between cannot and will not. Right now we have manufacturer delays in the base materials, some scuba gear factories cannot get the materials to make the gear because of COVID, then they have delays in manufacturering once they do have the materials. Then further delays in shipping.

All of this is the small business owners fault that they cannot get the products, are you serious?

 

[lowwall]

Lightweight, back inflate wing--style BCD: Aqualung Rogue or Dive Rite Hydrolite or Cressi Lightwing

OK. I prefer a BP/W, but these are the least annoying class of conventional BCDs. I'd suggest the Dive Rite from your list, a crotch strap and dual tank bands really stabilize things. You can ditch the chest strap and any of the optional padding to make it less fiddly and bulky/bouyant.

Atomic ST1 Regulator (DIN) with Atomic Din to Yoke Converter
Atomic SS1 safe second inflator and/or Atomic TI2 Octo

Nice regs with silly prices, but you obviously don't care about that. Except the integrated octo is a terrible idea for a new diver. One of the toughest things for a beginning diver to do is to make a controlled open water ascent. It will take all of your concentration for a while to do it. Now think about how much harder that will be when you are breathing off the same piece of equipment you are using to control that ascent. And you will be trying to do it for both you and the likely on the verge of panic buddy who has run out of air and is using your primary reg.

Integrated octos are really only appropriate for advanced divers who stick to benign conditions. It is very troubling that your dive shop recommended them to you.

Garmin Descent MK2i watch/computer (integrated air)
Garmin T1 transmitter (for integrated air)

Shearwater makes better dive computers in terms of UI and the physical display. But they obviously don't have the topside functionality of the Garmin.

Scubapro Synergy 2 Twin Mask
Scubapro Seawing Nova Gorilla Fins
OMGear roll up snorkel
Fox Tecnoreef dive knife with kydex sheath
Eezycut Trilobite cutting tool
Akuna Nomad booties
Seac 3mm Shorty wetsuit
Probe Frogskin insulated top and bottoms
Rashguards

This is all fine except the knife is unnecessary and pointy dive knives are dangerous. You won't even be allowed to carry it in many Caribbean dive spots. A pair of EMT shears is a better option.

Sealife Micro 3.0 camera and light set

Another really bad idea at this point. New divers should not be diving with cameras. They take far too much concentration which results in inadvertently bashing the reef and a potentially dangerous loss of buddy, air and depth awareness.

Wait on the camera until you have excellent trim and buoyancy control and the processes of diving are automatic. If there something amazing on your dive, another diver will be happy to share their pictures with you.

 

[Centrals]

New diver + camera = reef destroyer.

In the old days only the rich or experienced could afford it and now even OW student carries one! And the instructor is quite to take shots for them.

Dive knife!!!!!! Must have been impressed by Ursula Andrew when she came out of the water on Dr. No.

Supporting LDS is one thing but writing a blank cheque is another.

Mk17 + G260 + C370.

 

[Centrals]

Would also like to know which insect-repellent spray is non toxic?

10 Natural Ingredients That Repel Mosquitos

I have been using "Eucalyptus Citriodora oil in alcohol for several yrs. Not as powerful as DEET but generally speaking very satisfy with it. Have to spray more often.
Not too sure about its toxicity to environment.

 

[Rose Robinson]

New to scuba.

Trying to get my own gear for myself and my wife.

With all of the gear, I'm spending around $10k.

I'd like to purchase at my local dive shops. I've got 4 of them in my general vicinity.

The problem is that they don't have much inventory on hand, and some only carry stuff from a single manufacturer. None of them seem to stock a wide range of gear and their inventory is limited, even for basic items like regulators and bcds. I understand that they are small operations, and they can't afford to keep a bunch of capital tied up in inventory, but being able to try on and/or handle gear before you buy is one of the benefits of buying from a local dive shop.

Trying to order things that they don't have in stock is not very user friendly. The answer to the question of "when can I get it" is typically something along the lines of "I'm expecting a shipment from that manufacturer some time in the next couple of weeks and there might be one of those in that shipment." Either that or, "I can order it for you and you can get it in the next couple of weeks" or "that's on backorder, I don't know when it will be available."

If you are going to run a store and only carry limited inventory, it seems like you need to have an arrangement with your manufacturer/distributor that gets you the gear the customer wants in a couple of days. I'm trying to get my gear in hand before my open water class. Waiting an indefinite amount of time is not a great option for me.

The few things I could find at my local dive shops (either in stock or with a firm delivery date,) I've purchased at the local dive shops. The rest, I've bought online, often at lower prices and generally with free, 2 day delivery.

If this is the typical local dive shop retail model, then it's broken. They better be able to make their money from classes and trips and the like because online retail is going to push their storefront business to extinction.

Hello sss,

I read some of the posts, until there were more repeats, than there was new information.

I'm assuming you are not independently wealthy and you/your spouse work hard for your disposable income.

What you need to do first of all is select an instructor. Follow his/her guidelines, and use the equipment provided by/rented by the instructor, up to and including mask/fins/snorkel, in essence, buy nothing before hand.

Once you're certified, and comfortable with the under water world, there is lots of time to start parting with your ''hard earned income''. You will also have had an opportunity to understand the gear, know what you want the gear to do for you, and what you will need to accomplish ''your'' goals.

Right now, you're a dive shops dream come true, with little to no regard for you, only ''how much money can I stuff into the till'', especially in light of the fact, that with your current understanding, you are assuming you need to spend 10K on equipment to outfit you and your spouse. Don't become their captive market!

A lot of divers have two piles of gear, the small pile that works, and the large pile of mistakes. One small pile is all you need.

As far as bare shelved dive shops, most know their own market, and stock little else, with the pandemic, and broken supply chains, the shelves are barer than ever.

Proceed slowly/cautiously

Reign it in, you'll thank me later.

Rose