SCUBA Divers- New online store with great prices and free shipping over $100

[Subh2o]

I also posted this on chubby,

New store, great prices. I work in the dive industry and they really do have good prices that are sure to annoy your local dive shop!Text

I called to place an order and they told me about the free shipping that they were putting it on their site later today so you may want to call to place the order

 

[natenut]

Wow, thats some pretty good pricing. I would feel bad trying this stuff on localy and then buying it online but you could get a decent rig for under a grand. Too bad its the end of october, it will be a while till i'm hitting the water.

props to all the anandtech scuba divers out there! look at this stuff.

 

[Subh2o]

The mares v16 proton is $210, the cheapest elsewhere I saw was $298. But all their prices seem great

As long as they are legit it is a super price

 

[Subh2o]

dont feel that bad, ask if they will PM, if not then you have nothing to feel bad about.

 

[Crank]

It's actually a bit more complicated than that.
The manufacturers enforce minimum pricing through their retailers. If a retailer chooses to sell below that, the manufacturer can, and will, pull the line from the shop when they find out.
If the manufacturer determines that the equipment you bought was sold below minimum pricing they can and will deny warranty service on the product.

It's a real pain in the butt, and I don't understand how it's even legal, but that's part of the reason stuff costs so much more at a real shop.

Obviously I care about price a lot, but I bought all my scuba stuff at legitimate retailers and paid a hefty price. Thanks to Amex BVG, I was able to PM and get it all for the lowest prices, but that's not as easy to do these days.

 

[geoffkin]

Would any of the masks and snorkels on this site be great for my girlfriend and I to snorkel with in Hawaii? Any pros/cons for any of these, for just snorkeling with them?
Going for a couple weeks and would rather not rent equipment if the price was right!

 

[MaxDepth]

I agree with Crank.
Most divers out there are the ones with casual or leisure diving experience. I cannot recommend them buying life support gear from a website. Suits, masks, fins and goggles, heck yes. But BCs and regs, nah. Mostly about the warranty issue and the fact that these people will get them serviced at least one time, so the dealer will know they didn't get it from them.

I am a professional diver and I am certified SCUBA and compressor mechanic. I don't get bent out of shape like the store owners, so I will service and repair your equipment. However, I will charge more because I don't have the warranty information.


But for the experienced diver who does a lot of traveling, some of these deals are really nice but I'd like to see a bigger selection.

 

[froinlaven]

GO SELF CONTAINED UNDERWATER BREATHING APPARATI!!

 

[Subh2o]

Actually you are wrong... I have spent the last 8 years working in Dive Retail. Only two (Scubapro and Aqualung) have policy that demands a max. 10% discounting. Other brands (Mares,Dacor, Oceanic, Aeries, Tusa, Cressi) have different policies and all have authorized e retailers where the warranty is good. The only time your warranty is not valid is when you buy from stores like Leisure Pro (New York)and Dive Inn in Europe.

Congratulations you have bought into a well repeated myth that many dive retailers use to justify higher prices as they scare you with warranty not valid on life support equipment you buy online.
If you seriously want to discuss, PM me and we can talk it over.

My 8 years in Dive retail and over a decade of teaching scuba....


My bad, Atomic also has max discount policies but they are not yet a major brand but they do have great regs.

 

[MegaNerd]

Originally posted by: Crank
Obviously I care about price a lot, but I bought all my scuba stuff at legitimate retailers and paid a hefty price. Thanks to Amex BVG, I was able to PM and get it all for the lowest prices, but that's not as easy to do these days.

I have been to DiveSports and they are a legitimate retailer. They are only selling equipment lines on the web that the manufacturers have agreed to. Their other lines are available in-store only, as noted on the site.

Amex must have lost a bundle on BVG. It's no wonder the program is all but dead.

Cheers,
BD

 

[Crank]

Sorry, I didn't mean the term 'legitimate' the way it sounded.
I just meant a dive shop that was expressly authorized by the manufacturer to sell what it was selling. I know that I will have zero problems servicing my gear because I bought it at one shop that specializes in the brands that I bought - is that worth paying more money? That's up to you.

AFAIK the ScubaPro Regs sold by Dive-Inn are in every way identical to the ones you can buy at your nearest B&M dealer. The fact that you can get them for so much less from a place like Dive-Inn even taking international shipping into account ought to tell you something about the margins the stores make on these products.

I know that ScubaPro is particularly stringent on minimum pricing - I thought that most of the other big manufacturers were similar, but Subh2o sounds like he knows more about this than I do. Most of what I know comes from reading what dive shop owners on www.scubaboard.com have to say whenever the topic of Internet shopping comes up.
Apoligies if I mislead anybody - that wasn't my intention.

I think the strongest argument for paying more at a dive shop is that with the majority of this gear, you need to try it on to know if it fits well or not, and while you can do that over the Internet, it's a pain, and most people will simply use a B&M store to try stuff on, then go and pay less to an Internet vendor who doesn't have to worry about renting a retail space. I've done that - bought a pair of sunglasses that way once, but I completely understand why that would really irritate a dive shop owner.

I was very happy that Amex BVG afforded me a way to get the best of all worlds.

Heh, just got back from a dive weekend on Catalina Island. Had a lot of fun, but boy do I wish I lived closer to some nice, warm water

geoffkin, If you're only going to snorkel, I'd just rent gear in Hawaii. You won't have the hassle of dragging it around with you, and I don't think rental gear is all that expensive - about $10 for each of you, I think. Masks are really hard to buy without trying them on - people have different shaped faces, and some masks will not keep a seal on some types of faces, believe it or not.

If you think you want to get into snorkeling or even diving, then it's worth it to get your own gear, but you'll either have to order 2-3 masks from this site, or go to a shop and try some of them on. My wife and I got certified last year in Hawaii and had some really great diving while we were there - I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

[geoffkin]

Crank - I go to Hawaii every year, so I want to buy some quality equipment. My cousin lives near Waikiki, so cheap trips from California are a must for me! If I can get a QUALITY mask and snorkel for each of us, for just over $100. I think that would be better than renting their crap equipment, that has been in everyone else's mouth! How long will a good mask last if only used for a couple weeks a year and cared for? Thanks for the input! I was planning on taking her into a local dive shop and trying on some of these Tusa's that the cheap website has!! The shop can match the price if they want, but I doubt they can, since California Tax is so high!! Low prices + FREE Shipping + no tax makes me an exclusive NET shopper!!!

 

[Yossarian451]

Originally posted by: geoffkin
Crank - I go to Hawaii every year, so I want to buy some quality equipment. My cousin lives near Waikiki, so cheap trips from California are a must for me! If I can get a QUALITY mask and snorkel for each of us, for just over $100. I think that would be better than renting their crap equipment, that has been in everyone else's mouth! How long will a good mask last if only used for a couple weeks a year and cared for? Thanks for the input! I was planning on taking her into a local dive shop and trying on some of these Tusa's that the cheap website has!! The shop can match the price if they want, but I doubt they can, since California Tax is so high!! Low prices + FREE Shipping + no tax makes me an exclusive NET shopper!!!

I had a mask that lasted some real hardcore use last for 5 years. BUt with masks you pretty much *have* to try them on and find out which ones fit well. NOthing worse than a mask that doesn't fit and leaks.

 

[Crank]

I've been told that if you take care of your equipment it can last 20 years. I don't know how much of an exagerration that was, but I think it's safe to say that, if you use it a few times a year, you'll get your money's worth for sure.
Caring for a mask is easy, just rinse it off in fresh water after every use, and you're pretty much set.

 

[Scubadiver]

Hey OP, thanks for using my username as the title!!!!

 

[MegaNerd]

Originally posted by: Crank
Sorry, I didn't mean the term 'legitimate' the way it sounded.
I just meant a dive shop that was expressly authorized by the manufacturer to sell what it was selling. I know that I will have zero problems servicing my gear because I bought it at one shop that specializes in the brands that I bought - is that worth paying more money? That's up to you.

AFAIK the ScubaPro Regs sold by Dive-Inn are in every way identical to the ones you can buy at your nearest B&M dealer. The fact that you can get them for so much less from a place like Dive-Inn even taking international shipping into account ought to tell you something about the margins the stores make on these products.

...

I think the strongest argument for paying more at a dive shop is that with the majority of this gear, you need to try it on to know if it fits well or not, and while you can do that over the Internet, it's a pain, and most people will simply use a B&M store to try stuff on, then go and pay less to an Internet vendor who doesn't have to worry about renting a retail space. I've done that - bought a pair of sunglasses that way once, but I completely understand why that would really irritate a dive shop owner.

1) Divesports is legitimate, even with your clarified definition.

2) Most scuba gear is significantly cheaper in Europe, not just Scubapro. I'm told gear is higher here because of inefficient distribution (including the sales reps and high dive store markup) and liability insurance. Our shops do training at break-even and try to make it up on selling gear. Perhaps the overseas shops actually make money on training.

3) Trying gear on for fit and function is certainly an important benefit of buying at a local dive store (LDS). Unfortunately, some LDS's do not carry much stock, so you get mail order service at a retail price.

Again, DiveSports is a good business and has taken good care of me as a customer. Mail ordering gear is a personal decision, and you have to trade off savings versus whether the gear will work out or can be returned. I'm a tech diver who is well into 5 digits worth of equipment. I usually know what I want, so just want to get it at a decent price in a reasonable time frame.

Cheers! :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:
BD

 

[Snowlock]

Not sure where the great prices are... I've seen better elsewhere online. I guess it is what you are buying, try DiveUS.com , Piratescuba, or scuba.com

 

[PeterPan76]

Is it really worthy to purchase scuba gear when you do it once or twice a year?...

VIVA PADI!!!

 

[Crank]

Okay, evidently I'm not being clear in my posts - I never meant to imply that Divesports is illegitimate in any way. Apologies that the posts read that way - wasn't my intention.

I did want people to be aware of potential warranty issues, and also to be aware that the reason a LDS charges more for some equipment can be more complicated than simple greed.

PeterPan76 buying your own gear is very expensive. Renting gear isn't all that costly.
Example - I went diving with some friends off of Catalina Island last weekend. Two of us have our own gear, two of us rented.
The two of us that have our own gear have a perfectly fitting rig, and everything we need is right where we need it.
The two of us that rented got some pretty beat up looking gear, but it did get the job done.

I spent a little more than $2k on my gear, rental for the day was $50. Yep, it will be a long time before my gear pays for itself, but my gear fits me and I know I can trust it. That has value. Oh, and my fins are way cooler than the ones they rent

 

[jimmyjam]

i am considering purchasing my own gear and getting certified. i live 2 blocks from the ocean and i think i'd get alot of use out of it. can anyone give me an idea of what kind of investment i'm looking at here? $1000? $2000? i dont care about name brands and what-not, i just want something that fits and gets the job done.
also, if you happen to be familiar with the redondo beach, ca area, any specific shop recommendations?

thanks.

 

[MegaNerd]

Originally posted by: jimmyjam
i am considering purchasing my own gear and getting certified. i live 2 blocks from the ocean and i think i'd get alot of use out of it. can anyone give me an idea of what kind of investment i'm looking at here? $1000? $2000? i dont care about name brands and what-not, i just want something that fits and gets the job done.
also, if you happen to be familiar with the redondo beach, ca area, any specific shop recommendations?

thanks.

If you plan to dive in the cold California water, you will need good thermal protection, so you are probably looking at $1500 to $2000. The usual plan is to rent most of your gear while you are getting certified. Your LDS will frequently offer a discount package to their newly certified students. And if you decide not to stay with the sport, you're not out that much money. Used scuba gear usually goes for less than half price, so it's hard to recover your investment if you decide afterwards that diving isn't your thing.

I used to live in Redondo Beach, and dove with SeaDSea and Dive N Surf. They have both been there forever. (SeaDSea started out as Mel Fisher's scuba shop in the 1950s.) The beach diving is somewhat limited, but the boat diving out to the Channel Islands is extremely nice and not that expensive. There is a good
California scuba diving board that you might want to check out.

Cheers,
MN

 

[dleiss]

geoffkin,

I've been a recreational diver for 12 years and my wife and I have been snorkelers for 15 years. Every piece of equipment we ran out and bought has been replaced.

Our advice is to take your time buying equipment. Renting will identify what you don?t like more that what you prefer. Additional advise:

Get high-top booties and open-heel fins. This way you will not be bare-footed when you take your fins off. Make sure your booties fit your feet, and that the fins fit the booties.

Try many fins. Especially for snorkeling, you will probably NOT like the new split fins. I actually prefer Force (brand) fins. Lighter (weight) is better for traveling.

Ocean Master is a truly dry snorkel. It as a cork in the top that shuts off when water attempts to enter the snorkel.

Mask should have a purge (usually under nose). Ocean Master masks have a purge and the strap adjusts on the back of the head.

Mask volume and number of lenses are purely personal preferences.

Mask must fit (do not under estimate this).

Ignore all evaluations written in Rodale?s.

Neoprene suits give you added buoyancy, a comfort feeling to snorkelers.

I wear polartec.

Any savings done through the Internet will be lost when stuff has to be returned (I just experienced that with my last purchase of booties and fins).

I rent BCs and tanks.

I should be in Hawaii as I write this but my wife got sick. Have fun and check out scubaboard.com,

 

[Crank]

Heheh, well it just goes to show that different people like different things.

Force fins are definitely more a nice product - those who like them seem to completely swear by them, and the rest of us use regular fins
I have split fins - ScubaPro TwinJet, and they're awesome. I can't believe how fast I can swim with them.

No purge valve on my mask, and I got the lowest volume one I could that fit my face well.

I don't wear a snorkel when diving, but I've heard that the dry ones are nice for snorkelers.

Anyway, my only point is that before you spend a lot of money on equipment, do yourself a favor and try as much stuff out as you can. Most scuba shops I've been to are very lenient in letting you demo the stuff they sell - it's kind of like taking a car for a test drive.
Get as much experience as you can with various products, and you should find the best one for you.

 

[Subh2o]

and i cant stand split fins or force fins. I like a stronger fins like the Jets/rockets/quattro type, but I dove those in the navy so I'm biased.

I would never rent a bcd, too many inflators in rental stick causing auto inflate and an elevator ride to the roof which can lead to an over expansion injury. If you are renting check it on shore before you dive.

I agree that trying equipment is the best way to go.

 

[MegaNerd]

^ :beer:

Cheers,
MN