Hot Deals thread as was noted and check the classifieds from time to time. I sell demo, used, and some of my own personal gear from time to time through those.
I've sold regs, bc's, fins, and little doodads that I no longer used or had use for using the regular classifieds.
1)are pricing negitionable on anything in shops? also will the shop give you any kind of discount if you buy everything from them(regulator, octo, computer, bcd, gauges etc...) in bulk?
Quite often it is. You just need to ask and then compare to on line or items of similar quality but by different mfg's. Here's a tip- no one sells junk when it comes to regs, BC's, etc. Too afraid of lawsuits to try. So you do not need to spend $800 on a regulator. There are models out there that perform just as well for under 300. Some shops however may be limited by the mfg as to how much of a discount they can give. If they go lower they risk losing their dealership.
Buying a package will quite often save you money. Just be careful not to fall for a package they put together that may have four items you really want but to get it you have to buy something that you don't particularly care for. Good retailers on line or in an LDS will let you select the items and work with you on that.
2)if i purchased this same stuff online, i would save a good 200-300 in sales tax. is it worth it? does any kind of tweaking or setup need to be done out of the box to the equipment by a shop tech? for example, guitars out of the box are never 'set up'. you either set them up or have a tech do it. is scuba gear the same way?
Yes, IMO the savings is well worth it. On new gear especially as what you save allows you to dive more or add some safety items to your set up.
Some set up does need to be done and with some places you need to ask them to do it. Otherwise you'll get a box with your first stage, hose and second stage separate from the octo, SPG, etc. Then you put it together. Which is no big deal but then you have no way of checking to make sure it was adjusted properly from the factory.
I assemble and bench test every reg I sell unless I am asked not to. Some tech divers don't want anyone touching their gear. Not a problem. I also will thread the harness on a BPW set up for example. All the divers needs to do is the final adjustment.
3)is anything worth buying used? ive read buying used regulators isn't a great idea(unless you know what you're doing). but for something like a computer, well a computer is a computer and a guage is a guage. it either works or it doesnt.
Yes again. If you know what you are looking for. Somtimes shops will sell off rental/demo gear. Usually that is fully serviced and set up. But you need to ask! From private individuals it can be a crap shoot. Fins, snorkels, BC's, etc I would have no problem buying used. Regs for me would also not be an issue but then I would only buy one that I know I can get parts for. As long as I can get parts I can service it myself. The average diver though is not going to have that option so add 100-200 to the price for the first service. So it may not be that good of a deal. As for computers again it's one of those items that can be a great deal or an expensive paper weight. Truth is though as a new or newer diver you don't need a computer right away. A depth gauge, watch, and tables are enough until you get to the point where you are doing dives that a computer would be beneficial. And even then with proper planning you can get by without one for a long time. If you do decide to get one get a cheap one starting out. Do not spend a thousand dollars on some gussied up complicated unit with lots of frills. This one is under 175.00 and will do everything you need for a long time in your diving career :
Aeris XR1 NX Wrist Computer | LeisurePro
or this one: Oceanic "Veo 180" Air/Nitrox Wrist Dive Computer | LeisurePro
4)whats the definition of a 'cold water' dive? ive read some of these regulators(aqua lung legend supreme lx for example) being 'cold water resistant'. i plan on diving in socal(san diego all the way up to ventura county). if i travel anywhere else in the country or world and dived i would rent everything.
For me under 50 degrees as far as gear goes I consider cold. Personally as far as exposure protection under 72 I'm diving dry. What you also need to understand is that "cold water regulator" is a term that is also somewhat misunderstood. The correct term is "environmentally sealed". That means it not only keeps cold water out of some of the internals but also stuff like salt. sand, mud, critters, algae, etc. I mostly dive fresh water and could get away with a non sealed reg. But I also dive water temps as low as 36 -38 degrees and our local spots have a lot of junk in the water. So all but two of my stage regs are sealed versions. If diving salt water most of the time I'd only choose sealed regs. Makes rinsing easier, servicing less time consuming in my experience as a reg tech, and the cost difference is so small that it's really not a consideration.
5)for rental equipment, do most shops have a choice between 'low end' gear ranging all the way up to 'high end' or is the gear ussally all cheap stuff? id love to have the luxary of renting a 300 regulator then renting a 600-700 regulator the next time out to see if the price difference is worth the cost.'
Sometimes a shop will have higher end gear. But usually it's more low to midrange. Here again as a new diver unless they place takes really poor care of their rental gear you are not going to see much difference if any between a 300 reg and a 700 one. I have an old sherwood brut that when I take the time to tune it that way will breathe as good at recreational depths as just about any reg out there. And again you can get a high performance tech dive capable reg for under 300 bucks. So unless you have money to burn I wouldn't even look at the high priced ones.
6)how easy is it to meet diving buddies? my friends are all either broke or have no interest in diving. id love to go every weekend if possible. are there any meetups here?
Lots of ways to find dive buddies. Sometimes just showing up at a popular site is enough.
IF YOU ARE HONEST ABOUT YOUR LEVEL OF SKILL AND TRAINING.
I will dive with anyone who comes up to me and says I'm new, don't have much experience, not real familiar with my gear just yet, but I want to learn and get better. Come up and act like you know what you are doing then turn out to be a menace, have poor buddy skills, or are not willing to take advice and learn. I'll never dive with you again unless you pay me to. And even then there are some people I would not take money to dive with. They are just that dangerous. As long as you are honest and willing to learn and get better, are safe, and willing to follow proper buddy procedures lots of people will be glad to dive with you.
Unless you're jerk, smell, or have a spare air hanging off of you. But then jerks can't talk underwater and you can't smell either. So it may still be ok. But the Spare Air, sorry.
I've sold regs, bc's, fins, and little doodads that I no longer used or had use for using the regular classifieds.
1)are pricing negitionable on anything in shops? also will the shop give you any kind of discount if you buy everything from them(regulator, octo, computer, bcd, gauges etc...) in bulk?
Quite often it is. You just need to ask and then compare to on line or items of similar quality but by different mfg's. Here's a tip- no one sells junk when it comes to regs, BC's, etc. Too afraid of lawsuits to try. So you do not need to spend $800 on a regulator. There are models out there that perform just as well for under 300. Some shops however may be limited by the mfg as to how much of a discount they can give. If they go lower they risk losing their dealership.
Buying a package will quite often save you money. Just be careful not to fall for a package they put together that may have four items you really want but to get it you have to buy something that you don't particularly care for. Good retailers on line or in an LDS will let you select the items and work with you on that.
2)if i purchased this same stuff online, i would save a good 200-300 in sales tax. is it worth it? does any kind of tweaking or setup need to be done out of the box to the equipment by a shop tech? for example, guitars out of the box are never 'set up'. you either set them up or have a tech do it. is scuba gear the same way?
Yes, IMO the savings is well worth it. On new gear especially as what you save allows you to dive more or add some safety items to your set up.
Some set up does need to be done and with some places you need to ask them to do it. Otherwise you'll get a box with your first stage, hose and second stage separate from the octo, SPG, etc. Then you put it together. Which is no big deal but then you have no way of checking to make sure it was adjusted properly from the factory.
I assemble and bench test every reg I sell unless I am asked not to. Some tech divers don't want anyone touching their gear. Not a problem. I also will thread the harness on a BPW set up for example. All the divers needs to do is the final adjustment.
3)is anything worth buying used? ive read buying used regulators isn't a great idea(unless you know what you're doing). but for something like a computer, well a computer is a computer and a guage is a guage. it either works or it doesnt.
Yes again. If you know what you are looking for. Somtimes shops will sell off rental/demo gear. Usually that is fully serviced and set up. But you need to ask! From private individuals it can be a crap shoot. Fins, snorkels, BC's, etc I would have no problem buying used. Regs for me would also not be an issue but then I would only buy one that I know I can get parts for. As long as I can get parts I can service it myself. The average diver though is not going to have that option so add 100-200 to the price for the first service. So it may not be that good of a deal. As for computers again it's one of those items that can be a great deal or an expensive paper weight. Truth is though as a new or newer diver you don't need a computer right away. A depth gauge, watch, and tables are enough until you get to the point where you are doing dives that a computer would be beneficial. And even then with proper planning you can get by without one for a long time. If you do decide to get one get a cheap one starting out. Do not spend a thousand dollars on some gussied up complicated unit with lots of frills. This one is under 175.00 and will do everything you need for a long time in your diving career :
Aeris XR1 NX Wrist Computer | LeisurePro
or this one: Oceanic "Veo 180" Air/Nitrox Wrist Dive Computer | LeisurePro
4)whats the definition of a 'cold water' dive? ive read some of these regulators(aqua lung legend supreme lx for example) being 'cold water resistant'. i plan on diving in socal(san diego all the way up to ventura county). if i travel anywhere else in the country or world and dived i would rent everything.
For me under 50 degrees as far as gear goes I consider cold. Personally as far as exposure protection under 72 I'm diving dry. What you also need to understand is that "cold water regulator" is a term that is also somewhat misunderstood. The correct term is "environmentally sealed". That means it not only keeps cold water out of some of the internals but also stuff like salt. sand, mud, critters, algae, etc. I mostly dive fresh water and could get away with a non sealed reg. But I also dive water temps as low as 36 -38 degrees and our local spots have a lot of junk in the water. So all but two of my stage regs are sealed versions. If diving salt water most of the time I'd only choose sealed regs. Makes rinsing easier, servicing less time consuming in my experience as a reg tech, and the cost difference is so small that it's really not a consideration.
5)for rental equipment, do most shops have a choice between 'low end' gear ranging all the way up to 'high end' or is the gear ussally all cheap stuff? id love to have the luxary of renting a 300 regulator then renting a 600-700 regulator the next time out to see if the price difference is worth the cost.'
Sometimes a shop will have higher end gear. But usually it's more low to midrange. Here again as a new diver unless they place takes really poor care of their rental gear you are not going to see much difference if any between a 300 reg and a 700 one. I have an old sherwood brut that when I take the time to tune it that way will breathe as good at recreational depths as just about any reg out there. And again you can get a high performance tech dive capable reg for under 300 bucks. So unless you have money to burn I wouldn't even look at the high priced ones.
6)how easy is it to meet diving buddies? my friends are all either broke or have no interest in diving. id love to go every weekend if possible. are there any meetups here?
Lots of ways to find dive buddies. Sometimes just showing up at a popular site is enough.
IF YOU ARE HONEST ABOUT YOUR LEVEL OF SKILL AND TRAINING.
I will dive with anyone who comes up to me and says I'm new, don't have much experience, not real familiar with my gear just yet, but I want to learn and get better. Come up and act like you know what you are doing then turn out to be a menace, have poor buddy skills, or are not willing to take advice and learn. I'll never dive with you again unless you pay me to. And even then there are some people I would not take money to dive with. They are just that dangerous. As long as you are honest and willing to learn and get better, are safe, and willing to follow proper buddy procedures lots of people will be glad to dive with you.
Unless you're jerk, smell, or have a spare air hanging off of you. But then jerks can't talk underwater and you can't smell either. So it may still be ok. But the Spare Air, sorry.
