Costco Scuba Gear

[DawgPaddle]

Howdy... I'm new to the scuba world and am in the process of researching variuos gear suppliers to get the pros/cons of some of the "stuff" I'll need. I didn't realize it first, but Costco does sell scuba gear. I had to go to their website and use scuba as the search word. The BC they sell is IDI Nekton 2000 BCD and I was hoping to hear from someone that knows the quality of this BC. Thanks in advance.

DawgPaddle

 

[ScubaDuke]

DawgPaddle,


Welcome to the Board! to start.

Next, I am familiar with IDI brand but not that model. The best thing I can tell you is to find a dive shop that will let you try one out (actually try as many different ones as you can) and see if you like the fit, feel, etc.

If you haven't been diving long you may want to wait until you get more bouancy control. Then you can make a better choice as to what type of BC you'll need and like. Rent different ones and use them in OW, try others out in the pool. Do as much research as you can first and make an informed decision.

There has been many discusions on this board about BC's. Go to the Bouancy Compensator section (where this post belongs) or do a search and you'll get a wealth of info.


Of coarse joining this board and asking is a great start!

ScubaDuke

 

[socaldiver]

Dawgpaddle,

ScubaDuke is giving some sound advise. Before forking out some big bucks for gear you may want to try different gear out to see what works best for you.

I also have a problem with buying gear from a store that doesn't "specialize" in dive gear. I have heard of Costco but am not familar with their merchandise. I suppose you could get your gear "cheaper" than if you buy from your LDS but you are buying gear that your life is dependent on. Wetsuits, dive lights, knives and things like that, OK, buy them from Costco or some other store if you want. Regs and BCs which are more serious equipment, should be purchased from a dealer that specializes in that gear.

JMHO

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Dawg,

There are some things that are just fine to buy at Walmart/Costco.

IMHO scuab gear isn't one of them. I imagine the IDI Nekton BC is ok, but its still going to be that cheapest peice of BC you could possibly find. Think you get what you pay for. Do you really want a cheap peice of life support equipment.

Take your time. Try stuff out. Save your $$ and buy something you can be happy with.

Tom

 

[Dee]

I agree with the others. Costco, Sam's, other warehouse/wholesale type places is fine for dive accessories but not life support.

Another reason, besides those already mentioned, for buying from your local dive shop is that BC is going to need to be surviced. Will any dive shop be able to service it? Do any of the dive shops in your area carry that brand or have they never heard of it and don't have a clue what kind of parts can be used with it.

It's very tempting to save alot of money on those 2 most expensive items of your gear. But don't scrimp on your life support. Make up those saving in everything else....lights, wetsuits, fins, clips, doo-dads and gee-gaws...there'll be plenty of stuff you need!

 

[aquanut]

Take Dee's advice. Plain and simple.
Support your local dive shop, you may pay more up front, but the rewards will be worth it in the future.
Support the shop and they will most likely be willing to support you when you need it the most.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Buying anything from the LDS because of the poor serivce it seems I usually get....
But I still do because I at times just because....

I like buing things from Costco because if I don't like it they take it back!

I really dislike the idea of using a LDS to try things out/on and then buying from Costco.... that is wrong!

 

[Zagnut]

I don't feel obligated to buy a BC from a LDS just because I tried one on at their store. If I'm slipping it on over my clothes on my own to see how it fits without monopizing the LDS sales rep's time or resources, I don't feel like I owe the LDS anything. Would you feel obligated to buy a car just because you checked it out on the lot? No.
If I go the the LDS, have the salesperson spend a good deal of his or her time going over the BC showing me how to operate, maintain, and care for the thing, and/or if I try it out in the LDS's pool, then I would feel an obligation to buy from the LDS. I wouldn't; however, feel obligated to buy an expensive piece of equipment from the LDS just because I slapped it on my back and strapped it up to see how it fits, while standing in their shop.

That being said, I bought my setup from a LDS. With the important pieces like BC and regs, I want to buy from someone who knows, specializes in, and services and repairs that piece of gear. Someone who is nearby and will take good care of me should I have any problems with it. Also, in return for my buying my and my wife's complete setup at the LDS, I get treated with great service any and every time I set foot into the LDS. They will even let me take their equipment out of their store (without buying it, BTW) to try it out. This includes taking it with me to Belize or Cozumel. Try buying your setup from Costco and see if you get that kind of treatment when you walk back into their store six months later...Six months later they won't even recognize your face.

 

[roakey]

Originally posted by Zagnut
If I'm slipping it [a BC] on over my clothes on my own to see how it fits without monopizing the LDS sales rep's time or resources, I don't feel like I owe the LDS anything.

But you DO owe them something. Unsold stock is money not-in-the-bank and costs interest and therefore costs money. Storage of that unsold stock takes storage and storage costs money in terms of the per-square-foot lease of retail space. In order to have that BC on the shelf for you to try on, they have to pass their overhead costs onto you, which causes their prices to be higher (not to mention take a beating on selling air below cost).

I have no problem “shopping around” among retail stores, but to use a store's stock to make a decision and then ordering from a warehouse which can offer a lower price because they only have lease warehouse space and no sales staff is ethically wrong in my book. Even if a sales droid doesn’t help you, they have to employ someone to watch over the stock (that’s out and available so you can try it on) to make sure it doesn’t walk out the door without payment.

When I went to buy a new mask, I tried them on in the local stores, settled on a mask that fit me very well (TUSA Platina), grit my teeth and bought it at full retail (going rate for SCUBA gear in Colorado). My backup TUSA Platina I bought via mail order because I didn't need to use ANY local stock to make a decision. None of my Halcyon stuff was available locally, so that was all mail order.

If I know what I want without having to touch it AT ALL, I go mail order. If I need to touch to make a decision, I let the retail stores compete over my business. But I make them compete on level ground.

The above is applicable to ALL purcahses, SCUBA, stereos, computers, whatever.

Originally posted by Zagnut
Would you feel obligated to buy a car just because you checked it out on the lot? No.

Apples to oranges comparison. All car dealerships are “retail.” When my wife was looking for her Diesel Ford F250 (I’m seriously out trucked ) We went all up and down the front range, got the best price, offered the local dealership (singular, it’s a city monopoly on Ford) where we did the most looking a chance to meet the best offer we got, they didn’t so we bought it up in Castle Rock.

It was retail vs. retail “battle”, not retail vs. mailorder like you’re talking about.

Roak

 

[Zagnut]

Actually, Im talking about retail vs. retail. Costco, I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong), is a retail store like Wal Mart and has to pay their overhead to stay in business( utilities, employees, etc.), just like any other store. That's part of the risk of being in business. Roakey, you make a valid point; however, I just don't feel obligated to buy, say, a pair of pants in a store just because I tried them on. If I try on a pair of pants in a store and then go to the store next door and find they are cheaper, I'm going to buy from whoever has the lowest price. You are correct, in that, retail vs. mail order is a different scenerio and I agree with your statements concerning retail vs. mail order.