Where do people in Oz get their dive gear?

[alcina]

Welcome to Australia! Things here are more expensive for the most part, but it has gotten dramatically better in certain areas over the past couple of years.

I'm an American, too, and I do a whole lot of shopping overseas when I go back! I do try to buy from Australian sources, but I'm just not paying the difference when it's dramatic and easy enough to get elsewhere.

You've gotten the best advice for things like tanks already, so you should be set to go!

Why are things so expensive? Well, simplistically, there are way fewer people so smaller markets, lower volume. For some things there are higher taxes and fees. I've yet to find something here, even local items, that are less than in the US. It's one of the prices we pay for living here and the benefits far outweigh the negatives...been here on and off since 1986

 

[Grungefreek]

i have a an old sea hornet supersteel 15ltr that i use when hubby is diving his rebreather. maybe because its a supersteel but ive found it very easy to dive with - but these are very rare tanks these days

Hi,
I just bought some dive gear, and I'm pretty sure the tank is the same as you are describing. Made by sea hornet in the 90's I think (its away being retested).
Sounds like I may have got myself a good tank, but man its heavy compared to the Ally ones we used on dive course, its like 18.6kg or something. I'll be buggered walking that down to dive sites

 

[almitywife]

sea hornet supersteels (not the newer smartsteels) are GREAT!!

do NOT get them tumbled - they have a internal gal lining which means they should last much longer than the other steel tanks

i had about 10 12ltr tanks at some point and had to sell some as i was loosing track of them - it hurt though, they are very nice tanks

enjoy!

 

[Aussie scuba chick]

www.diveimports.com - quite cheap and very reliable. I shopped around for a few months for my tanks (125 c/f Faber) and they were by far the cheapest (and it included shipping).

 

[Grungefreek]

sea hornet supersteels (not the newer smartsteels) are GREAT!!

do NOT get them tumbled - they have a internal gal lining which means they should last much longer than the other steel tanks

Is there a way to tell which type they are (super or smart steel)?

I'll remember not to get it tumbled. I dropped it off at a mine rescue place to be hydro'd, so I don't think they will tumble it.

 

[stiebs]

Others have already given good advice. You can also check out the buy/swap/sell section on www.diveoz.com.au - The Biggest Site for Australian Scuba Diving Info.

I bought my 12L steels off e-bay for $300 a pop, and my 10L steels of DiveOz. If you thought ScubaPro and Aqualung have aggressive reseller terms, wait till you get a taste of Aquanaut's distributorship stranglehold out here. Aquanaut are the sole Australian distributors for the likes of Apeks, Aqualung, DUI, Sea Quest and Suunto, and they don't like making life easy for the dive shops.

 

[Walter]

Where do people in Oz get their dive gear?

From the good Sorceress of the South, Glenda; but if they live in the Emerald City, they can get it from Ozma who can use her magic belt to produce anything they want.

 

[almitywife]

Is there a way to tell which type they are (super or smart steel)?

I'll remember not to get it tumbled. I dropped it off at a mine rescue place to be hydro'd, so I don't think they will tumble it.

the supersteels were manufactured in the 1990's.... most of mine are 1993 or 1997

the newer smart steels seem thinner and longer for some reason

its a real shame that they dont make the supersteels anymore - they as rare as hens teeth but they still pop up on ebay from time to time.


EDIT:
mmmmmmmmmmmmm ebay.... http://cgi.ebay.com.au/11-6-Lt-Stee...ryZ16057QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[digital_steve]

but i bet he likes me more

fact is Chris does a fantastic job for the aussie zeagle market - a guy that actually loves his product. ive only seen that sort of passion on one other person down here (tony davis from diverite)

No doubt
He only likes me for my money!