New buyer!

[TMJJS]

I'm having STICKER SHOCK and BUYERS REMORSE all rolled up in one! I'm currently getting certified with my wife and 12 year old son. We went to our 1st class with our snorkeling gear and was told we would need new equipment for scuba. We started trying on items and when we were done we ended up paying about $250 per person for fins, mask, snorkel and boots. I since went on-line and looked at on-line stores and it seems the shop basically charged me full MSRP minus a 10% discount.

I'm sure I need the equipment, but not sure the $250 set versus a less expensive set, but either way I'm wondering if a 10% discount off of MSRP is the standard for a LDS (local dive shop?)?

I want to support the LDS, but also don't want to spend every spare dollar I have and not be able to afford to actually take a trip and use it. It's obviously magnified since we are buying 3 of everything.

 

[jeraldjcook]

10% discount is pretty standard. What you'll find in that manufactures make LDSs sign agreements restricting the prices at which they can sell their products. If they sell below that price the LDS risks having the manufacture refusing to sell them more gear.

What did you get for your $250? Brand and model wise? Mask, fins, snorkel, boots for $250 isn't a bad deal depending on what you bought.

 

[Colliam7]

I agree with others that the 10% discount is pretty standard. As jeraldcook noted, it would be helpful to know what you bought for $250? My personal experience, and observations of other buyers since that time, is that spending somewhere in the $200 range for the mask, fins, snorkel, booties set-up is common. The caveats are: 1) The snorkle is actually one of the more expensive, and least useful (albeit required) pieces. 2) Over time I have found a simple, inexpensive, low volume, two panel mask (mine is now a SeaDive Caribbean) to be a far better choice than the expensive, large volume, single panel mask I started with (an Ocean Master V3 purge) - newer divers tend to spend more on a mask than they need.

 

[diver918]

I spent about 200 on my initial gear. Most of it went to the fins.

 

[frogman159]

I agree I am a new cert as well-
OMS slipstream fins $135 w/spring straps (online)
Basic Snorkel $5 (online)
Boots $40 (LDS)
Mask $70 (LDS)
Weightbelt $29+$25 for 8# weight (LDS)
=$304

I'll admit I overpaid about $15 on the boots and $30 on the mask, so unless you got poor quality gear, you did pretty well IMO

 

[The Kraken]

What were the reasons the LDS gave which required you to buy new masks and snorkels, if I may ask ???

the K

 

[TSandM]

You can take heart from what I was told when we bought our gear. They told us, "Yes, the initial outlay is painful, but once you have your stuff, the cost of diving is just air fills."

You can take heart from it, but they lied. It's three years later, and the gear and scuba-related acquisition costs haven't stopped yet.

$250 for personal gear isn't actually bad. You can do it for less than that, if you know precisely what you want and what fits you, and you shop for used gear as well, but most new divers simply don't have the data to do that, and masks in particular are pretty useless if they don't fit and fit WELL. (BTW, if it makes you feel better, I paid almost $200 for my first set of FINS, and I used them for five months and never put them on again.)

 

[TMJJS]

Thanks for all the responses!

Reasons to buy new equipment! The equipment I had was a set from US Divers that I bought at a sporting goods store (Dick's). It was an all-in-one set with mask, snorkel and fins that we used a few times while on cruises for excursions.
1) Snorkel - the ones we had did not have a flexible mouthpiece and he said we needed the flexible mouthpiece so it would fall away while using a regulator.
2) Fins - said the ones in the set were too small and won't work with dive boots, only bare feet
3) Mask - pointed out getting custom fit and said might as well get new ones since he had package pricing. He also asked if anyone jumps into a pool and holds their noses. When my wife and son answered yes, he said we might want masks with purges - which we all wound up getting.

Equipment (all prices before 10% discount):
Dive Boots - Deep See Atlantic 5mm - $39.99
Fins - Aqua Lung Caraveil - $89.00 (this was by biggest sticker shock and we are in entry line fins?)
Snorkel - Scuba Pro Eclipse - $29.99 (more sticker shock)
Mask - wife & son got Scuba Pro Crystal Vu w/ purge - $89.99 (they really liked the fit and one piece wrap-around lens - I got Deep See Clarity - $70.00 (also purge)

We also bought 1 Scuba Pro Mesh Sack to carry everything - $49.99.

Total was $776.91 - 10% discount + 8.25% sales tax = $756.91

So the 10% discount sounds reasonable, how do the reasons and pricing for the equipment sound?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[The Kraken]

Fins I can understand, along with the snorkel, but I think you could have used your existing masks.

Personally, in my OPINION, the purge valves weren't such good ideas . . .

. . . but . . .

the K

 

[jpsexton]

Unfortunately you have experienced the typical introduction to SCUBA!

Buying gear is as much if not more of a learning process as learning to dive itself.

Do your research and ask questions here on Scubaboard.

Good Luck!