Being pushed into buying gear - Is this normal?

[clownfishsydney]

Never, ever, ever, ever buy all your dive gear till you are qualified. What if you do not like it? What if you do not actually finish the course? You are stuck with the gear, or, in some cases I have seen, hire purchase at exorbitant rates (and the gear). Also, how do you know what sort of wetsuit, BCD etc you will like till you have a little experience.

Only ever buy mask, snorkel, fins and booties. If in cold water, make sure the dive shop provides, wetsuit, gloves and hood as well as dive equipment. Otherwise, go to someone who does.

 

[Charles2]

this is a tough topic, because... We don't want to sound too much like we're pushing you to buy dive gear from us. We most certainly hope you will, but... What is more important is that industry statistics are pretty clear on this topic: Divers who learn with their own dive gear tend to keep on diving for the rest of their life. Meanwhile, divers who learn with 'rental gear' tend to... Never dive again!​

the reason is simple: It's a "different world down there" and if you want to feel comfortable and safe, while having fun, you need scuba gear that is fully adapted to your body and the type of diving you'll be doing. If you "wait to see if you'll like it", you may, precisely, not like it!​

take the time during your 'prep session' to review dive gear with one of our scuba experts. you should have your own dive gear for your first pool session.


as long as you've purchased your fins, booties, mask, snorkel and wetsuit from us, we will help you with the core scuba gear for your pool sessions, until you get your own. we count on you doing so before the end of the course.​

If anyone wants to know who the dive shop is, all you have to do is highlight, then Google the statement you posted.

I can't really comment on the shop. When I first was certified (1966), if you didn't have gear, you didn't take the course. I am not sure; however, that the reason I kept diving was because I owned a lot of Voit gear just like my hero, Mike Nelson. I can say for certain that if I had not had the gear, I would not have continued - rentals just were not available to me. Things have changed (for the better) since then.
​

 

[W1ngz]

If anyone wants to know who the dive shop is, all you have to do is highlight, then Google the statement you posted.​

I'm sure many have, and will out of sheer curiosity. I specifically avoided naming them though, and edited some of the text slightly to remove their name. I've never set foot in the place, so it's not right, nor is it my place to slam them. Maybe they really do have some fantastic people and value added services to justify it. I couldn't find any.

I was just curious if this was common practice in the community. I'm relieved to see it isn't.

 

[scoobydrew]

I'm sure many have, and will out of sheer curiosity. I specifically avoided naming them though, and edited some of the text slightly to remove their name. I've never set foot in the place, so it's not right, nor is it my place to slam them. Maybe they really do have some fantastic people and value added services to justify it. I couldn't find any.

I was just curious if this was common practice in the community. I'm relieved to see it isn't.

Fair enough

 

[drbill]

Not unusual, but I think it is wrong to push a new student into getting their own gear before they are actually certified and get some dive experience under their weight belt. Two reasons: (1) Many OW divers don't stay with the sport very long and end up with gear they don't use and (2) An OW student hasn't had enough experience with gear to know what might work best for them and shops often push only the gear they sell (for obvious and understandable reasons)

 

[ams511]

I'm sure many have, and will out of sheer curiosity. I specifically avoided naming them though, and edited some of the text slightly to remove their name. I've never set foot in the place, so it's not right, nor is it my place to slam them. Maybe they really do have some fantastic people and value added services to justify it. I couldn't find any.

I was just curious if this was common practice in the community. I'm relieved to see it isn't.

If you never set foot in the shop then I would call and ask for an elaboration of equipment. Maybe they only meant mask, fins, snorkel and not the BC, Regs, etc.

 

[TMHeimer]

Never, ever, ever, ever buy all your dive gear till you are qualified. What if you do not like it? What if you do not actually finish the course? You are stuck with the gear, or, in some cases I have seen, hire purchase at exorbitant rates (and the gear). Also, how do you know what sort of wetsuit, BCD etc you will like till you have a little experience.

Only ever buy mask, snorkel, fins and booties. If in cold water, make sure the dive shop provides, wetsuit, gloves and hood as well as dive equipment. Otherwise, go to someone who does.

I wouldn't say never for certain things. If you are sure you will finish the course a wetsuit would be OK since you train in the appropriate one for local waters. I bought a steel 120 during the course and did regret it during long walks to the entry points and eventually sold it. Depends on the item I guess.

 

[NWA395]

W1ngz,

When I decided to return to diving after be hiatus of a several years, I took an OW course again. As I said it had been many years.

Upon OW I rented gear from the dive shop, rented gear from competitor dive shops which carried different lines/brands, borrowed gear to decide what I really wanted (back inflate, jacket style, integrated weights or belt, etc. you get the idea)

With the exception of mask, fins everything else (, 1st/2nd octo, tanks ) I bought used months after OW and after doing research and diving it,...wetsuit and computer new ). Some I bought from my LDS, some I did not.

They were happy to have my business but more concerned that I bought gear I was going to be happy with and keep diving, not where I bought it from.

As a result, they get my continued business and referrals for people looking for an LDS.

YMMV

 

[crosshairs]

Tip: Don't buy an I3 BCD, that was our only mistake and it was ours we made. Nobody pushed us.

I love my I3....wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

[eelnoraa]

I would say BS as well. To me, buying mask that fit is the only necessary item. Others are optional. In fact, I would say people who own the entire set of gears going into their first session, they will likley to replace every piece of those gear if they continue to dive