Will be buying new equipment soon. Suggestions appreciated

[JC Fedorczyk]

One thing I want to avoid is using a LDS as a fitting room. That's just plain rude. I'd hate to have them spend time with me and give suggestions, etc. just for me to say thanks and walk out. Yes, I'm the customer but that's just taking advantage of the situation. Won't do it. That being said I've spent a lot of time on Scubatoys and Leisurepro these past few weeks and it's without a doubt much cheaper. I'm just concerned with fit, warranty, etc.

Wendy messaged me about the BP/wing comment I made and I told her that since I am going to learn on a jacket that in my mind it would make sense to go with a jacket to start out with and then upgrade later down the line. I also mentioned that since I have absolutely ZERO scuba time that most likely all of my notions and fact finding stuff so far will probably go out the window once I'm done with certification. It will be interesting to have this as a record and see what I actually end up getting.

I appreciate all the suggestions!

 

[MechDiver]

Wendy messaged me about the BP/wing comment I made and I told her that since I am going to learn on a jacket that in my mind it would make sense to go with a jacket to start out with and then upgrade later down the line. I also mentioned that since I have absolutely ZERO scuba time that most likely all of my notions and fact finding stuff so far will probably go out the window once I'm done with certification. It will be interesting to have this as a record and see what I actually end up getting.

I appreciate all the suggestions!

A bp&w is an excellent choice for a lot of us, but it is difficult to explain to a (as yet) non-diver why that is. Learning on a certain piece of equipment may not mean that it the correct equipment for you. It most likely means thats what the LDS has who you are taking lessons from.

Get through your certification using what the LDS has, and evaluate as well as you can how that equipment worked for you. That will be somewhat difficult as you don't have a baseline to compare it to. After you're certified, rent some different equipment if possible, to see how it works in relation to what you've already used.

Most of us advocate buying your own equipment as soon as you can, as you can then become familiar with it. However, this is a two edged sword because you don't yet have the knowledge and experience to make informed decisions, and you can waste lots of money on inferior gear, or gear that does not do what you thought it would.

Take it slow for awhile, and don't rely on all the pretty pictures in the magazines/websites until you have a better idea what to look for and what questions to ask.

MD

 

[yknot]

One thing I want to avoid is using a LDS as a fitting room. That's just plain rude. I'd hate to have them spend time with me and give suggestions, etc. just for me to say thanks and walk out. Yes, I'm the customer but that's just taking advantage of the situation. Won't do it. That being said I've spent a lot of time on Scubatoys and Leisurepro these past few weeks and it's without a doubt much cheaper. I'm just concerned with fit, warranty, etc.

JC-Really, why the concern? I'm amazed at the reverance that people are willing to treat a LDS as compared to any other retailer. Are you going to buy every car you test drive? Do you buy every pair of pants you try on? When a LDS doesn't compete with internet sources it's usually because they choose not to. Also, the suggestions you get from a LDS will tend toward what brands and models they sell. I've seen too many new divers leave the LDS with air2's and "Spare Air" units to believe they consistantly are looking out for your best interests. Thats not to say that the stuff they sell is junk, just that they don't deserve any more trust in opinions than any other retailer. The resale value of most gear is poor. You need to make choices that will support your diving habits for years to come as you probably won't want to replace anything quickly if you buy incorrectly the first time. Chances are that you will find a LDS near you that will come very close to matching online prices.

 

[djac5700]

JC -

I can understand why you don't want to seemingly take advantage of an LDS by getting advice and trying on everything there but buying elsewhere. But as yknot pointed out, it's not necessarily a terrible action, given the right mindset...

IMHO - Customer A walks into an LDS offering the owner a chance at his/her business, but isn't making any promises. "Customer" B comes to the store with no intent to purchase, just wanting to try the gear on and get lots of free advice. I personally don't agree with the B mentality.

LDSs are providing you with personalized service, hopefully sound advice, and the possibility of a long-term relationship that benefits both them and you as the customer. This is worth a premium to an honest customer, hence why the LDS should be able to charge a reasonable premium over most online shops. The problem is that some LDSs charge exorbanant premiums, offer biased info to sell what they carry, and don't demonstrate a commitment towards a long-term relationship with the customer.

I'm glad to hear that you want to provide the LDS with business, but don't be afraid to purchase elsewhere if they won't offer a reasonable price - you aren't being rude, they're being rude for trying to sucker you into buying gear at absurd prices.

All I'm recommending is that you go in knowing how much this gear would cost you elsewhere and how much of a premium those intangible benefits are worth.

 

[JC Fedorczyk]

Yknot and Djac: Good points. I will most certainly be pricing things online before buying anything.

 

[Humba]

JC,

From past experience, I can tell you that there's an enormous amount of expertise on this board (MD). One thing (of significant value)that was shared with me was the importance of making decisions based on your diving style. Certainly at this stage your diving style has not yet developed. Consider renting/borrowing equipment you think you want before you spend unneccessarily. Until you've had a chance to personally experience different equipment, you'll never know what you are missing. Welcome to diving....