Try before you Buy? HA!

[sambolino44]

My wife, recently certified, is now shopping for a BC. We both have heard many times from many different sources, "Try as many different BCs as you can before you buy." Well, how in the heck is somebody supposed to do that?

We've both spent a crazy amount of time and effort looking for shops that rent anything other than the basic jacket-style BC. A few have integrated weight, most do not. It's been very hard to find a back-inflate BC in her size for rent.

We're willing to drive some, but it's just about impossible to get to the store to pick up the BC, get to the dive site, dive, and return the BC before they close. And then we have that long slog home with a car full of wet gear that has to be taken care of. All that for one dive; can you really decide if you want to spend several hundred dollars on something after trying it only once?

Any helpful suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[diverdiane]

Try hooking up with your local dive club (or posting on the regional section of Scubaboard). If you were anywhere near my home I would be glad to let a fellow diver try my gear for a dive or two!

 

[spectrum]

I agree that what you are trying to do is darned near impossible unless you are in some select and fortunate location. You probably need to reset the plan for her to try them in shop pools. This should be very doable. it will restrict your shopping options to dealers with a pool but that's the way it is.

My wife wanted something to fit her just right. She was a difficult fit and developed some definite dislikes using our instructors well worn base model gear. 2 shops and 3 BCs latter she found the one that fit "just right". She has about 130 dives on that rig. Over the past month she has tried a few BP&W rigs and is in love with that configuration since it is so adaptable.

The other option mentioned is other peoples gear. Buddies and other regional members are often eager to swap gear for a dive. Many have multiple rigs and will gladly let her take something for a spin.

In either case it's can be a fairly simple process to identify rigs she dislikes and those that she can adapt to. The objective is not to aster the rig before purchase but simply to find something she's comfortable in.

If she does try stuff in a shop pool be sure she wears all of the typical neoprene for a realistic experience.

Pete

 

[Gen732]

sambolino44,
Try calling around to various shops and seeing what they have for rental BC's. I know my local dive shop in Bremerton has Zeagle Rangers (back inflate) and Scubapro Classics (jacket style). Also might see what it costs to rent it for the entire weekend vice just one day (pickup on Fri eve and return Sun afternoon or Monday eve) so that she could get in a full weekend of diving without being so worried about getting there, diving, then getting back. I know with you being up by Whidbey, even the shops in Seattle can be somewhat of a haul for both you and I.

Washington Scuba Alliance has a listing of several dive shops with links to their pages. Washington Scuba Alliance Hope that helps some.

 

[almitywife]

my local dive forum members are very helpful when faced with wanting to try near gear - maybe you can meet up with some divers who would be happy to lend you their gear for a trydive.

goodluck!