How much that the LDS tells me can I believe?

[oly5050user]

I thought I clearly stated they didn't make money, that being the problem. Perhaps an ESL course?

I have taught a few college courses (Maritime school in NYC being one of them) and to be honest with you all ,I really do not like doing them.Its usually a losing proposition.
Typical college kids who think that they can breeze thru a class and not show up on time or miss sessions and then want a make up session for free.
They show up expecting you to supply simple mask/fin/snkl gear or show up with stuff they beg,borrow or steal.I understand that it costs $ and they claim to be short on $.But,then you see them spend money going out every night,driving new cars,etc.This tells you what their priorities are,which is their choice.
The facility I taught for did not make much on this as they assumed the students would purchase necessary gear from them.
They take academics/confined water portion then delay ow training dives.Then 14 months later want to do ow dives and get upset when they are told they had 1 year to complete or they will have to pay for remedial class before participating.
Not that this applies to original poster as I still think that the LDS they are dealing with is trying to oversell them with gear that may not be suitable for their needs.Maybe college courses should have NO affilliation with ANY lds of any kind, and be left to the totally independent instructors that wish to do them.

 

[h90]

Did I get that right?
350 USD for mask, fins, snorkel and boots?

Here's my situation:

My husband and I are taking a beginning dive class with a local community college. The instructors are all from a LDS, and we have been going there for all our equipment needs. However, I feel that we are far overpaying for things we could easily get online for much cheaper or perhaps be looking at different brands. They pretty much strictly carry ScubaPro and Aqua Lung. We so far have purchased masks, fins, snorkels and boots (total for both of us: around $700!!) and a BC for me (Ladies ScubaPro Diva with Air II, total around $750). We cannot afford to purchase any more equipment at these prices and would really like to have our own stuff, but the LDS owner (who is the lead instructor of the class) is really pushing us to only buy from a store, and pushing us to buy certain products. He really tries to make you scared of buying anything online or used and any of the products he doesn't sell. This makes me very uncomfortable and makes me wonder, should I spending all this money in his store when I feel like he's pushing me into his certain products? When I had a legitimate question about a wetsuit (I'm a plus sized girl and an Aqua Lung Men's hyper-stretch did not fit me - too loose at the neck because of my chest size) and an answer I had found online, he waved it off as BS and pointed me to one of his high-priced suits - which also did not fit.

I'd really like to be able to purchase our own equipment without breaking the bank. If we go through his store, we're looking at $300 EACH for wetsuits (3mm full suit - $600 each for 5 mm), $1000 for computer (because they push that you should spend more now instead of re-buying later) and $1000 each for regs (Legend, I believe Aqua Lung?) - this is way beyond our reach, we've pretty much tapped ourselves out just buying my BC and our masks/fins/snorkels. Even if we go with the cheapest models he sells, we'll be looking at $500 for computers and $500 for regs, each.

Another couple in our class (who we are car-pooling with us to the checkout dives and want to do two extra dives after we get our certs) recently purchased a lot of their equipment online, and the instructor had some really not-nice things to say about that (would you trust something your life depended on that you bought from eBay, etc) and that just really rubbed me the wrong way. When I told him I saw the same wet suit he was selling for $300 on Scuba.com for $150, he talked a lot of smack about Scuba.com and the fact they aren't authorized dealers, etc, and that I'd be wasting my money going through them. This makes no sense, when Scuba.com lists all of their authorized products with links back to the manufacturer's website - and besides, I was looking at wetsuit! (Henderson, btw) Basically, I'm just very leery of taking everything he says at face value, obviously as a business owner he's going to fight for every customer he can get, especially in the day of net shopping, but he's gotten to the point where I'm getting uncomfortable discussing equipment with him because he pushes certain products so much.

What are your opinions? Should I trust the dive shop owner, who has been in the business for 20 years, been diving for 40, and has over 5000 dives to his credit? Or is it truly safe and more financially feasible to buy less "name brand" products, buy used, and buy things online?

 

[Web Monkey]

Did I get that right?
350 USD for mask, fins, snorkel and boots?

What's the problem?


Terry

 

[violakat03]

Yes, that's right.

$80 - mask
$50 - snorkel
$200 - fins
for each of us.

Rounded on all of those. We did get slightly different equipment from each other but they came out to just about equal when all was said and done.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Well $350 on a Mask, fins snorkel, is not uncommon....It all depends on what you buy...We have masks at $150....Now that mask has anti-fog, tru-view lens, and color correcting lens....so your getting your money worth, but its still a $150 mask....Flip Fins start at $240.....Dry snorkels can be $45.....Or you can walk out the door paying $100 for a set....It all depends on what you pick...You cant just say that $350 is high for a Mask, Fins, Snorkel....without knowing what it is

Now we typically throw something in if they go with the high end stuff like above....Like a bag and defog so the customer is walking away happy....and its equipment they tried on and picked not that they were forced into

 

[berick]

Violakat3,

You did say you were taking the scuba class through a college, correct? You should contact the college about the instructors if they are making you feel uncomfortable. I took my open water through a college (my wife needed a PE credit and I took the course with her). The college specifically made it a point to tell the students they didn't have to buy anything from the shop conducting the course and not to feel pressured to buy stuff if you didn't want to. I'm sure the college doesn't want its students feeling uncomfortable taking one of their classes, so, let them know and they will probably take it up with the instructor.

Even if your class is nearing completion and it may make little difference for you, it could help future students at the college.

 

[redacted]

violakat03 -- LDSs stopped requiring certification before they would sell life support gear about 15 years ago so don't worry about that little gem.

If you are having a hard time getting an off-the-shelf wetsuit to fit, it does not cost that much more to have a WS custom made. Search around on this board and with goggle and you should find a number of mfgrs who will do it.

$300 for mask/fins/snorkel/booties is clearly excessive and mostly unnecessary. But it is how the dip'm and rip'm shops make their living. I suggest you save the gasoline and start shopping the online dealers. Use your LDS for gas and last minute trinkets.

 

[Nemrod]

Example, the new AL Micro Mask is priced at 115 dollars at the LDS, LP it is 65 dollars. That is an expensive mask, LP lists many completely adequate dive masks for 30 dollars. Jets, again, 65 dollars, you should have been able to get Jets, a mask and snorkel for no more than 125 dollars maybe with some cheap fin socks. Dry snorkels are useless for scuba. Just get a simple J tube, you will rarely use it and it will work fine when you do. I see them for five bucks on ebay all the time or even 99 cents.

N

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

A dry snorkel may be useless for scuba, but most people that scuba dive......also snorkel Why buy 2 snorkels when I could just have one and a dry snorkel is Great for snorkeling

 

[oly5050user]

Again the $350. may sound excessive ,but not knowing exactly what brand/model ?.Cannot compare apples to oranges.There are fins out there that do cost in excess of $200.-some are $80. and masks that go for $100. or more.Depending on what exactly was purchased we cannot go on the assumption that you were overcharged..Usually I advise students to be prepared to spend from $200. to $280. for quality gear needed for class(mask-fins-snorkel-boots)and to think hard about a 3 mmm wet suit,for even that the pool is heated to 80 degrees you will get cold(wet suit can be $100.-$170.)To rent a suit for the 5 class modules will put you close to buying one..
As to a comment made about needing the course for college credit,you do not necessarily have to take the class through a college.PADI ow course is ACE accredited and you would have to check with your college if it is accepted,most are.Goes towards PE credits at the ow advance -rescue level and education credits at dm and higher.(last time I lookedl