Buying my first set of equipment - Scubapro Equator BCD

[doctormike]

I was wondering how many replies before somebody said "get a backplate and wing for God's sake". The answer: six. (Of course I agree.)

It's always the same question. Why shouldn't it always be the same answer?

 

[runsongas]

I make the following distinction: cheap vs. inexpensive.

It isn't also about just "price" but more about "value." SP or Atomic or AL give much more value due to their size, reputation, customer service, product quality, longevity and financial standing than some other fly by night operations in China or anywhere else in the world. It is the total package they represent.

BTW, I prefer to buy a Toyota that was made in China from Toyota (the real Toyota) than buying a ToyoAuto that was made in China from a Chinese company. (ToyoAuto is a Chinese brand that tries to confuse the customer by making their brand sound like Toyota).

a small company can offer great quality and superior service, being small isn't a hindrance. take shearwater for example. their computers are worth what they are charging because they are better than what is being sold by the big legacy companies and offer better service.

as for "value", that is exactly what I am advocating. you don't get some magical increase in quality by spending twice as much on scubapro compared to a hog or dive rite. there isn't some huge gap in quality for scubapro because they don't even own a factory in china. more like you're paying toyota prices for a rebadged toyoauto.

 

[BoltSnap]

Not "huge" perhaps in certain model ranges but SP is a regulator company and makes ALL of its regulators and BC's in contrast where DiveRite is a BC (various versions) and some accessories company and not a regulator company at all. DR excels in making the BC's it is well known for and it appeals to a certain market and certain configuration and is probably second to none in its specific type of BC's. HOG doesn't make anything at all, it is all re-badged stuff from Asia. HOG is a company with an office and warehouse, not much more.


Even among the big three companies in the world, AL, SP and Mares (AL does the most annual turn over in the recreational market worldwide, SP second and Mares a distant third), SP regulators, in my and others view is the king in this field.

Shearwater is made in the UK as far as I know and it isn't simply re-badging stuff that was engineered/designed/developed and manufactured in the far east. It is also a VERY specialized one product company that caters to an extremely narrow segment of the market.

In the context of the OP and his question and needs, not sure of how much this discussion is related to the subject.

 

[Zhukov]

Mostly because of the prices. In the beginning I was thinking about buying a Cressi Aquaride Pro, but lots of people told me Cressi is garbage. So I started looking into the equivalent Scubapro ones.

"lots of people told me Cressi is garbage", aka "lots of people dive with something other than Cressi and it gives them a feeling of superiority to put down another manufacturer".

I just recently bought three Cressi BC's myself. They work perfectly fine, are comfortable, and very cheap to boot. It's a BC, not a rocket engine that we're talking about. The technology has been around for decades.

 

[diversteve]

Shearwater is a Canadian company, Richmond, BC. if it matters.

 

[lynnpartridge]

Shearwater is a Canadian company, Richmond, BC. if it matters.

Yes indeed, we are proudly Canadian!

 

[BoltSnap]

Shearwater is a Canadian company, Richmond, BC. if it matters.

Yes indeed, we are proudly Canadian!

Thank you for the correction. Unfortunately it is too late to correct my post now

 

[galodoido]

I was wondering how many replies before somebody said "get a backplate and wing for God's sake". The answer: six. (Of course I agree.)

Do you think it is worth doing that even if I'm not a tech diver?

 

[The Laconic]

Do you think it is worth doing that even if I'm not a tech diver?

Yes. There is nothing tech-specific about a harness, backplate and wing. Search on SB and I'm sure you'll find many posts that explain why it's better.

 

[doctormike]

Do you think it is worth doing that even if I'm not a tech diver?

If you think that you might get into tech diving, if you might dive doubles, or if you will be doing mostly dry suit diving, then get a backplate and wing. But if you are sure that you will only be doing warm water, single tank, recreational diving, then get a backplate and wing.