Private label production regulators

[cave_diver]

These days, it looks like that a lot of the scuba dive equipment coming out of Taiwan and China is custom labeled and sold under dozens of different names. I'm not sure if this is true, but I have heard that OMS is now manufacturing gear at a plant in China. Oceanic did help to set the plant up. Some regulators, including one sold under the Dive Rite label and others, looks very much like the Apeks TX 50. But perhaps I'm wrong there. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of equipment, availability of service kits, etc.?

 

[dgreenh]

You are right, the majority of "non-high end" regulators, almost everyone's masks and fins are looking exactly the same (inside and out) with the exception of the name tags there probably isn't any difference at all.

 

[cave_diver]

Most of the equipment comes from OEM manufacturers in Taiwan, Thailand and China. Some OEM's are located in the US, mainly in California. Even high-end regulators are sometimes manufactured somewhere else.

 

[mike_s]

Lots of the regulators are made by Ocean Divers Supply in Tawain, or other companies just like them.

Nothing wrong with them. People might scoff at these private brands in public, but chances are that you've got something in your dive bag made by the same OEM, whether you know it or not!


The only problem with buying "Private label" brand regs is that it's harder to get parts from just the average store.

For example, if I go to just about any LDS and ask for parts for a SEA Elite brand regulator, they would prob answer "no they don't have them". But they prob sell the same regulator under a different brand, but there is no "cross comparison" for internal parts. They also in most cases don't want to be held liable for some tiny micro-measurement difference in some part that is essentially life support equipment. Can blame them.

Especially when some manufacturers, such as Dive Rite sell the same regulator with slighly differnet internal parts (thicker diaprahm or something like that for example).


BTW... most of the people who bad mouth the "private label" brands have never used them or are dive shops that are trying to compete with sales of them or think that the Internet is going to ruin the dive industry.

 

[mike_s]

Wow... this thread died away quickly.

Just goes to show you that there isn't much interest in the main scuba customer base of these "private brands" I guess huh?

 

[cave_diver]

Yeah, unfortunately you are right. Brand name manufacturers have the industry well under control.

 

[gismonkey]

For me, the point is service. I know I probably won't have trouble getting my ScubaPro regs serviced, pretty much wherever I go. As I travel a lot and move pretty frequently (e.g. from Oregon to Guam--where there is also a ScubaPro dealer--in a month), that's a major issue for me.

Because I am not servicing my own stuff, it's pretty important to me to be able to have somewhere local to get work done. I'm not completely opposed to shipping stuff off for service, but the added cost/hassle and potential for long-term inconvenience ("What? Oh, we don't service/sell parts for that brand any more; it was just a private label.") just isn't worth it to me.

As for safety/quality/actual parts, I have no experience in the scuba industry, so can't comment. Private label OEM manufacture is exceedingly common, especially with the computer industry, and the results can be a mixed bag. All of Dell, HP, Apple and Acer's laptops are made by OEMs in Asia (primarily Quanta and Compal). These folks also make laptops for smaller companies/labels (e.g. ADK uses Quanta, Averatec uses Compal), which may be of comparable or better quality, but getting replacement parts if your private label goes belly-up may be impossible. Not that getting parts from a big name is always easy, but my experience is that the odds are better.

 

[mike_s]

what you have to worry about is when a "private label" regulator goes to a manufacturer and takes the "Walmart approach" of asking "how can you make it cheaper for me".

seeing how a regulator is essentially "life support equipment", not a good thing.

I've seen some regulators for sale before for $59 bucks in flyers sent to LDS's. Somehwere that has to be corners cut.



Now I'm not saying that's true about all private label regs. Some of them are good equipment made alongside major brand OEM stuff. just just have ot be careful.

 

[LavaSurfer]

I purchased two regs 4 years ago not knowing much at the time. They were IST regulators. After a year I needed them serviced and realized I had no idea where I could take them ao I called an local shop and they said bring them in. They took one look and said, Ya, those are great Oceanic regs and rebuilt them. They are not my primary regulators now but they are perfectly fine, breath great and I often rent them to students.

I was later told that IST manufactures for many companies and PL

It seems the important issue is can they be serviced and are there parts available? Like was already said, many are OEM anyways.

 

[cave_diver]

Some major technical scuba diving manufacturers are basically “private label” resellers – OMS and Dive Rite, for example. Dive Rite did use a company in Taiwan to label their regulators, now they also sell Poseidon. Salvo picked up their spot, and now they sell gear formerly sold by Dive Rite. OMS is manufacturing in China, as does Oceanic. What goes around comes around. Marketing is what’s makes the difference! If you have deep pockets and you can create a “brand”.