Dive Rite STA review/rant

[neil]

I just got a Dive Rite stainless STA from someone. This is about the STA, NOT the person I bought it from. I'd buy from him again in a heartbeat. Got it? And I DID use the search button, and nothing specific about the STA came up except for "not too beefy".

The STA is the most expensive, cheesy hunk of metal I've seen in a long time. Retail for this item is $70, and there is no good description of it on their web site. It is about 3/32" or 2 mm thick and weighs, with the bolts and wing nuts, a whopping 14.6 OUNCES, (.9 lbs.) or .4 kilograms. I really expected something that weighed at least a cupla pounds. will it do the job? Sure, but I wanted some extra weight on the STA. Now you know. Caveat emptor.

 

[RICHinNC]

I guess it depends on the objective of the producer. I mean, some want the minimalist approach. Provide what you need in the least weight and the least bulk.

Some, think, well lets pile on the metal and make it like a brick.

Further research might have saved you some disappointment but pls understand I fully understand how hard it can be to get decent.....at least decent in a relative term....information before we buy.

If we cant touch and feel in person...chances are we are going to be disappointed.

I would say....DiveRite puts our some good gear. I use it quite a bit. But, if you were expecting one thing....and got another, then disappointment is the only road you could go down.

Try out the STA....see if it does the JOB regardless of what you expected....then hang on to it.....and if it does not...then I am sure someone else would be more than happy to pay a fair price for it and you can get what you expected....what you wanted.

rich

 

[neil]

I guess it depends on the objective of the producer. I mean, some want the minimalist approach. Provide what you need in the least weight and the least bulk.
Some, think, well lets pile on the metal and make it like a brick.
Further research might have saved you some disappointment but pls understand I fully understand how hard it can be to get decent.....at least decent in a relative term....information before we buy.
If we cant touch and feel in person...chances are we are going to be disappointed.
I would say....DiveRite puts our some good gear. I use it quite a bit. But, if you were expecting one thing....and got another, then disappointment is the only road you could go down.
Try out the STA....see if it does the JOB regardless of what you expected....then hang on to it.....and if it does not...then I am sure someone else would be more than happy to pay a fair price for it and you can get what you expected....what you wanted.
rich

Rich,
I agree on all points. One of the reasons for this post was so others could know what the product description really is. I'll dive it for sure and then decide. It's NOT a bad product in any way that I can discern, it's just that I thought I would be getting a bigger hunka metal for the cash. If it cost 30 bucks I would not have blinked.
Neil

 

[RICHinNC]

Neil......man if there is anything I have learned in my 56 years on this Earth...is....cost has not a dang thing to do with quality or any other description as well. You can spend little and get a great product...or spend a lot and get a piece of crap. Money has zip to do with it.

Hang in there and I really hope you find what you are looing for......or at least....what y0u can be happy with.

good luck...rich

 

[terrasmak]

I wasnt to impressed when i say them either , when i order an STA it will be a Fred Tagge model. There i believe 5 pounds.

 

[*Floater*]

One of the shops here in PA has decent prices and also sells their own brand of STA's. They offer a heavy STA (6lbs) for $50 and also a super heavy STA - don't know the actual weight but I'm guessing it's over 10 lbs since it costs $100.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

http://www.hammerheadscuba.com/sta.htm

$51 for 5 lbs stainless steel STA.