Inexpensive but decent BC?

[EuphoriaII]

Son is 5'11, 205 lbs, size 13 shoes. (age 15) He's bigger than I am and still growing but I think he won't grow out of the adult sizes we intend to get.

 

[xSandman3]

I have to say go with Triple-L also. Both of my daughters (11 & 14) dive Triple-L BCs, and the quality is excellent on both of them. The youngest dives a Juvi, and the older one dives a Pegasus, which is pretty similar to my Seaquest Balance.

 

[wmspdi]

I just posted a used Seaquest Balance BCD in the Scubaboard classifieds. It is size XL but for some reason fits more like a large. The price is $125.00 plus shipping cost (not to exceed $15.00). The straps are a little brown from a training session in a pool that had just been "shoocked" with clorine (super high chlorine level). Other than that it is in good condition, and about 25% of the cost of a new Balance. PM me if interested. Click on "View Gallery" in the STATS box on the lower left to see a photo.

 

[EuphoriaII]

I just looked a the triple L website. WOW those are some low prices. I'll at least look into them for a wetsuit.

Thanks for the heads up all.

 

[Marek K]

I just looked a the triple L website. WOW those are some low prices. I'll at least look into them for a wetsuit.

Thanks for the heads up all.

Yeah, once you described your kid, I was thinking maybe a Juvi on each arm...



Seriously, if Triple-L does look good, do a search on the forum using "Triple-L." Most people have found -- incuding me -- that their sizes run a bit large. If you go by their size charts, order maybe a notch smaller.

--Marek

 

[Dive4air]

I think Triple L has been reviewed as the most economical for the value it offers. However sometimes if you are willing to forego your LDS and shop online, you can generate enough savings to buy a higher quality brand and still for less price than what your LDS would charge.

Not to plug, but I saved over $250 going to scubatoys vs my LDS. Oh yeah, and scubatoys was there everytime I called and responded very quickly to my needs. My LDS took a month to respond to my e-mail and pushed whatever he had in the store.

 

[EuphoriaII]

Being new at all this, I don't want to tick off my LDS, where I may get air fills and some minor rentals if I decide to dive locally and I'll probably go for some advanded certification through them as well. And I'll need someone to service the equipment from time to time (Although Scubatoys is only a 3 hour drive from me). It's that age old question of "support the LDS" vs "Save a buttload of money" and yes, I have read many threads here on that subject. I haven't discussed any package deals with them yet and I will probably give them the first opportunity for my business, but I'm not going to break the bank to buy equipment that I'll use a few times a year. Perhaps I'll buy regulators only form them and other equip elsewhere?

 

[mxracer19]

Thats my dilema! At first I looked into buying from my LDS, but being that im going to college soon and I need cash for some other stuff, the prices are just too limiting. so I found scuba.com, and their prices are pretty sweet. I was going to buy some things from them when i found another site, www.leisurepro.com. they have amazing things as far as prices go. I got a $330 wetsuit for $165. I really want to support my LDS cause theyre awsome, but I just cant afford it. Leisurepro.com doesnt support mfgs warrenties because theyre not authorized. heres the catch. scuba.com IS authorized, and they will match any price. so what i think im going to do is pick out my gear from leisurepro, pricematch with scuba.com AND get the warrenties, but still get all of my service done through my diveshop, along with booking trips, planning classes, etc etc. Ill also end up buying the small stuff from my LDS. That way Ill save roughly half on the bigger pieces of my gear, yet still support my dive shop as much as my budget allows me to. hope I could help

-Matt

 

[halocline]

Being new at all this, I don't want to tick off my LDS, where I may get air fills and some minor rentals if I decide to dive locally and I'll probably go for some advanded certification through them as well. And I'll need someone to service the equipment from time to time (Although Scubatoys is only a 3 hour drive from me). It's that age old question of "support the LDS" vs "Save a buttload of money" and yes, I have read many threads here on that subject. I haven't discussed any package deals with them yet and I will probably give them the first opportunity for my business, but I'm not going to break the bank to buy equipment that I'll use a few times a year. Perhaps I'll buy regulators only form them and other equip elsewhere?

Where are you located, if you don't mind me asking? If it's near San Antonio, I can definitely give you some advice about good and bad LDSs in that area.

Here's the thing about "supporting" your LDS. IF you have a good relationship with them, and IF they are decent sorts, they're going to understand if their stock does not fit your needs in all cases. As an example of a bad LDS, the store I took my OW course at basically treated me like crap after I bought a computer and wetsuit elsewhere. This was about 1 month after spending several hundreds in their store taking the class and buying a regulator and some other gear. I couldn't believe the attitude. But, there are other LDSs with a much more realistic attitude, which is that any business you give them is a plus. Sometimes the weird ones forget that diving is a recreational activity; nobody "needs" a dive shop like we need doctors or police. You'll have to approach them and be honest. Their reaction will tell you alot about whether this is the type of place you want to form a relationship with. There's ALWAYS a different dive shop!

The idea of buying a reg from them and other stuff online might be a good one; it's basically what I did. I knew I wanted a SP reg and you can't really get those at much of a discount with the warranty anyway. But, if you feel strange about the whole affair, it's probably worth a 3 hour drive to scubatoys; that's a very high quality place and service is really good there.

 

[scubapro50]

don't laugh but we have passed down one BC in the family for 16 years ..... it started with a small men's SeaQuest BC and I got tired of and purchased another ... gave the old one to my wife when she started diving and it fit great ... she outgrew it and then we let out daughter have it years later ... how I have a thin son-in-law who will get it this summer when he completes his course .... it pays to buy quality gear and take care of it .