Where did you buy it

[scubaredneck]

When I lived in Orlando, there was an LDS who had big tent sales twice a year (Labor and Mem Day weekends). Events like these are great ways to get some major bargains on gear. My MFS all together cost lest than $60.

In some ways, buying scuba gear is much like buying anything else. You do your homework and decide what you need and then hunt for the best bargain.

Just a thought.

 

[RICHinNC]

Buying gear is a personal thing. I have run into a number of new divers that feel that since they got lessons from a particular lds, it is at that lds where they should buy their gear....even if they dont have exactly what they are looking for....plus....most dont know what they are looking for just yet being so new and all so they blindly take the lds' advice on gear and dont always get what is best for them. It is a student -- teacher guilt syndrome.

My recommendation would be to buy anything that is life supporting from an lds. That gives you a face to talk to on high price gear that will need yearly servicing. Some lds' will not service any gear they dont sell....even if they carry the brand. Some just say bring me what you got and I will take care of you.

As for not life supporting gear.....buy where ever give you the best deal. It would not hurt to call and talk with the dealer and find out if what you are buying is seconds or repaired gear.
You will learn there is a "movement" a foot to try and break the hold the manufacturer's have on the market. If you read this board long enough you will become very familiar with it. Or, for a crash course, go to an lds and ask for something they dont carry. And, when he says he cant get it....ask why. Very interesting as Shultz would say.

There are great lds' out there...and there are great web sites where you can buy good gear as well. Just dont let someone try to put a guilt trip on you because you want to buy other than an lds. Ask them if they will make up the difference in the costs.

good luck.......we all need it!

 

[Amanda]

Wooooohoooooo !! Those prices are CRAZY !! Even the $40-$60 everyone agrees on is damn expensive !! In France, the most expensive mask you can buy is around 40?, which is more or less $40... I'm impressed !

And the Quattro fins here are... lemme check... ?75 in my LDS...

 

[scubaredneck]

So, if I come visit you, will you take me to your LDS?

 

[FSUgly]

As a new diver, I too have found that not all LDS's are forgiving of your "newbie" status. My personal experience showed me that it gives them the oppurtunity to take advantage of you and move some of that higher priced gear. I, too, was sold a mask for $85 (Ocean Master Equalizer Z-4), along with my other gear that wasn't necessarily what I needed. Although I do like my mask, I feel that I was well oversold on basic gear. After getting certified I almost got talked back into buying the gear my LDS sold (instead of shopping around). Luckily my wife was around. I shopped around at other shops and found completely diff brands my LDS did not sale that better suited my needs, as well as the other people weren't trying to rip me off (they didn't know how new I was to diving I guess?). Here's another example of jacking the price on me: They were going to give me a deal on a Genesis GS2000 reg for $630. Needless to say, I don't shop there anymore. With what I went through, I ended up oredering all my stuff from a dive shop in another state over the phone (No it wasn't one of those discount scuba warehouses). All my stuff is registered and warrantied. Sorry for the rambling....

Tom

 

[Diver Kat]

There are so many LDS's in our area that we kind of spread the wealth around. Originally bought mask, fins & snorkel from reputable on-line in CA -checked out the mask in a LDS, found it $20 cheaper on-line - got the on-line to match a LDS sale on Apollo fins saving more $$. When we decided to get certified, we bought our BC's both from that LDS. Then they had a huge fall sale and we bought our regs, octos & guages. Bought our wetsuits from another LDS willing to match an on-line price. Bought our computers from a 3rd that was having a Suunto sale. Bought my husband's mask, safety sausages and some misc. items at a 4th. I figure if we're going to keep the industry going in this area, we have to give every LDS a piece!! Of course I think there's at least 5 more we haven't spent at yet!! For a town like Austin TX it's amazing how many LDS's there are - and we're not even that close to the ocean!!

 

[pcscuba]

If you are worried about a mask fitting which you should be, go to your LDS and try on several. Find the make and model you like and if it is too expensive at the LDS buy it online. I bought a Cressi-Sub Big eyes online after I tried it at my LDS. I got it for half the price. I'm sure I'm going here all about supporting your LDS but if I can save 50% what would you do?

 

[MikeFerrara]

pcscuba once bubbled...
If you are worried about a mask fitting which you should be, go to your LDS and try on several. Find the make and model you like and if it is too expensive at the LDS buy it online. I bought a Cressi-Sub Big eyes online after I tried it at my LDS. I got it for half the price. I'm sure I'm going here all about supporting your LDS but if I can save 50% what would you do?

You shouldn't feel the need to support anyone but...
Maybe shops should charge admission at the door or rent you the piece of equipment you wish to try on.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


You shouldn't feel the need to support anyone but...
Maybe shops should charge admission at the door or rent you the piece of equipment you wish to try on.

Gotta agree with Mike on this one.

Last year, one of the more pleasant experiences I witnessed was watching someone who showed up in the LDS, took 3 hours asking questions and trying on gear, then showed up at the local traning site with his brand new stuff that he had bought online. He was quite proud of the deal he got.

His primary freeflowed as soon as he connected it.

Poor baby, if he had bought it from the LDS one of the people who'd wasted an afternoon on him might have spent the two minutes it would have taken to fix it. Instead, I offered to let him use my cell phone to call the online people and complain while we went diving.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...


Gotta agree with Mike on this one.
.............................................................................................
Poor baby, if he had bought it from the LDS one of the people who'd wasted an afternoon on him might have spent the two minutes it would have taken to fix it. Instead, I offered to let him use my cell phone to call the online people and complain while we went diving.

Absolutely, correct on both counts. When I was a working DM we had that happen with a class. One student went across town and bought reg the night before ow checkout. They told me that someone had dove with one a few years ago and recommended it. As luck would have it, it didn't work correctly. Seems that the tech at the shop had worked on it for an hour or so tuning and adjusting it when they bought it. Then they get POed at me because I wouldn't work on it. Told them from my point of view they had 2 choices, either live with it or go rent one. Needless to say they didn't turn into our best customers.