stab Jacket?

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I over paid for my basic gear too. You can do a search here on SB and you will find that that the online shop verses LDS (local dive shop) is a hot topic. You should check out a variety of sources and get experience before you make the big purchase. I give my LDS a chance to sell me stuff, but they keep quoting me prices higher than list in many cases and always much higher than online. Even when I have bought stuff at the listed shop sale price they try to make me feel bad that they are loosing money on me.

I don't like feeling bad, so I have started purchasing stuff from Joe and Larry at www.scubatoys.com They don't make me feel bad, give me a 10% discount as a scubaboard member and thank me and thank me and thank me again for the order. Same thing with www.leisurepro.com I will be bumping into the LDS owner today at the pool that had a chance to sell me my new ScubaPro jet fins. He quoted me more than list. I asked if he could do a better deal at all. He then said he could come down a could of dollars and then quoted me list price. I said no thanks and bought them from Leisure Pro for half of what the LDS wanted. Now when I see him today at the pool, I am sure he will come over to my swim lane and try to shame me and make me feel bad about getting my fins from somewhere else. I don't feel bad at all. The last time I made a decent purchase, I came in with cash so he didn't have to pay any visa or charge fees, was the only customer in the store and he made me wait over a half hour while he emailed people and let me know he was really too busy to deal with me. I am not sure what is up with that kind of customer service. I have tried to talk with him a couple of times about BC's and he is always too busy and lets me know. He tries to make me feel like he is doing me a big favor by selling me stuff, when really it is the customer who is doing the business a favor. Actually, it should be a two way street where both benefit.

I am getting ready to buy my BC online on sale this week from Golem. I want a back plate and wing. Golem is offering it for $340. Again about half of what my LDS wants
http://www.golemgear.com/pc-165-18-golem-35-lbs-ss-combo.aspx
I was talking to Jakub about the how to patch the wing if it gets a hole in it. He said you won't puncture my wing. If you do, I don't want you patching it. I stand behind what I sell and will replace it.

I support my LDS when I can, but it is a two way relationship. I usually give them first crack at my business. Then if the price is close to or even a little higher I buy from them. If they are way high and I can't get them to deal, I leave.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

You didn't say where you're from but my guess is you will probably wind up at one of the springs, like Morrison or Vortex or a couple of others.

As long as these jackets hold air you're in business. There are platfoms at most areas used for training in 15 to 20 feet of water. Don't think you're going to be jumping off in some really deep water. Your Open Water dives are simply going to be doing the skills you learned in the pool and will last about 30 minutes each depending on how fast you can perform the skills and the number of students the instructors have to run through.
I know some shops take their students on a boat dive as part of their training as well. If that is the case you will be diving a shallow reef.

If you liked your instructor and he taught you well it will go smoothly. Yes I like BP/Wings. I have three but I have used stabilizer jackets over the years and I wear one when I'm working with students. My pool BCD and wetsuit have turned a nasty choclate but they still work fine.

As the other posters have said once you've gotten the card then you can take a breath and truly evaluate what your needs are. Don't be prssured into buying something you may in fact truly not need.