Brand Quality?

[glbtrekker]

I hesitate to ask this question as I do not want to open the proverbial "can of worms." Nor do I want to get into a Chevy vs. Ford debate. That said, I do need some advice and am hoping to get a general consensus from those who have been diving for a while and have experience with different brands.

There are so many brand names to choose from in BC's, reg's, etc. that it can be mind-boggling for the newcomer like me. I know that certain brands have good reputations like Scubapro and Oceanic (just examples) and others seem to be not as well known or discussed.

Hence my question. I have a question about overall quality and brand reputation. I am looking at products from Aeris, Bare (BC) and Sherwood. How are these companies viewed by the overall scuba diving community? Are they considered to be Good? Average? Or something less?

 

[knowone]

Visit some shops, look past the plastic and chrome and feel the product. Find some stuff that you think is spunky at a reasonable price then research it. I have a 60yr old reg that looked like a farming implement. All it needed was a clean, a couple of o rings, and a mouthpiece. Beauuutiful.

 

[Straegen]

Most dive gear is very well made. I would also say that most companies off shore their production and several single designs are shared by multiple companies and are simple re-brands. IMO, it is less about the brand name and more about the brand support. Companies like Zeagle which have a solid online presence and routinely answer questions and concerns about their products publicly are the companies to do business with and the ones that have a solid reputation.

 

[sagarmatha8850]

I have to agree with straegen, the companies that stand behind their products are the ones to go with. There is also something to be said for the companies who have been making gear for a long time, the second rate manufacturers tend to get weeded out naturally. I mean, this is Scubaboard after all, haha!

 

[elmer fudd]

I can't think of too much dive gear I've bought that really sucked. The IST weight belt buckle stands out in my mind as probably the cruddiest piece of gear I have purchased. I've also had some gloves that didn't really hold up and a Whites dry suit hood that doesn't do a very good job of keeping me warm.

Now the prices of dive gear on the other hand I think are obscene. Just look at some of the small stuff like spring straps for fins. These often go for $70 or more. I made my own with $10 worth of parts from Lowes and I felt like I paid about 3x's what I should have for the parts. How about foam tank holders for $20? If those cost more than $1 to make I'd be shocked. There's all kinds of stuff like that out there though and we divers continue to shell out good money for things that should cost much, much less.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I probably spend too much on underwater photography gear; cameras (~10), housings (5), strobes (7) and WAL's (3; 1 w/dome). If I wasn't getting key man discounts as an instructor most of my scuba gear purchases would be just like my camera gear purchases; used gear from eBay and craigslist.

 

[spectrum]

I hesitate to ask this question as I do not want to open the proverbial "can of worms." Nor do I want to get into a Chevy vs. Ford debate. That said, I do need some advice and am hoping to get a general consensus from those who have been diving for a while and have experience with different brands.

There are so many brand names to choose from in BC's, reg's, etc. that it can be mind-boggling for the newcomer like me. I know that certain brands have good reputations like Scubapro and Oceanic (just examples) and others seem to be not as well known or discussed.

Hence my question. I have a question about overall quality and brand reputation. I am looking at products from Aeris, Bare (BC) and Sherwood. How are these companies viewed by the overall scuba diving community? Are they considered to be Good? Average? Or something less?

I would say that very few are regarded as bad or even undesirable. Divers certainly have preferences. Certain products can be ruled out based on features, availability of local support or availability of support when traveling.

ScubaPro has been around forever and has a deep domestic service network and reasonable coverage while away. Generally not a bargain but good stuff.

Oceanic and Aeris are sister brands. Good stuff. I have fins, computers from them. In some respects they may be a little more progressive or innovative than others.

Bare (wetsuits) has very sensible designs. Their sizes fit real people and they have a lot of stock sizes. I hear good things about their dry suits too. Bare prices are usually a great value. All of my wetsuits are Bare.

Sherwood is rock solid. They probably have the most global service network. Their regulators have been ultra reliable workhorses and are simple to service. The BC designs are nice, more fabric than plastic and have nice feature mixes. I dived an AVID for years. My wife and I share a collection of Sherwood regulators. The new SR-1 regulator is a break-out product that I hear nice things about.

Atomic is an example of a very progressive company taking a second bite at the apple with no legacy to carry. They are progressive, high performance and expensive. Prices can range from high to wicked high.

In the end you could say that the brands have personalities and you want to find stuff that aligns with your diving and budget.

Pete

 

[glbtrekker]

I would say that very few are regarded as bad or even undesirable. Divers certainly have preferences. Certain products can be ruled out based on features, availability of local support or availability of support when traveling.

ScubaPro has been around forever and has a deep domestic service network and reasonable coverage while away. Generally not a bargain but good stuff.

Oceanic and Aeris are sister brands. Good stuff. I have fins, computers from them. In some respects they may be a little more progressive or innovative than others.

Bare (wetsuits) has very sensible designs. Their sizes fit real people and they have a lot of stock sizes. I hear good things about their dry suits too. Bare prices are usually a great value. All of my wetsuits are Bare.

Sherwood is rock solid. They probably have the most global service network. Their regulators have been ultra reliable workhorses and are simple to service. The BC designs are nice, more fabric than plastic and have nice feature mixes. I dived an AVID for years. My wife and I share a collection of Sherwood regulators. The new SR-1 regulator is a break-out product that I hear nice things about.

Atomic is an example of a very progressive company taking a second bite at the apple with no legacy to carry. They are progressive, high performance and expensive. Prices can range from high to wicked high.

In the end you could say that the brands have personalities and you want to find stuff that aligns with your diving and budget.

Pete

Thanks Pete! That's exactly the kind of information that I wanted to know. Since I am new at this I have no idea of which companies stand behind their products, or what their history is like. Sure, one can browse their website and read the "about" sections, but that information is of course a little biased. What I wanted to hear was from people who had used their gear. Thanks again for a wonderful reply.

I will confess that I am looking at some Aeris gear (I can get a great price on some right now), but I am very concerned about their lack of response in the manufacturer's Q and A forum. It seems that a number of their customers have had great difficulty in getting them to reply.

On the other hand, the Sherwood rep has replied to almost every post, done so professionally and expediently. That speaks highly of them in my book. BTW, the Avid is one of the BC's that I am currently considering.

Nevertheless, I had viewed brands like Sherwood, Genesis, etc. as the "Wal-Mart" of the diving world. That may be an unfair an inaccurate description, but that is what I am currently trying to determine.

Question...does anybody have any opinions of Bare BC's? I really like the looks of the Blackjack, but nobody in my area has one in stock to look at. I do have a local supplier who carries Bare...they just don't have that bc.

 

[dwhthediver]

Sherwood makes good gear( I like the Avid), ScubaPro, and Aqualung have been around a long time, and are committed to making quality products and good service. I would suggest talking to your dive shop, and see if they will let you "test dive" a couple of different combos in the pool to see what you like and want as personal gear to dive. I own gear from all 3 mfrs. listed above and never had service issues with any of them.

 

[matts1w]

I will confess that I am looking at some Aeris gear (I can get a great price on some right now), but I am very concerned about their lack of response in the manufacturer's Q and A forum. It seems that a number of their customers have had great difficulty in getting them to reply.

On the other hand, the Sherwood rep has replied to almost every post, done so professionally and expediently. That speaks highly of them in my book. BTW, the Avid is one of the BC's that I am currently considering.

Nevertheless, I had viewed brands like Sherwood, Genesis, etc. as the "Wal-Mart" of the diving world. That may be an unfair an inaccurate description, but that is what I am currently trying to determine.

I would NEVER write off a brand because they have no presence on Scubaboard. The "high end" companies have been around long before Scubaboard for a reason. Not considering Scubapro regs, for instance, would be a poor choice if you have a solid SP dealer in your area. Brands like these withstand the test of time.

As for Genesis and Sherwood being Wal-mart-ish...that may be a bit harsh. Both companies make solid entry level gear. My only comment about a BCD like a Genesis Cobra is that you will probably outgrow it sooner than later if your diving progresses beyond a few times a year.

A good LDS will let you try out a number of configurations, discuss what you goals are, and show you solid options based on your needs.