Looking for good LDS (SFV)

[robertarak]

I am just about to sign up for my OW at Sport Chalet in Valencia. I thought before I took the plunge (so to speak) I would ask around here for the good or the bad. I would love to train, buy and service all at the same place. Any suggestions?
I live in Sylmar and work in Mid-Wilshire.

Thanx!

 

[LAJim]

If you want to approach this deliberately know that there are different kinds of diving - visit various shops and use the internet to learn about the different types, and then ask yourself what kind of diver you want to be at the end of your first year of diving.

One Track: Do you plan to dive once or twice a month in SoCal, on average, always under excellent conditions, but not so much between January and May - when the water is colder?

Another Track: Do you plan to dive every week, year round, from beaches and boats , using a dry suit and other gear as necessary?

Do you hope to get everything you need for under $1000 or are you able and willing to get whatever you need to dive regularly in SoCal?

The location of the dive shop is less important than getting the right match for the type of diving you will be doing at the end of the first year.

Consider showing up at a Wrinkles event (one next month in Laguna) or Vet's Park Redondo - where lots of divers show up on Wednesday nights - and introducing yourself around. You might get 10 answers from 10 divers, but you could save a lot of time figuring out where you want to be.

Another tip: read the diver reports on ScubaBoard SoCal and see whether you see yourself diving like that. Look at the public profiles of those divers and see what kind of training and gear they list.

Fun times ahead.

Jim

 

[robertarak]

Knowing full well that the plan before OW and the plan after some time diving might change, as it sits now the plan is as follows:

Dive one day or one weekend end a month, year round, locally. Catalina, boat diving mainly. Then several dive trips a year to warmer waters....the norm, like Coz, etc.

As for money, really not an issue. I am not wealthy and I don't like to overpay or buy over my needs, but I don't mind spending for quality.

This really isn't a gear question...more of an LDS question. LDS's are about people and experience tells the good from the bad. As I have no experience in this area, I was looking for some here.

Thanx for your input!

 

[LAJim]

Visit Hollywood Divers as one of your stops. Lots of people in SoCal dive BP/W instead of BC and steel 100s instead of Al-80s. DS instead of wet suit. There are reasons. Talk with various shops and form your opinions. Worth it to kill a couple of weekends looking around - check out some SoCal divers at Vet's or someplace where there is a lot of beach diving going on. Might even ask one of the local boat captains if you can dead head on a day trip to Catalina and see what everybody is diving, how they like it, where they got trained etc. Go on a trip with a lot of experienced divers - not just a load of students who don't own gear.

My $0.02.

 

[Empty V]

I 2nd what Jim said. I remember when you and I were at Leo(with Rick, Robert, John and Sonya[see image below]) and I mentioned the deal that Hollywood divers offered me on a 119cf tank. I think you went over there right after we left the beach and got one. Good guys and good prices. Watch out though, from what I hear the koolaid can be pretty tasty. Good thing only one of the owners over there drinks it. j/k

Billy

[EDIT]Thanks for the pic Rick and thanks to your lovely lady for taking it.

 

[JMdiver]

Hollywood divers is a good LDS but if you want to go to Sport Chalet in Val. ask for Scott Page-Pagter as an instructor, he's one of the best their IMO.

John

 

[Empty V]

John, you're not even gonna comment on how good you look in that pic?

Billy

 

[JMdiver]

Now that you mention it I do dam good. Thanks Billy. I'm going to be at Laguna Shaws today if you're in the area.

John

 

[Archangel]

I am just about to sign up for my OW at Sport Chalet in Valencia. I thought before I took the plunge (so to speak) I would ask around here for the good or the bad. I would love to train, buy and service all at the same place. Any suggestions?
I live in Sylmar and work in Mid-Wilshire.

Thanx!

Hands down, Hollywood Divers on Cahuenga in Universal City.

They will meet/beat SC price and offer you the customer service that is lacking.

Tell me how it turns out.

Tevis

 

[LAJim]

I was in a DIR crew of five that took on Shaws in Laguna yesterday for 3 1/2 hrs. First we laid line all over the rocks on the beach. Then we geared up and went through darn-near every swim through in the reef. Lots of open water classes looking at us - very respectfully. I love the smell of DIR in the morning. The smell, you know that Kool Aid smell, the whole dive. Smelled like ... victory.

Jim