The importance of not having expectations.

[fuzzybabybunny]

So I recently bought my first drysuit after an excruciating weekend where I sat shivering to death in my car after 4 dives because my wetsuit doesn't fit me right and sloshes 50 degree water all around its insides. I vowed right there that I was going to BUY A DRYSUIT IMMEDIATELY.

I order a drysuit online after considerable research, get the P-valve installed, buy all the drysuit care accessories, and during the week as I'm waiting for the drysuit to come in I'm absolutely elated and giddy with anticipation. Every day I'm looking forward to the 4 day Thanksgiving weekend - 4 warm warm warm dives a day for 4 days, maybe more because I'll be so warm that I'll want to go on a couple night dives a day as well.

I get the package Wednesday night. Open it up.

I ordered a Small/Medium suit. I got sent an XXL/XXXL. And everyone tells me diving in such an oversized suit is dangerous.

I am terribly disappointed and trying to get into the right frame of mind as to make the best of it (aka just go diving in my ****ty wetsuit - maybe twice a day if that if I can stomach climbing into a cold wet suit every time).

Which leads me to this - it would have been far better to lead my life without any sort of expectation. If I had no expectations I would not have been disappointed. I would have simply seen that the thing was too large, and I would have just thrown my wetsuit in the car and taken off without a second thought. Instead I sat at home and moped for a little bit, posted this on the boards, went to bed late, rose up late (more than half a day of diving is already over), and now I'm slowly getting my stuff together and constantly questioning why I'm even making the drive out to the coast.

 

[fstbttms]

 

[oly5050user]

Not to start a war here,but,why online? Why not get fitted properly at a LDS and have the LDS offer a dry suit course as an incentive to purchase from them? We have a policy of matching authorized online prices and would have included a dry suit course with the sale..If there was a screw up on sizing a LDS would most likely have given you a rental for use at no charge while waiting for correct size to arrive.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Not to start a war here,but,why online? Why not get fitted properly at a LDS and have the LDS offer a dry suit course as an incentive to purchase from them? We have a policy of matching authorized online prices and would have included a dry suit course with the sale..If there was a screw up on sizing a LDS would most likely have given you a rental for use at no charge while waiting for correct size to arrive.

You know, I would love to support an LDS, but the online deal was just too good.

I saved $600+ by buying a used demo suit from a reputable online dealer. That extra $600 for a new suit from an LDS would have just been too much for my wallet to swing. LDS would have been pricematched price for a new suit + 10% sales tax ($160) - $75 dry suit course.

The used demo suit is in excellent condition, it's just that they sent me the wrong size.

I did buy all the drysuit accessories and LP hose from the LDS though. And will probably service my drysuit with them as well.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Expectations or not **** is going to happen from time to time. What matters is how you deal with change and disappointment. To never get excited about something is to never live IMO. Learn to accept disappointment and take it in stride and you will be a happier diver . BTW, I need to take this advice myself because I am a lot like what you have described......it is not an easy change.

 

[ffdiver]

I think that is fair enough compromise between buying online and at a LDS. I understand stores need to make profit but if you spent the extra 600 at the shop, you wouldn't have that cash in your wallet to actually dive.

And I have seen plenty of shops that are not as reputable as some online shops.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think the issue with buying a suit online is unless you have been properly sized and have confirmed the "for sale" suit will fit properly, then there is a tremendous amout of risk with buying site unseen. Any initial "adjustments" need to be done where you bought the suit so shipping costs get incurred (and possibly even the cost to modify the suit if it was purchased as is and not customized). My LDS gets my business when they are able to win my business. But anything that I deem critical (like for fit with a suit) I do my homework (unless I am too excited ) and buy from an LDS.

Having said all this, IF everything was confirmed to fit properly (i.e. the OP was properly measured and confirmed it) then I have absolutely no issue with them saving $600. I purchased my UW Camera gear online from BH and saved over $1200 from what my local dealer was going to charge me. I worked with the local guy and we decided it was just not going to work. Sometimes online is the best decision.

 

[TSandM]

It isn't just dry suits. Anything you order from mail order or on line has the possibility to arrive late, wrong, or not at all. Life is full of small disappointments of that sort; maintaining one's equilibrium and immediately defaulting to contingency plans is a way to spend much more time in life happy.

Sorry they screwed up for you -- I'd certainly let them know they had a negative impact on your Thanksgiving weekend! But do be aware that a dry suit, although warmer in repetitive diving than a wetsuit, is not necessarily going to let you do four or five WARM dives a day off the California coast. You're still going to get cold, and figure out how to ration your "thermal units" over the dives available for the day. But you're going to get cold in 60 minutes, instead of 35!

 

[oly5050user]

You know, I would love to support an LDS, but the online deal was just too good.

I saved $600+ by buying a used demo suit from a reputable online dealer. That extra $600 for a new suit from an LDS would have just been too much for my wallet to swing. LDS would have been pricematched price for a new suit + 10% sales tax ($160) - $75 dry suit course.

The used demo suit is in excellent condition, it's just that they sent me the wrong size.

I did buy all the drysuit accessories and LP hose from the LDS though. And will probably service my drysuit with them as well.

you got a used suit that does not fit and have to now buy a lp hose-$50.- that should have came with it.cost of specialty that LDS could of done at no charge maybe $200-$300.not much really saved now.plus the additional shipping.I hope for your sake that online retailer takes it back,may not because of custom work done on it.just saying that it gives them a reason to cause you grief.

 

[oly5050user]

rem oved dup post.