Serial numbers on twin jets

[Damselfish]

This was in some email from scubadiving.com-

Scubapro Serializes Twin Jet Fins Effective immediately, all new Scubapro Twin Jet Fins will incorporate a serial number molded into both fins of every pair. The purpose is to help customers facilitate potential claims made under the Scubapro Limited Lifetime Warranty on Twin Jet Fins, buckles and straps. Scubapro will include a limited lifetime warranty card with each pair of Twin Jet adjustable open-heel and full-foot fins. Any existing Scubapro Twin Jet Fins that do not bear serial numbers are still 100 percent covered by the limited lifetime warranty, assuming proof of purchase is provided with claim. Equally important, any Scubapro Twin Jet Fin bearing a serial number that has been defaced or destroyed will not be covered by the warranty. For more information, visit www.scubapro.com.

What do people think of this? Now I think it's obvious why they're doing this, but "any Scubapro Twin Jet Fin bearing a serial number that has been defaced or destroyed will not be covered by the warranty." would be a bit bothersome if I was thinking of buying a pair. Fins can get beat up and the number could easily get trashed by accident. They're not exactly putting the number in a protected place by the looks of the picture, it's out there on the blade.

 

[jjwdiver]

It molded/stamped into the fin. It would take a heck of a lot of abuse to get it to go away. Anyone scraping their fins that much should take a refresher course on buoyancy.

 

[fsik]

I've moved on from the twinjets but they're still in the closet and they're particularly unchewable as far as fins go. I don't even think bad bouyancy, shore diving or rough handling will get that number off. Given the flex and the material (even in the stiffer models), the only way you're defacing it is to get it repeatedly, completely jammed in coral/rocks/lawnmowers.

The other way I think it'll get reliably defaced is at the factory before ScubaPro ships a lot off to a grey market dealer...

 

[miskatonic]

Get the fins anyway! You will love them.

 

[ththooft]

I agree...the fins are great!

 

[redacted]

Could they possibly be having that many warrenty claims against these fins that they need to be able to differentiate, with more than a sales receipt, exactly where they were purchased. What am I missing here?

 

[Dan Gibson]

It could be to combat the grey market? I don't know all the facts, but someone recently told me SP found out who was supplying Leisure Pro with goods. The word was that this source has been cut off. Anyone know anything about this?

Could they possibly be having that many warrenty claims against these fins that they need to be able to differentiate, with more than a sales receipt, exactly where they were purchased. What am I missing here?

 

[Damselfish]

I assumed it was to combat grey market. Or maybe counterfeits, don't know if that happens?

Not that I'm in the market for fins, I like my 10+ year old USD Blades - scuffed from jamming them under benches and tossing them around boats, not kicking coral. Just thought it was interesting they were doing this. Just wouldn't seem fair if a shark bit off that part off the blade.

 

[redacted]

It could be to combat the grey market? I don't know all the facts, but someone recently told me SP found out who was supplying Leisure Pro with goods. The word was that this source has been cut off. Anyone know anything about this?

I believe I do. I heard that a major source was directly from one of Scubapro's European distributors and that personnel changes were made (This is about a year ago now). Leisure pro seems to still have a fairly good stock - but I think their prices have gone up. So SP regulators, which have been identified with serial numbers for quite some time, are still finding their way to LP. But the purchaser does not get the "part-for-life" program that comes with the purchase from an authorized dealer so any savings is offset by annual service kits cost.

But there is no annual service requirement for fins with any associated parts cost. I guess maybe the grey market problem with SP fins must just be much greater than it is with regulators because there is no offset by any annual service requirements. Standard LDS arguements used to talk customers into buy regs from "authorized" sources might not hold any water with fin.

 

[Wayward Son]

True. The warranty has value, but not as much as the with regs. If the fins at an authorized dealer cost twice as much as gray market, a customer may be far more tempted to take a chance on them. Problems with fins seem to be felatively rare, though not unknown, so if you can buy one pair now & save the cost of a replacement pair, it might be hard to talk yourself into paying full boat for them.