Favorite Front Range LDS?

[RonFrank]

I am not a tank expert, but could this have been damaged in transit? You did not say how you traveled, but airlines are hard on equipment and they will remove the valve for inspection. If you drove then never-mind...

I would also give Ocean First the chance to make this up as s&^t happens.

Sorry for your hassle. It sucks having equipment break down on a trip....my 5K camera setup would not fire the flash last trip....frustrating. It turned to be the camera....odd.

 

[reddiver970]

Glen,
That sticker is the source of your problems

 

[g2]

That sticker is the source of your problems

Humor gladly accepted.

Hi Ron, I drove to Canada and my tanks have been firmly cargo-strapped the entire way. I've rebuilt valves for tanks used in much more demanding circumstances and don't recall a dip tube ever coming loose. If this was a one-time event I would dismiss it but I've had other problems with their service.

Ah well, I've off-gassed about the issue and now you all know where I stand. This is yet another data point that 1) gear failures most often occur immediately after servicing, and 2) nobody will give your gear the same love and attention that you would yourself.

My quest to service all my own gear continues...

 

[driftin' by]

Just the info I was looking for after moving here last year. Based on where I live and work it looks like it's gonna come down to A-1 or Underwater Phantaseas. Thanks!

 

[RonFrank]

I can tell you one thing about A1 equipment repair.....it is very expensive..... I used to get my gear serviced there, but not for several years since there prices jumped huge.

I have been getting equipment maintenance done by TDL, and have been happy with the prices, turnaround, and quality. The turn around is as fast or faster vs. local, and the service has been great! They tell you exactly what they are going to do, and they send you the old parts so you can judge for yourself how they were wearing.

 

[driftin' by]

I finally got around to visiting A-1 and Underwater Phantaseas (south) and let me tell you, I was very, very impressed with both compared to all the shops I've patronized over the years in Ohio and Texas and the ones in Texas (Houston area) were down right appalling in some form or fashion.

For us, UP takes the cake with what was the single best customer interaction experience I ever had in a shop. While there, we fitted our 5-year old daughter with snorkel equipment and signed her up for a snorkeling class... $20 for 2-hour instruction! We were concerned that the booties we got her would be too small for our up coming trip in November and Brian said just keep the tag on them and exchange them before the trip if she out grows them. The policy I've seen elsewhere is subject to a restocking fee and a short number of days (usually 7) to do the return. Not that I make a practice of returning things but we all know that with scuba gear that you never know until you get in the water with it.

Besides what was a great interaction we also noticed that instruction prices were significantly less which I thought was interesting with the belief that PADI controlled them closely. Gear service was on par with what I've experienced in the past.... difficult to justify but a painful necessity just like taxes.

However, proof is in the pudding and time will ultimately tell if our decision pans out.

I have been getting equipment maintenance done by TDL, and have been happy with the prices, turnaround, and quality.

Can you enlighten me on who/where TDL is?

 

[boulderjohn]

Besides what was a great interaction we also noticed that instruction prices were significantly less which I thought was interesting with the belief that PADI controlled them closely.

PADI does not control those things at all.

Can you enlighten me on who/where TDL is?

Tech Diving Limited is not a local shop. It can be found and used online. I am about to send my old Salvo regs there for service--I don't know of any other place that will service those regs.

 

[RonFrank]

UWP has some good folks and they are well run. We have a few shops that fit that bill like A1. They are good for training, decant for travel, and even OK for the occasional equipment purchase. Unfortunately you will find that their equipment prices are overall very high and their service costs are thru the roof.

Maybe things have changed but I kinda doubt it.

 

[knotical]

Over the years, I've patronized several of the shops mentioned in this thread, and a few not yet mentioned.

When I came to Colorado Springs about 25 years ago, there were three shops in town (only two now). I visited them all and liked the attitude best at Underwater Connection. They've been my primary store ever since (and I teach classes there). The owner is the same; the manager is the same; four of the part-time (instructor) staff are the same. The attitude at the store is still customer focus.

No shop will satisfy all of its customers all of the time. For every incident, there's probably another side to the story.
Also, shop personnel change (the pay is seldom great), things happen, business models evolve.

The more stores you can visit, the more likely you'll find a fit.

If the other front range stores were more accessible to me, I'd still choose Underwater Connection, with A-1 second.

 

[charlieo]

You may want to look into Odyssey Diving in Northglenn. Jess does the hydros for other shops and rebuilds regulators that others can''t. Since I found that out I take my equipment there.