Just returned from the London International Dive Show where my credit cards took a beating, but not as badly as I feared. The venue, Excel at Victoria Dock, is a pain to get to by public transport - five train changes from Hammersmith, so I chose a simpler route taking my bicycle and cycling the final few km from West Ham to Victoria Dock. There were no signs until well after the venue itself hove into view, and even then railway lines block direct approaches. The map they sent took no account of cyclists aversion to long high bridges. I nearly gave up at one point until I found a footpath under the railway.
Anyway, I got there and inside, no guide to exhibitors, but then the whole thing was not as big as I expected - about 40 minutes to do the first sweep of all stalls. More detailed hunting revealed lots of bits and pieces, but there wasn't much in the way of 'show discounts'. One stall had Mares Vector Origin BCDs for about £190, but not above a medium - luckily, as it turned out. I had been planning to buy in Florida in a few weeks, but when I came across one at Kent Diving's stall and they said £119 I couldn't resist 8^) I made them check the price twice because that's the same as Diver's Direct are doing them for in Fort Lauderdale ($199 + taxes + duty when I get back to UK), and £30 cheaper than Watersports Warehouse's online clearance bin (£145).
I was a bit miffed to see the dive computer I bought four months ago (Suunto Mossie) in a 'collection' display on the Historic Diver's (?) stall, alongside lots of nice shiney brass diving gear from days gone by... Talk about built in obsolesence!
I gave up on the tube getting home, crowded by then and suffereing from 'technical failures, so I cycled back in just under three hours
All-in-all, a worthwhile trip, having found the Vector so cheap, but it wasn't what I'd hoped for in terms of the latest/greatest gizmos and gadgets. I would consder going again, but only if they move it to a venue more easily accessible from Central London - like Newcastle 8^)
Cheers,
K.
Anyway, I got there and inside, no guide to exhibitors, but then the whole thing was not as big as I expected - about 40 minutes to do the first sweep of all stalls. More detailed hunting revealed lots of bits and pieces, but there wasn't much in the way of 'show discounts'. One stall had Mares Vector Origin BCDs for about £190, but not above a medium - luckily, as it turned out. I had been planning to buy in Florida in a few weeks, but when I came across one at Kent Diving's stall and they said £119 I couldn't resist 8^) I made them check the price twice because that's the same as Diver's Direct are doing them for in Fort Lauderdale ($199 + taxes + duty when I get back to UK), and £30 cheaper than Watersports Warehouse's online clearance bin (£145).
I was a bit miffed to see the dive computer I bought four months ago (Suunto Mossie) in a 'collection' display on the Historic Diver's (?) stall, alongside lots of nice shiney brass diving gear from days gone by... Talk about built in obsolesence!
I gave up on the tube getting home, crowded by then and suffereing from 'technical failures, so I cycled back in just under three hours
All-in-all, a worthwhile trip, having found the Vector so cheap, but it wasn't what I'd hoped for in terms of the latest/greatest gizmos and gadgets. I would consder going again, but only if they move it to a venue more easily accessible from Central London - like Newcastle 8^)
Cheers,
K.
