Atomic Blade Fins - FAIL; Atomic Customer Sevice - FAIL

[Rockne]

I purchased two sets of Atomic Blade Fins, one for me and one for my girlfriend. I added on the stainless steel spring straps and took them for a very low intensity dive in Maui. On the third dive (read: THIRD USE EVER!), the footpocket tore right at the top. I couldn't believe my eyes (I'll post a photo when I get home this evening). I racked my brain trying to think of anything - anything at all - that would have caused a tear (some kind of trauma/stressful situation), but there just wasn't anything. My only conclusion is absolutely terrible quality. Abysmal. I purchased a host of Atomic gear - B2 Regulator, SS2 secondary, frameless mask, fins (with spring straps, as mentioned above), and two SV2 snorkels based on Atomic's reputation for quality (which is obviously lacking) and customer service, which brings me to point #2.

I filled out an inquiry form describing the above directly on Atomic's website. After two days (granted, it was the weekend), I got an absolutely unrelated response about toothpasting a mask. Wow. Maybe some folks have time to deal with this, but I am not one of them. Buyer beware.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Thanks for posting , this is the first feedback I have seen on the Atomic Blade , Where is the fin manufactured ?

 

[BoltSnap]

Why aren't you posting this thread in the Atomic forum on SB?

 

[RJP]

I've found the best way to address gear issues is through the dealer where you made the purchase. Suggest you give that a try... I've had nothing but success using that route across a range of manufacturers.

 

[rwkosh]

It looks like you got a bad pair. I have a pair that I use on about 1/3 of my dives and have not had any problem at all with them.

 

[mdb]

Think RJP has it about right- "failure to communicate" Talk to Atomic phone best, e-mail second.

 

[Rockne]

Thanks for posting , this is the first feedback I have seen on the Atomic Blade , Where is the fin manufactured ?

I'll give you one guess: Hint, starts with "C" and ends with "hina". I'm not sure why I didn't notice that before (not that I completely avoid Chinese-made things, but if I reasonably can, I'll pay a premium for American/European manufacturer. I spent a about $2,000 extra on a woodworking machine that was made in Austria, when a reasonable chinese-made alternative would have suited my needs (and certainly my skill level). That's about as extreme as I've gotten with it, though. BTW, I love the Chinese people - at least those I met in Beijing. Some of the kindest people I've ever met. It's not against them that I make my decisions, it's mostly for them. But I digress.

I didn't notice it on the fins, but it's molded right there on the bottom. Maybe I assumed that fins that cost $180.00 (without the $80.00 straps!) weren't made with subpar manufacturing.

I appreciate the recs of the other posters to deal with my LDS, but it all goes to time. Last trip to the LDS (without browsing) took me 2 hours, door to door to door. That's a lot of time for me to burn with all of my commitments, and I need a new set before May 9. Am I wrong to expect a company like Atomic (with whom I've now spent multiple four figure$), to send me a pre-paid shipping box and agreeing to cut me a check as soon as the defective items are received? I sure has heck don't want another pair of Atomic-branded fins, that's for darn sure. I'm half-tempted to ask Atomic to take back my (thus far) o.k. fins that my girlfriend uses just because I want the peace of mind. We'll probably dive 6 times in the next two years (the length of the warranty), and I don't know if that's enough for any latent defects to show up in her fins. Why should I expect her fins to be any better than my Piece of Crap pair?

 

[BoltSnap]

Dude, You aren't even attempting to communicate with Atomic on their own forum here on SB!!! Try that and see what happens. Atomic has one of the BEST customer service in the dive business.

 

[mdb]

Buy low and sell high-one of marketings oldest maxims. Seems to work for Apple, Nike, and
many others.

 

[Nemrod]

The problem with China Inc is that it does not matter were the product is designed if it is all built ot the same mediocre to poor quality. Like the flooring fiasco, the box can say whatever but the factory in China Inc just churns all of the product for multiple companies and supposedly differing quality levels all the same.

I think companies would do well if they are going to charge premium prices to actually manufacture the stuff themselves rather than farming it out to China Inc. I would rather pay even more and get actual quality than still pay a lot and not.

N