Hello MTFDiver & welcome to ScubaBoard!
DEMA is an industry "only" show that happens once a year. The primary purpose of the show is to showcase new products and for shops to purchase equipment and travel. The show does allow for direct purchases but you have to be an authorized buyer for most manufacturers to allow this and a "professional" to just get in. DEMA takes place early winter and the 2008 show will be in Las Vegas.
There are a number of consumer related events around the year and the country although for the most part they do not allow direct selling of equipment.
These shows include:
- Texas Dive Show (Houston, TV) - January 26-27
- Our World - Underwater (Rosemont, IL) - Feb 15-17
- Beneath the Sea (Secaucus, NJ) - March 28-30
- The SCUBA Show (Long Beach, CA) - June 21-22
- The Florida Dive Show (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
And others which I can't recall off the top of my head.
Some companies also do tours at varrious dive shops like the
DUI Dog Days. These events can be great for seeing a select manufacturer and tend to take place at a shop where there's lots of products.
While you may not be able to purchase on the floor, you should be able to try a lot of products out and many dealers or shops will let you mail order after the show ends using special show-only prices.
And of course if you're interested in buying online, there are many sites where you can do so. Top
sites include ScubaToys, LeisurePro.com, Scuba.com, 123Scuba.com, Divers Direct and others. There are a lot of opinions and reviews on these sites which you can review for prior to making a purchase to get more insight.