Bringing your own gear for an OW Class

[Bill_PNW_Diver]

Question:
While taking a class, Is it typical for a LDS to not allow outside gear to be used durring the class?

I'm retaking my open water class (15 year gap in diving) and the isntructors are telling the class that, other than mask, fins, & snorkel, they cannot bring outside gear into the class unless it was purchased in their shop. When questioned on this the gave us a lame excuse saying that their insurance wouldn't cover them and that the instructors needed to be completely familiar with the gear in order to ensure our safety.

Is this typical or just a tactic to get the students to buy gear from their shop?

 

[Walter]

I've heard of it, but it's not normal. The insurance line is total BS. Look for another place to take your class.

 

[Ann Marie]

I've never heard of this practice. I encourage my students to bring gear if they have it or if they want to buy it buy it and dive with it. If the gear hasn't been serviced in 15 years then I might require that.

 

[Don Wray]

We allow students to use any equipment as long as it is in good working order...and no, we don't do inspections or annuals. Dive training only. To the OP, I agree with others, get a new LDS

 

[herman]

Wecome to the board.
Find another shop. It's common for shops to require their instructors and DMs to use shop brand gear but not students. Frankly, if your instructor can't figure out the difference between brand X and brand Y you need a new instructor.

 

[whoji]

Learn to dive in what you intend to continue diving in, and if thats not the LDS gear - and they wont let you use yours - take you hard earned cash elsewhere.

 

[Rick Inman]

My LDS requires students in OW to use the shop gear. They reason that instructors don't have time to deal with all the possible gear configurations and teach dealing with those variations. They say that new divers often purchase gear that may have problems or issues that the instructors don't have time to deal with during class, but that the shop gear is sure to function predictably (maybe they think people will show up with some old unserviced Healthways garage-sale reg). They also say that, by using the shop class gear, the student does not have to subject their own gear to the chlorine in the pool.

Personally, I think it's all hogwash, but this is what they say. IMHO, it's just another way to make the OW class irrelevant to the real diving situations that will occur once the diver gets out of class. Doing skills on knees and using shop gear are two things that will never happen on a real dive. If a student does show up with a bunch of garage sale junk, it's better for them to find out during the class, rather than on their first real post-class dive.

 

[fisherdvm]

15 years out from diving.... It is also possible to just take a good refresher course, or tag on to the pool session of the OW class. I know that others told me that I should retake an OW class after a 10 year break, but I took a refresher instead, and learn much more the second time than the first. Scubaboard answered most of my questions, and more. Honestly, the equipment and theory hasn't changed one bit. I was certified in 1993, and used my 1993 Padi book to study for the SSI refresher class, and passed without problem (except for having to search for an SSI dive table on the net).

You might gain more from one or two pool sessions with a good divemaster/instructor than you might with a herd mentality of a weekend crash course. I would say, pick up and read a current PADI/SSI (my preference is strongly for the PADI OW book - much better outline and emphasis on some strong point I find missing in the SSI book), and take a refresher course. Both Padi and SSI offer refresher courses that ranges from $25 (one of our local SSI dealer) to about $150. Some refresher courses are just a tag along with the beginning OW students on their second pool dive, other are one on one sessions.

I've got a copy of the SSI OW student test if you want one. But your DM/instructor will usually give you one before you take the pool sessions.

 

[fisherdvm]

Question:
While taking a class, Is it typical for a LDS to not allow outside gear to be used durring the class?QUOTE]

I can empathize with this... while our LDS allowed my son to take his class with my own gears, he had all sort of problems. They checked the gears first, but he was a goofy kid, and it just didn't work out, so it wasn't really our fault. Eventually, we just bought gears that fit him better.

I have heard of people showing up with gears too large, regs that were ancient, regs without octos, etc. They probably just don't want to waste time and mess up their infrequent pool sessions, and keep the classes flowing. Some of our small local LDS just have only about 2 pool classes each winter, so it is hard to get you through a class. I guess if you said you had brand new gears, or can prove that the gears are current and recently serviced, they'll probably let you use them.

The less the instructors have to mess with your gears and set up, the more time they have in the pool working on skills.

Just kinda like the discussion of why some instructors don't like folks using back plate and wings - they just don't like to mess with adjusting straps, clips, etc. They just wan't to get the class done, and out.

 

[Bill_PNW_Diver]

Thanks for the offer fisherdvm! I'll take you up on the offer for the class materials.

The reason for retaking the OW class instead of the reresher is that my girlfriend wants to get into diving with me so we decided to take the class together.

Thanks Again!

As for your post on the gear...
As part of the OW class, I was hopeing to be able to try out different gear to get an understanding of what's new and what works for me etc. My gear from 15 years ago was stolen (part of the reason for the lapse in dive time) and I am starting out from scratch. Unfortunately the LDS I'm taking the class from only sells one brand of gear (which seems to be the norm around here) and has a "once it gets wet, you own it" return policy.

Oh well, his loss not mine. I plan on purchasing all new gear within the next 3 months and with a limited gear selection and poor return policy why should I bother paying the extra bucks at my LDS vs LeisurePro?

Bill