Pacific Sporting Goods NOT recommended!!!

[Codyjp]

My girlfriend and I rented from Pacific Sporting Goods in Belmont shore/long beach a few weeks ago for a beach dive. The service was at best, self help ie; "it's in there, mummble mummble go get whatever you want and i will get your bill, yeah the size is on there somewhere, and no it isn't organized."

this is what we got:
a depth gauge that stuck on 30'
a leaking octo
a regulator that would leak water
a BC that started leaking as soon as we got it in the water (turned out to be a shallow cut that blew open)


We ended up renting all new stuff at Laguna sea sports (they are the greatest there, thanks so much!!!).

We asked the owner at PSG for a refund for everything because we were not able to dive his equipment, but instead only gave us a refund for what was broke, even though our dive was a complete loss. I am new to this but in the future is there a way to check for these things before renting? Short of getting into a pool with it all working? It seemed like they had no idea what condition there stuff was in!?

To sum it up I will never show my face in their shop again even though it is only a couple blocks from my house. It is a shame that customer service isn't even considered anymore.

I will be back to the 15 mile commute to Pacific Wilderness in San Pedro to rent until I can get my own stuff. (Soon I hope).

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I worked at a shop in San Pedro for many years. Unless the customer insisted in being in a hurry, I set up the rental gear in front of them to ensure that everything was working properly before it left the shop. When gear is returned, it is washed and checked again, especially if the renters were diving in Laguna Beach. You would be amazed at how people treat rental gear. Regs are usually returned caked in sand and more often than not with the dust cap removed. Wetsuits were almost always peed in. Never believe that it rinses out in the ocean. I've had to change the water in the tub after washing a single suit many times. Weights turn up missing, fin straps broken and everything is covered in sand as if the renter removed the gear on the beach and let everything dry on the sand.
Still, it is up to the shop to ensure that their rental gear is in top condition. I would try Pacific Sporting Goods again, but make sure you check out the gear before leaving the shop.

 

[miket]

I was there yesterday for a tank fill, I really seemed to be bothering them. The fill was done so fast and hot that I only wounded up with 2200psi.

No service there at all.

- MikeT

 

[JodiBB]

Are you talking about Pacific Wilderness? I know a lot of people who have bought supplies from them and have been happy....maybe it was just a fluke. Like others said,

 

[headhunter]

Are you talking about Pacific Wilderness? I know a lot of people who have bought supplies from them and have been happy....maybe it was just a fluke. Like others said,

Jodi,

I'm reading in that first post that he likes Pacific Wilderness in San Pedro, but that it's a lot farther to drive than Pacific Sporting Goods in Belmont Shores.

Christian

 

[Codyjp]

yes, let me get that part strait!

pacific WILDERNESS is a GREAT shop. i did my training there and will be back there for most of my gear and more training.
it is Pacific SPORTING GOODS of Belmont shores/long beach that i had the problem with. it was just convient to my house so i gave them a try. never again though

 

[JodiBB]

Okay..thanks for the clarification...

 

[drbill]

I've been in their shop several times, but only to buy minor items that they carry and others don't. I liked the low sales pressure. However I've never had a tank fill, rented or bought any larger ticket items there.

 

[deputydan1]

the wife and i bought all our gear there about 2 years ago.....the owner was nice and he gave us a good price....but i haven't been back there lately...

funny thing is.....we both got our SS1 insufflator hooked up on our BCs....but the hose was waaaaaaay short and rigid......is that suppose to be like that? anyone know if they just merely hooked up the SS1 to the standard BC hose? i was thinking the SS1 would come with a longer/pliable hose...

nonetheless, pacific sporting goods was helpful....albeit 2 years ago....

-dan

 

[Frank O]

For what it's worth, I bought my first pair of freediving fins from Pacific Sporting Goods about five years ago. Particularly back then it was difficult to find shops that stocked freediving gear, so an online acquaintance directed me there to buy Riffe fins (the three-foot-long ones you use in freediving). I think someone mentioned that the shop's owner was a prominent freediver in one of the local clubs (maybe the Neptunes?). The staff seemed pretty low-key -- just sort of pointed me toward the fins and let me make my own decisions -- but they were cooperative when I later returned the fins for a size change (didn't take them in the water, though). No idea about the rental gear.