ScottZeagle:
Larry, I respect your professional opinion as much as anyone in the industry, so I ask you, simply out of curiosity, will you be making this reg, fin, or BC YOUR personal choice?
Scott
There's a darn good question... Well, let me tell you... I'm not a paddle fin kind of guy... I'm a split fin guy, and I realize that is a minority here on the board... but I love my apollo splits... And when it comes to BC's... I'll admit that the new mares BC will not take me out of my Zeagle... The reg... The reg is pretty darn cool. I haven't had a chance to go dive this stuff for real yet... but I could be very easily talked into using that reg... might not even take any talking!
But people are different. I know people who swear by quattros, and if I was a quattro diver, I'd want these fins. They are basically a volo and quattro technology combined and on steriods. The BC is comfy, but I'm not much of a wrap around jacket guy, or a BP wings guy... a Brigade suits me just fine. So will I replace all my stuff - no. But I would not buy the newest Ford, no matter how cool it is... I'm a chevy guy.
As far as people saying this is just a ploy and the same products will be out in 6 months... from what I hear... no. Now, I would assume that aspects of these products will be worked into the line in time. That would make sense to me that you take the 4 DFC port technology and add that to the V32 reg and make a V48 or whatever... but who knows.
I do know, I have a lot of respect for what they have done. Our industry is plagued by folks who do cheap copies of others products when they prove commercially successful. Hell Scott... look at a company that makes a BC and has the guts to call them Z-Eagle or whatever. One company brings out a mask, and in a matter of weeks, 3 others have a dupe. I invented the ScubaTool, and within a year, a company that calls themselves "innovative" sent it to Taiwain and told a manufacturer there to "do an identical copy".
So I applaud any company that makes strives to bring new products and ideas to market. Maybe more than others as I have taken those steps when I was in the manufacturing end. It takes a lot of risk, and guts to take your hard earned money and invest everything you have in a ScubaTool, or a DiveOpoly game. And those were so minor compared to a new regulator, BC and fin.
If it were not for companies taking those risks, what would our gear look like today... we'd still be in horse collars.
So is this product line the end all to all... probably not. I have had several people who want to buy a piece here or there, and some that want full sets of it... and I know several other LE dealers who have sold a lot of their stock.
I strive to educate folks on features and benefits, not "sell them" a particular product. I'd rather see a customer walk out my door with a setup that is perfect for them, instead of leaving with product that has a profit margin perfect for me... But that is why my customers brother, uncle and neighbor show up next week. So LE perfect for everyone? No... But for those who want the newest, and a very unique product, I will not have a problem selling a set to any of my friends or customers. If you don't like the style of gear - maybe not for you. But for some - this will be their dream equipment. Not everyone likes the same stuff - and that's a good thing, and I hope manufacturers keep making strides to bring out new stuff.
Having 2 scuba patents my self, and several other inventions that I didn't patent, I love seeing the new stuff - I have a very healthy respect for the efforts that go into it, and when it all comes together in a nice finished product... to me it's a thing of beauty.