Intro Scuba packages

I am thinking of purchasing my first set of SCUBA equipment and I am
looking for some advice. What is a good introduction package that's not
going to cost a fortune but is trustworthy and dependable?

What is the best way to buy equipment, from my local shop or the web? Any
recommendations on websites?

Robert <robptaylor@fishhotmail.com> entertained us with:
:I am thinking of purchasing my first set of SCUBA equipment and I am
:looking for some advice.

Make sure it fits properly.

Dan Bracuk
As Big Ben said to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I've got the time if you've got the inclinaion.
The Best of Rec.Scuba
http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

"David M. Burnworth" <xlh883@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:fwISa.14161$Mc.1045544@newsread1.prod.itd.ear thlink.net...
> I strongly suggest you go to your local dive shop (LDS). You not only
> support them and they you, but you can also try on the gear and find what
> works for you best I in the showroom. You can also get warranty support
and
> return things. Many scuba manufacturers don't allow their gear to be sold
> on the internet so they won't support their warranties.
>
> Your LDS might be able to make you a good deal also.


Oh My God.

You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money to
get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys excluded,
are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and spread
folklore and myths about the industry.

See below the correct way to things.

Run that line about not getting gas fills on the net....go ahead...make my
day.


Go to the LDS
Try on gear
Decide what you want and what size
Go online
Leisure Pro/Dive Inn/Divers Direct/NESS/etc.
Save cash
Get more training
Go dive
with the money you saved you can dive more, eat better and drink merrily.

You are probably right MDH, but my LDS has given me some good deals on a
number of occasions. They could care less about the air fills.
Unfortunately, I have gotten away from the gear lines but I am still real
good friends with the manager. That is probably why I get good deals. he
used to be my roommate to.

David
"Mad Dog Hog" <mdh@owningstevespencer.com> wrote in message
news:_wISa.4432$09.2617@fe03.atl2.webusenet.com...
>
> "David M. Burnworth" <xlh883@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:fwISa.14161$Mc.1045544@newsread1.prod.itd.ear thlink.net...
> > I strongly suggest you go to your local dive shop (LDS). You not only
> > support them and they you, but you can also try on the gear and find
what
> > works for you best I in the showroom. You can also get warranty support
> and
> > return things. Many scuba manufacturers don't allow their gear to be
sold
> > on the internet so they won't support their warranties.
> >
> > Your LDS might be able to make you a good deal also.
>
>
> Oh My God.
>
> You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
> dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money to
> get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
> present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys excluded,
> are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and spread
> folklore and myths about the industry.
>
> See below the correct way to things.
>
> Run that line about not getting gas fills on the net....go ahead...make my
> day.
>
>
> Go to the LDS
> Try on gear
> Decide what you want and what size
> Go online
> Leisure Pro/Dive Inn/Divers Direct/NESS/etc.
> Save cash
> Get more training
> Go dive
> with the money you saved you can dive more, eat better and drink merrily.
>
>
>
>
>
>

Mad Dog Hog wrote:

> "David M. Burnworth" <xlh883@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:fwISa.14161$Mc.1045544@newsread1.prod.itd.ear thlink.net...
> > I strongly suggest you go to your local dive shop (LDS). You not only
> > support them and they you, but you can also try on the gear and find what
> > works for you best I in the showroom. You can also get warranty support
> and
> > return things. Many scuba manufacturers don't allow their gear to be sold
> > on the internet so they won't support their warranties.
> >
> > Your LDS might be able to make you a good deal also.
>
> Oh My God.
>
> You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
> dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money to
> get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
> present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys excluded,
> are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and spread
> folklore and myths about the industry.
>
> See below the correct way to things.
>
> Run that line about not getting gas fills on the net....go ahead...make my
> day.
>
> Go to the LDS
> Try on gear
> Decide what you want and what size
> Go online
> Leisure Pro/Dive Inn/Divers Direct/NESS/etc.
> Save cash
> Get more training
> Go dive
> with the money you saved you can dive more, eat better and drink merrily.

SHop online for pricing AFTER trying at LDS....then give them a chance to meet
that price. Most of the time, they can come close.


--
I'd rather put more life in my days than put more days in my life......

Mad Dog Hog wrote:
>
> "David M. Burnworth" <xlh883@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:fwISa.14161$Mc.1045544@newsread1.prod.itd.ear thlink.net...
> > I strongly suggest you go to your local dive shop (LDS). You not only
> > support them and they you, but you can also try on the gear and find what
> > works for you best I in the showroom. You can also get warranty support
> and
> > return things. Many scuba manufacturers don't allow their gear to be sold
> > on the internet so they won't support their warranties.
> >
> > Your LDS might be able to make you a good deal also.
>
> Oh My God.
>
> You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
> dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money to
> get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
> present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys excluded,
> are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and spread
> folklore and myths about the industry.
>
> See below the correct way to things.
>
> Run that line about not getting gas fills on the net....go ahead...make my
> day.
>
> Go to the LDS
> Try on gear
> Decide what you want and what size
> Go online
> Leisure Pro/Dive Inn/Divers Direct/NESS/etc.
> Save cash
> Get more training
> Go dive
> with the money you saved you can dive more, eat better and drink merrily.

after the lds goes out of business,
you can get your fills from leisure pro too.

how long will it take to mail your tank to them?

> > You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
> > dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money
to
> > get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
> > present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys
excluded,
> > are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and
spread
> > folklore and myths about the industry.
> Oh, I get it, online retailers don't have any kids in college, nor
> boat payments, nor any other financial responsibilities, this only
> applies to LDS people? They're both in business to make money by
> So, are you one of the people that only shops at places where the shop
> owner spends his money in a way that pleases you? How is it that you

No, the point was that you spend the money where it is cheapest - you don't
'support' the local shop because its local, you spend the money where you
get best value for money. It was an analogy that the prices at the local
shops are high, and with the profits they could afford to send kids to
college, where as the maybe better prices online you aren't doing that.
Nothing to do with where the money actually goes, just how much of it you
have to spend.
I should add to this that I am off to my local shop today for a load of kit,
including drysuit, and that shop was just about the cheapest or equal in
price with others I could find, and for things more expensive they say they
do a price-matching thing so will get the lower price anyway.

David

David Walker wrote:
>>>You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
>>>dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money
>>
> to
>
>>>get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
>>>present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys
>>
> excluded,
>
>>>are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and
>>
> spread
>
>>>folklore and myths about the industry.
>>
>>Oh, I get it, online retailers don't have any kids in college, nor
>>boat payments, nor any other financial responsibilities, this only
>>applies to LDS people? They're both in business to make money by
>>So, are you one of the people that only shops at places where the shop
>>owner spends his money in a way that pleases you? How is it that you
>
>
> No, the point was that you spend the money where it is cheapest - you don't
> 'support' the local shop because its local, you spend the money where you
> get best value for money. It was an analogy that the prices at the local
> shops are high, and with the profits they could afford to send kids to
> college, where as the maybe better prices online you aren't doing that.
> Nothing to do with where the money actually goes, just how much of it you
> have to spend.
> I should add to this that I am off to my local shop today for a load of kit,
> including drysuit, and that shop was just about the cheapest or equal in
> price with others I could find, and for things more expensive they say they
> do a price-matching thing so will get the lower price anyway.
>
> David


I don't have any problem with getting the best value, but that value
isn't always wrapped in the cheapest price. The original poster asked
specifically about LDS vs. Online purchases, and MD's responce not
only sounded one-sided (albeit, with noted exceptions), but for
reasons so patently unfair as to compel my post. Maybe MD has been
shafted by someone, and if sending a kid to school is getting shafted,
then I've been shafted too, though I certainly don't regret it.

I also don't have any problem with comparing prices between LDS and
online shops, so long as both know who their competition is. To do
otherwise is, at best disingenuous, and at worst, unfair pricing
practices by the consumer.


So, the the original poster, if you're going to price shop, have the
guts to be up front honest about your intentions and give everyone a
fair shake. If you can't do that, I don't want you anywhere near my
boat. Dishonest people make me sick. Honest would mean if you spend
time in a LDS diving various models to determine your needs, at least
offer a few bucks for their time. They may well decline your offer,
but at least you're up front enough to try.


--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten' ICQ = 35253273
"All that we do is touched with ocean, yet we remain on the shore of
what we know." -- Richard Wilbur

"David Walker" <wbsdavenews@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> No, the point was that you spend the money where it is cheapest - you don't
> 'support' the local shop because its local, you spend the money where you
> get best value for money.


So how much is getting the right fit in a wet/drysuit worth?

Saving a rush trip to the UPS/FedEx/Airbourne depot is worth how much?

If something being serviced never leaves the premesis, it can never get
lost in the mail, or mysteriously delayed. What's that worth to you?

How late are they open on Friday night as you're getting your gear ready
for tomorrow's 4am dive departure? Later than the post office, right?

A free loaner when your regulator suddenly craps out is worth how much?


Air fills...that are less than $50 each. People joke about Internet Air
Fills, but the reality is that they're expensive and take forever at 56K
(see: http://www.diveriteexpress.com/gas/etherfill.shtml)


Finally, if you rely on the LDS to have stuff in stock for you to check
out things like fit, providing this service isn't really free. If you
have no intention on ever spending your money there, this practice is
highly unethical, which tells us all that we really need to know about
bottom dwellers like MDH. Either pay for the fittings that are provided
as a free service to real customers, or get the hell out that shop and
don't ever come back.



-hh

"David left this mess on Mon, 21 Jul 2003 09:50:48 +0100 for The Way to clean
up:
>
>> > You really do not care where your money goes do you? Sending your local
>> > dive shop owners daughter or son to college or paying their bail money
>to
>> > get out of the can is no way to spend your money. Dive shop owenrs, at
>> > present two or three in the group who appear to be stand up guys
>excluded,
>> > are out to rip you off, seperate you from your hard earned cash and
>spread
>> > folklore and myths about the industry.
>> Oh, I get it, online retailers don't have any kids in college, nor
>> boat payments, nor any other financial responsibilities, this only
>> applies to LDS people? They're both in business to make money by
>> So, are you one of the people that only shops at places where the shop
>> owner spends his money in a way that pleases you? How is it that you
>
>No, the point was that you spend the money where it is cheapest - you don't
>'support' the local shop because its local, you spend the money where you
>get best value for money. It was an analogy that the prices at the local
>shops are high, and with the profits they could afford to send kids to
>college, where as the maybe better prices online you aren't doing that.
>Nothing to do with where the money actually goes, just how much of it you
>have to spend.
>I should add to this that I am off to my local shop today for a load of kit,
>including drysuit, and that shop was just about the cheapest or equal in
>price with others I could find, and for things more expensive they say they
>do a price-matching thing so will get the lower price anyway.
>

The sense I get from dealing with the LDS' I do is that I earn more than they
do, and hell, college is going to be a struggle for me. Think I mind paying a
bit more for service? Not really, considering the things I buy from them are the
things that will help keep me from drowning.

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003