Does Equipment Really Matter?

[jason.elias]

Does anyone really believe that specific equipment from specific manufacturers really makes a difference in the Dive Experience?

Of course, there is low-end equipment and higher-end gear, but I wonder if that at the higher end, is all gear essentially the same and is it simply a matter of personal preference? Does one company really make something that is that much different from another? I have certainly not tried every piece of equipment, but I wonder, with such high technical specifications on modern gear and the history of years of R&D, is there a qualitative difference amongst the top brands(discounting, again, the low-end entry-level gear)?

I ask, because having been a professional photographer for years, the debate was constantly on Canon vs. Nikon. Which I always though was a straw man argument as it was really about vision. So I guess I was wondering, does the same hold true in Dive Equipment? ScubaPro? Mares? TUSA? Cressi? Does it really matter or at that top level is it more personal preference?

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Nawwww... I put a couple of bricks in my pockets and use a long Dixie straw...


(I'm kidding... I'm kidding....)


It seems to boil down to trying different gear and hitting upon a configuration that works best for you, what you're comfortable with, and what kind of diving you do.

 

[Willuw]

I think certain aspects yes and others no.

There are some good products that have came about which do make diving more enjoyable but there also are products that are just looking to solve a problem that never existed.

If you have gear that works with you and you are happy with keep it! You don't have to have the latest and greatest to enjoy your diving - as long as your gear is functional and safe.

 

[RonFrank]

The simple answer is yes... no.... yes! My opinion is that good equipment with the same features made by different manufactures is likely going to all perform well, so it does come down to personal preference at that level.

This is a general question, and I'm not sure one can compare apples to apples as Brand X may offer some things that brand Y does not.

Fit is also key. If wetsuit A fits better than wetsuit B, than even if wetsuit B has features not found in Wetsuit A that are desirable, it still maybe best to go with wetsuit A even if it's not quite as warm, or does not have some of the features one wants.

My thought on debates like Canon vs. Nikon, or Halcyon vs. DiveRite is that if the difference was that big, there would not be a debate. No one out there is debating over if Yugo makes a better auto than Honda!

I think it's important NOT to compare manufactures, but to compare specific models. Just because a manufacture makes good stuff does not mean that everything they make is great. You can not assume that because one mask made by a manufacture is durable that they all are just because they share the manufactures name.

Keep in mind that manufactures may be re branding things as well. I have a genesis Panview mask I no longer use, but I was comparing it to a buddies scubapro mask, and we realized that other than the color, and logo, it was the exact same mask, and the very likely made by a third party in the same factory.

My advice is find the features you want and make sure what you are looking at is appropriate for future diving and growth. Then research the options, talk to other divers, make sure it fits (if applicable), and talk to the retailer as well. If you have some dive buddies that own equipment you are considering, see if you can try it out. If one goes through that process, it's a good bet that the equipment will work for many years into the future.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

When you get to the high end stuff, it's mostly Ford Vs Chevy. If you ask the owner of either why his is better, you will get answers to your question. The real trick is distinguishing true high end equipment from look alikes and knock offs and just generally lesser quality.

 

[jason.elias]

If you have gear that works with you and you are happy with keep it! You don't have to have the latest and greatest to enjoy your diving - as long as your gear is functional and safe.

Yes, a friend told me a story once how he went out on a Dive boat and there were a number of Divers with $2000 of the latest gear and computers, and a DiveMaster with an old Horseshoe BC and a wetsuit with holes. Once they got underwater, the people with the new gear were fidgeting with their stuff, constantly adjusting and checking while the Divemaster just floated along like the Buddha.

I do believe there are technical advances that help, but I always think back to that as a life lesson in many things. And I just wondered what other Divers think, if that perspective is actually true...

 

[Walter]

Yes. Some high end gear is not designed all that well.

 

[jason.elias]

My thought on debates like Canon vs. Nikon, or Halcyon vs. DiveRite is that if the difference was that big, there would not be a debate.

GREAT POINT!

 

[Garrobo]

I figure that most of it is made either in China, Vietnam, Singapore or some other 4th world country by ten cent an hour labor so I don't worry about it. If it works, use it.

 

[RonFrank]

I figure that most of it is made either in China, Vietnam, Singapore or some other 4th world country by ten cent an hour labor so I don't worry about it. If it works, use it.

I have a Solid Oak pool table that was made by some 10 cent an hour laborer. It's hand carved, and one of the most finely crafted pieces of furniture I own. It is SOLID OAK, right down to the shims for the slate!

I'm not sure where it's made from a quality perspective is as important as the engineering that went into the product, and the work and money that goes between a company, and the folks that do the manufacture and quality control. I'm not commenting on my personal feelings of off shoring, but rather the fact that there are high quality items coming out of China, and there is crap. I think the difference is how Zeagle (for example) deals with said country of manufacture, and if they insist on high quality, and PAY for it.

If you want a high quality made in the USA product with a rock solid warranty, go with Zeagle USA product lines, but get ready to pay a premium. I think they are the only manufacture who makes a BC in the USA, but I could be wrong.