Training in your own gear

[Thalassamania]

jtpwils, Most of what has been said is very sound advice. I prefer the ones that get you through class with the shops rental gear. Especially if they have a selection of gear to choose from. Maybe even the instructor has a couple of different sets that you can test. Try back inflate, jacket, backplate and wings. Feel how they fit you and how you fit them.

You may get lucky and even find an instructor and shop that cares that you learn and enjoy diving. I know folks, the two don't go together. Shops only exist to screw new divers out of their money while they are getting rich. (sarcasm there)

If shops were getting rich the problem would be less. I think it is caused by the many shops that are just hanging on by a thread.

It has been slightly implied that only independent instructors will give you an honest opinion on the type gear you need. While they aren't tied to dive shops by contract and can suggest different brands many will only suggest types and brands that they can get a kickback on.. They will go to the local dive shops and cut deals with them for kickbacks or do everything possible to steer students away from them. And yes, I do know that for a fact. I've worked in a dive shop for too many years and know a number of instructors that do it.

Then they are not independent instructors, by definition. While I guess this could occur, I have never known it to, but then there are instructors who are not truly independent and who use shop pools and rental equipment for their courses, who knows that the details of such lash ups might be.

 

[jtpwils]

Thanks again folks for all the info and things to consider. For now I've kind of decided to keep researching my gear and try to get some info/gear trials with the LDS. Then I'll probably buy gear (some from the LDS and some not) soon after completing the OW certification. I may then do an AOW with the same LDS - if he pitches a fit I'll go to another LDS for other training. Luckily for me, there's more than one LDS in the local sea.

 

[Brian Sharpe]

By the time I did my OW dives I owned my own wetsuit & BCD (neither of which was bought from where I was taking the course) along with the usual mask, snorkel & fins (which were bought there by my "kids" when buying the course as a Fathers Day gift).

My reasoning was somewhat similar to yours in that I liked the idea of getting really comfortable with my gear right from the beginning but the real motivators were:

1) They didn't have a rental wetsuit that fit me well, I'm not terribly tall and somewhat overweight. The rentals were mostly farmer johns and for my torso the suits were intended for someone 6' 4" - I bought a 7mm Bare Artic (Bare has an incredible range of stock sizes)

2) I hated the rental BCDs, they were all jacket style and when even partially inflated made me feel like I was being crushed to death. I ended buying a Zeagle Stiletto which, based on my research was a suitable choice for me (and I'm still very happy with it)

Subsequently I've bought the rest of my own gear (Oceanic Delta 4 /FDX10 reg, 2 hp steel tanks) and now deal with another LDS here in town.

 

[jtpwils]

My daughter and I had our first OW academics session tonight. It went great, we spent a couple of hours going over the 1st two chapters, the quizzes (we aced them) and did some gear set up explanations.

I brought up my desire to train in my own gear and that I planned on buying my regs from him, and maybe my daughters bc but that I planned on a bp/w (he doesn't carry them). He was totally receptive to everything I had to say and said that at this point most people haven't researched like I had and know that much about gear at all, none the less what they want and more importantly why it suits their needs, and that if I know what I wanted then "Cool, that's awesome that you're into it and know what you want, I say go for it."

So right now it looks like it's falling into place and my LDS may just see that losing some sales gracefully means having happier customers making other purchases later.

 

[BabyDuck]

yay! nice to see a shop without their heads up their heinies!

 

[Capt.JimDavis]

I just got certified today at age 51. Please check out my post regarding my experience at:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/new-divers-those-considering-diving/299249-finally-wheeewww.html

 

[Killer&Griller]

You know you could always mention to the dive shop up front that you are going to purchase your gear and hope that after some research, they could come close to matching it....... Just a thought.....

You should support your LDS whenever you can. You also have to make some common sense calls, especially when it comes to $. I can see paying 10% more but not 40%. The bit about warranty service..... not usually an issue. Don't let that be the major factor in overpaying for gear. If you buy from an authorized dealer, you will get service, period. If it isn't from an auth dealer, you better save enough to buy another one, repairs aren't cheap.

If an LDS is going to give you the cold shoulder for buying gear elsewhere, they are probably not going to be ranked really high on your list anyways. At least you aren't falling for the "graduation" program alot of LDS use.

The instructor is getting paid to instruct you either way. It sounds like you are dead set on making your purchases up front. Go ahead and test the water with them on prices. At least you gave them the opportunity.

See, by being courteous enough to inform them, they support your decision..... congrats. It sounds like your shop has your best interest at heart, fantastic......

When you start shopping on the net for items you can't get at your LDS, give me a shout and I will shoot you some prices.......