The Scuba Pro v Poseidon thing

[batmanusa]

Hey every one, in advance, I realize my question is in great part a matter of opinion. I have searched the board and already ask questions, and found nothing directly on point. A few weeks ago I taught a OW class of nine for a friend. He owns a shop and is short on instructors, great guy, and great class. No problems there, as I love to teach and help out whenever. Here’ the issue. Bill hates Poseidon gear. He likes scuba pro and caries it almost exclusively in his shop. I use Poseidon. About two week ago he informed the class of wonders and virtues of Scuba pro. I said nothing. The students, at least some of them, have been asking me about scuba pro v Poseidon. My response is;”Scuba Pro is a very good company. The gear is well made and tested. It is also a company that stands behind its product”. About Poseidon I say it’s good too. That’s all, I swear it. A few days ago I was cornered by three very perceptive and persistent students, in fact two are colleagues, two lawyers, and the other is a producer TV shows here. “We have been talking. They said. And looking around on the net, one said. So, if his gear is that great why aren’t you wearing any? Is it truly as good as he says? I hear Poseidon is top shelf, high-end, top of the food chain internationally. Should I start with the best and grow in to it? Or, you know, buy from the shop and upgrade later? Who’s better Scuba Pro or Poseidon?” Like a politician I punted. I felt like crap. They had asked me a direct question and I felt as if I would harm my friends shop or his credibility if I contradicted him. O, I guess the knee jerk solution is to wear bills stuff. I know that. But the fact is I like my own. I have pool sets and OW sets. I know where everything is and each set is like a good horse. A good rider can ride anything, but we prefer our own. Has anyone here had a similar experience? Is this Scuba Pro v Poseidon thing common where you may reside?
Thanks
Bat

 

[The Chad]

LOL sounds like you got put in a pickle. I too am a poseidon guy, you might wanna try to convince your buddy to carry Poseidon, but he won't b/c he's already in bed with ScubaPro and most shops don't wanna pay more for Poseidon, and just whine about how hard they are t get serviced. If I was in your shoes I'd just use his stuff and let it go...otherwise I can put you in touch with a rep and you and I can split the commision w/ the new students

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Its a common enough dilemma that most guys want to avoid the all too foreseeable consequences. Instructor A, who comes across as a pretty relaxed, professional guy, uses equipment X. Shop B doesn't sell equipment X. Shop B sells equipment Y.

The Shop sponsors (and underwrites) the classes in part to sell gear. Lets get real. Not too many shop owners are in business to try to sell gear they don't carry, from other shops they don't own.

Knowing that savvy students are going to check out what the relaxed, professional instructor is using, and be influenced by same, most shop owners make sure the instructor is using the same gear that the shop carries.

If they don't, they wind up with exact situation as you describe.

So if you want to do your friend a favor, either use the gear he carries, or else don't teach his classes. You're only going to wind up selling more Poseidon gear if you continue to teach in it. Precisely because you believe in it. Thats what sells gear to begin with.

Best,

Doc

 

[all4scuba05]

I as an instructor would have expected to see this happen. I would've asked the shop owner to lend me the Scubapro equipment before giving the class.

 

[boulderjohn]

I as an instructor would have expected to see this happen. I would've asked the shop owner to lend me the Scubapro equipment before giving the class.

That's a good option.

Given what actually happened, here is something you could have said when asked why you did not use ScubaPro:

"I have bought and own Poseidon. ScubaPro is very fine gear, but I already own gear and see no need to buy other very fine gear. If I owned a Lexus with which I was happy, I would not go out and buy an Acura with which I would be equally happy."

 

[boulderjohn]

Further thoughts on my last post:

The shop for which I instruct sells several brands of equipment. When I go over equipment with my students, I talk about the pros and cons of different styles and kinds of equipment. I stress that in the final analysis, it all comes down to personal preference. I tell the students what I use primarily for my own diving, but I also tell them that it is often a tough call, and I would be perfectly happy with a number of other choices available to me. I use a back inflation BCD, for example, and many people hate them.

 

[rookers]

I would use the simple maxim, "I am working for the shop, the shop sells xyz, therefore, to appear in character, I will dive xyz"
Borrow xyz from the shop, and you are there. If xyz is not your personal choice, and you are asked about such you could mention your personal choice, but you have an inherent business ethical obligation not to cut the legs off your employer.

 

[The Chad]

Hey mister George how the heak are ya? When are you doing the bomber?

 

[Lock Down]

I own Scuba pro, Poseidon, and actually Apeks as well. I truely believe that between apeks and SP it is a matter of opinion. Personally I prefer the Apeks and My Fiance prefers the SP. But for deep diving I like the poseidon b/c that is what it was made for. many of the O/C depth records were set on poseidon.

I agree with most on this thread in saying you should probably borrow SP gear from your buddy. If you were doing him the favor of teaching his class for him you might as well finish the favor and help sell his gear. thats not to say that if confronted you shouldn't give you honest opinion but as I described earlier it is a matter of opinion. How many of those students you just taught will ever go deep enough to tell a difference between a SP, APEKS, and Poseidon. I would guess not many at all.

 

[VK2ICJ]

I'm not an instructor, so my words are coming from a "consumer" not a provider. We as students had rental (Dacor) gear that was the same as the shop sold yet the instructor and "helper" both had Poseidon. My instructor's helper (not sure if in those days he was a DM or what) loaned me his reg for my test. It was an (now old) Poseidon 300 (red). This made a big impression on me. I was reading all the related magazines and library books I could on diving because I wanted to get some good gear. Remember this was before the internet so all we had was magazines and what our local dive shop said. Magazines didn't have many if any reviews on Poseidon gear but if you looked closely at the pictures of the "tech" divers in those days they almost all had Poseidon stuff. The fact that my instructors used Poseidon and they worked for me once was all it took to seed in my head that Poseidon was the way to go. Since, I've taken my Posiedons to depths way over what is accepted these days. I used them from bubbly warm pool water to cutting holes in ice and they have never ever let me down. My point to this is that if my instructors wore Aqualung or ScubaPro or some other name (except Dacor lol) I might be typing this whole reply stating I use those brands. It's a hard call on your part. I certainly would not over look just how influential a instructor's gear choice is to a new diver even 20 years on.