It seems that it's been painted by some here that the fact that Tobin is representing DSS here is bad. I'm sure it is true that DSS' business has been helped significantly by his participation on SB. His presence here is easily observable, and he doesn't try and hide the fact that he makes and sells gear. Basically, SB has been a good marketing and advertising channel. I'm a good example of this - I recently bought DSS gear because of the exposure here on SB and all the positive reviews and comments. And I'm extremely pleased with the quality and performance of DSS gear as well as the thorough and prompt customer service.
But it is also clear that Tobin has completely above board in how his information is presented. In reading hundreds of posts, I've never once seen him tear down a competitor's product. He may state the advantages of his gear when pressed, but he has also stated many times that company XYZ's (insert almost any BP/W company here) equipment is excellent. He has expressed opinions on a variety of diving topics, and seems to do a fine job of not transitioning these into a "buy my gear" comment. There are many on SB that represent manufacturers, LDS, online retail, instruction, etc. Out of all of them, my observation is that Tobin is the most objective of all of them.
One of the things Tobin does that I greatly appreciate is an explaination of "why". Think of how many posts you've seen on SB where someone will ask a question or request a recommendation and the answers will be simple with no explaination of the thought process on why they feel that way. "What regulator would you not ever buy?" might yield the trivial response "XYZ", with zero understanding why. Tobin answers questions with actual information content, something you can use to think about and apply to your unique situation. I've found that very valuable, and can then make my own judgements.
Keep the comments and answers (and cool gear) coming, Tobin!
