Confused with what my LDS is directing me towards?

[BoltSnap]

Get the Scubapro package. I prefer wrist mount computer much more than on console.

Scubapro MK17/G260 or MK17/S600, R195 or R905 Octo

I'd go with the S600 but the G260 is great also.

I'd go with the R195 for sure not the R095.

Equator BCD

Very nice BC, better than the AL option.

 

[Colliam7]

My question isn't about price or brand loyalty, but rather why would my LDS try and steer me from one package to another?

As several have suggested, profit, or the margin on the particular packages, may be an incentive. Also, shops do get preferential pricing across the product line as their volume of sales of a particular manufacturer line increases. So, it may be in their very best interest to enhance their sales of Aqua Lung, for example, or Scubapro. There is nothing wrong with that. But, what is best for THEM may not be in YOUR best interests.

I realize that your question was specifically about why a shop might 'encourage' the purchase of certain equipment. But, I will add a suggestion, that you do not immediately buy either of these 'packages', and spend a bit more time online, here on SB and elsewhere, and perhaps speak with other shops BEFORE buying gear.

The dive shop is telling me that the Apeks is better suited for me, and am wondering if that's true, and if so why? There doesn't appear to be any fitting issues with either regs, or BCD's, so I don't know how they can determine that its "better suited" for me?

You have already made an important assessment. It would be appropriate for you to ask them directly, 'WHY is this equipment better suited for me?'

I am an Apeks user (along with a number of other brands), I have multiple Apeks regs (and other gear, for that matter), and I really like their products. The XTX200 is a fine unit, etc., etc. ScubaPro makes great gear, as well. But, frankly, I would not buy either package as configured, and I sincerely believe that you might be better served by considering alternate configurations that the shop you visited may or may not want to sell, or even be in a position to sell. Now, I do not, sitting at my keyboard, necessarily know what's best for you, any more than the shop pushing an Apeks package might. What I do have is a not inconsiderable body of experience with students, new divers, and experienced divers - and what gear choices ultimately seem to be beneficial - hence my recommendation to spend more time considering your options before buying.

You have posted your question in the new forum here on SB, intended for (new) divers contemplating equipment purchases. And, I would encourage you to broaden your questions about gear in this venue, before pursuing a purchase.

 

[rsingler]

But, frankly, I would not buy either package as configured, and I sincerely believe that you might be better served by considering alternate configurations that the shop you visited may or may not want to sell, or even be in a position to sell.

+1! What he said.
Apart from price (and that only sometimes), there is very little combined value in most packages. Diving is just too individual a sport.

 

[boulderjohn]

As several have suggested, profit, or the margin on the particular packages, may be an incentive. Also, shops do get preferential pricing across the product line as their volume of sales of a particular manufacturer line increases. So, it may be in their very best interest to enhance their sales of Aqua Lung, for example, or Scubapro. There is nothing wrong with that. But, what is best for THEM may not be in YOUR best interests.

When I worked for a dive shop, this was explained in great detail in a marketing seminar. One point that was stressed was to push hard to get students to buy specific models that will increase the profit margin. If you sell enough of a specific model, the vendor will sell them at a better price. The difference can be huge.

Did you identify all the items in the two packages, or did you leave out the less important ones? If the package includes smaller items you did not mention, that could be an important factor for the shop. Those other items are frequently not purchased, so if you buy the whole package, you may be getting each item at a discount, but you are buying more items than you probably would if you bought everything separately. The difference in the markup of individual items is quite different. Those smaller items most people don't buy have the biggest markups in the store. When they put everything in a package of low markup and high markup items, the store gets a higher total markup than they would if you just bought the bigger items (with the lower markups) alone.

A couple years ago I had a student come to me for technical training. He was disappointed because as his experience grew, he realized that pretty much everything he had bought when he was first certified was no longer what he wanted, and he would now have to buy completely different stuff. He started to tell me what he had, but I interrupted him and finished off the list for him. He asked me how I knew. I told him I used to work at the store where he bought it, and the items I listed where the ones the shop had identified as the specific gear models their employees were supposed to push to increase the profit margin to the max.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I'm far from being an Aqua Lung fanboy, but if you can't tell when the weight pockets are engaging, perhaps your hearing isn't what it used to be? That's the one thing that really impresses me about the sure lock system......people 20 feet away can hearmy weight pockets engaging.

I don't know how it's possible my eyesight hasn't gone and I still have 20/20 being that I stare at Excel spreadsheets all day long but my hearing is still good as well; people joke about my eagle eyes and rodent hearing. At 32, I suppose I would hope that is the case.

I was doing my DM with a shop that uses an entire fleet of AL BCs. Students that also had AL BCs...same problem. As the BC becomes older, it becomes even more challenging and is amplified more so if you are doing coldwater diving with more weights in the pocket. It becomes more difficult to engage it. For every class I DMed with, we had a student losing at least one weight pocket inadvertently. None are happy about paying the replacement costs for the weight pocket and the weights that were lost with it on a price per pound basis, not to mention the hassle of being lopsided and underweighted for their OW dives. It's why we carried extra weight pockets and weights because it happened every single class. It sucked.

I have Aqua Lung regs (Legend LX and Legend Octo), a 3mm and 5mm Aqua Flex wetsuit, an 8/7 SolAfx semidry, and their women's boots and gloves so don't get me wrong....I think they make excellent products but I think their BC weight pocket design leaves something to be desired when it is compared to other weight pocket systems on the market.

Take home message to the OP is still to build your own package with what you want to buy and don't buy what the dive shop has built as a package. This is a large investment and it should work for you in the long run. A good shop will package something together for you. I also wouldn't write off calling shops that are beyond driving distance. See if they will ship the items to you. I'm sure they would be happy to if you asked.

Happy shopping!

 

[EireDiver606]

Holy god, If theyre charging 2K for that rubbishgear, I would be buying this if I had started again....

Deepstop DIR XTX50 5-Port Set - Deepstop GmbH

along with GUE REC 11 / Fundamentals. I seriously would consider this deal if you know you will get deeper into diving. It’s a good deal.

I wonder how you’d get that to America though....

 

[USdiver1]

A Mares Abyss 22 Navy II regulator is a fine cold water unit. You can build a package around one, add an Abyss Navy Octo, a Mission 2 analog SPG/depth gauge combo; add a BCD of your choice and a wrist mounted computer and compass. Should be somewhat less expensive then Apeks or SP.

 

[Pyro_]

One other think to keep in mind is this is Canada so about 33% exchange rate to USD right now so that takes a good size chunk out of what can be bought when you think 2k. Plus more often than not gear up here is more expensive than in the US

 

[runsongas]

2k cad is 1300 euro. and if OP is going to do the hassle of importing, just get a pair of xtx50/dst from fourthelement for 600 gbp, get a cheaper bpw than the halcyon, and pick up the spg and other stuff from dgx or wherever.

 

[USdiver1]

I would be buying this if I had started again....

Deepstop DIR XTX50 5-Port Set - Deepstop GmbH

I wonder how you’d get that to America though....

Short answer, you can't. EU regulations on scuba cylinders and US DOT regulations aren't 100% compatible, so once the hydro on those Euro-pee-on tanks is up, they are through, as 'muricans won't hydro them [ask me how I know]. Hear they make great wind chimes though.