Online scuba gear
- Thread starter k3v1n
- Start date
http://www.joediveramerica.com
http://www.scubastore.com/eng/index.asp
ebay too but with any life sustaining equipment: Have it serviced by you local dive shop. I've purchased things from all 3 and had great success.
I dive Zeagle and Scuba Pro... (pricey I know but, no one loves me like I do)
http://www.scubastore.com/eng/index.asp
ebay too but with any life sustaining equipment: Have it serviced by you local dive shop. I've purchased things from all 3 and had great success.
I dive Zeagle and Scuba Pro... (pricey I know but, no one loves me like I do)
fppf
New member
My wife and I are just starting out in the sport diving.
We just picked up alll our gear. I looked at the web stores but came to a few opions.
First, I don't know if I want to trust my life with something off ebay, or a web store. I have read in more than one place some mfgrs wont hold the warrenty on web sales. Also there are not to many Scuba shops around, if you don't support them with your sales how do you think they will stay open to service your equipment you bought somewhere else?
In the end we bought everything from our local shop. We got the advise and support of our divemaster and instructor and in the end still paid less than the cheapest online price.
We both picked Delta 4 regulators and Oceanic DataMax Pro2 dive computers. My wife got the Oceanic Isla BC and I have the Probe.
We just picked up alll our gear. I looked at the web stores but came to a few opions.
First, I don't know if I want to trust my life with something off ebay, or a web store. I have read in more than one place some mfgrs wont hold the warrenty on web sales. Also there are not to many Scuba shops around, if you don't support them with your sales how do you think they will stay open to service your equipment you bought somewhere else?
In the end we bought everything from our local shop. We got the advise and support of our divemaster and instructor and in the end still paid less than the cheapest online price.
We both picked Delta 4 regulators and Oceanic DataMax Pro2 dive computers. My wife got the Oceanic Isla BC and I have the Probe.
I've posted a lot on the online vs. local topic so I'll leave that alone...
www.leisurepro.com is one of the top online sellers (they also have a store front in NY).
www.leisurepro.com is one of the top online sellers (they also have a store front in NY).
I agree some items need to be purchased at the local store.. Or at least fitted and then purchased else where.
If you're worried about warranties, Send the item back to the Etailer and let them send in the warranty. I've gotten 1 Scuba Pro sent back and a Suunto Stinger sent in on yearly battery replacement and service that way. Just takes a little more planning... NO worries
My Issue is a lot of the local dive shops treat this sport as a "Boutique" sport. Often marketing up items 50-60% off MSR.
Which I'm not willing to pay for. That's just robbery...
If your comfortable with your gear and it's properly serviced it doesn't matter where you get it...
If you're worried about warranties, Send the item back to the Etailer and let them send in the warranty. I've gotten 1 Scuba Pro sent back and a Suunto Stinger sent in on yearly battery replacement and service that way. Just takes a little more planning... NO worries
My Issue is a lot of the local dive shops treat this sport as a "Boutique" sport. Often marketing up items 50-60% off MSR.
Which I'm not willing to pay for. That's just robbery...
If your comfortable with your gear and it's properly serviced it doesn't matter where you get it...
fppf
New member
While I don't agree with price gouging, which does happen in any market (FISH TOO). I also don't agree with going to a shop, wasting there time doing research and trying stuff on only to go buy it somewhere else. Maybe a lot of people are doing that and the only way the shop can stay open is to have there prices that high?
I personally would rather pay a little more and have the backing of my local store in person with stuff like this. But hey, you can do what ever fits you best.
I personally would rather pay a little more and have the backing of my local store in person with stuff like this. But hey, you can do what ever fits you best.
We bought our equipment from our local dive shop. Paid an arm and a leg for everything. Now that I know what I'm doing and what I want, I'm buying from leisurepro.com.
It may be beneficial to try/buy on wet suits and other gear at the local shop and pay the higher price initially. Once you get into the sport, you may want to buy online. The local shop will also inspect and certify your equipment is functioning properly and to maintain warranties.
It may be beneficial to try/buy on wet suits and other gear at the local shop and pay the higher price initially. Once you get into the sport, you may want to buy online. The local shop will also inspect and certify your equipment is functioning properly and to maintain warranties.
That's not completely true. Most dive equipment manufacturers warranties are only valid if purchased through authorized dealers. LeisurePro and the other online sellers are not authorized dealers (http://www.leisurepro.com/Content/FAQ.html#WarrantyPolicy). They offer their own warranties to replace the manufacturers warranty. Supposedly the coverage is just as good, but local shops do not work under those warranties. They can certainly still service your gear, and may meet the terms required by LP (or whomever), but it's not the manufacturers warranty.
For example, the warranty on ScubaPro regulators covers the cost of parts for your yearly service (for 3 or 5 years, I can't remember). If you purchased a ScubaPro regulator through LP and then had it serviced through your local shop, ScubaPro would not pay for the parts.
There are many things to consider when buying scuba gear. Most shops are pricey because they have a high overhead. A given piece of gear can be 3 times as high as an online shop, but an authorized dealer stands behind their gear with warrenties. Parts are included in some warrenties as well as labor. On the other hand, if I find a given regulator dirt cheap from an online store like LeisurePro, it still may be cheaper to buy another one if it breaks than to pay dive shop prices. Some online shops are authorized dealers as well. You need to go to the brand's site and they will tell you. Aqualung does not authorize online sales. Oceanic does, but only if you see their "shop and buy" logo. Ebay has Ebay stores as well as private sellers. If you use PayPal then at least you have recourse up to $1,000 if you get rooked. Oh, and strangely enough my dive shop has better deals than they advertise online! Maybe it's because most manufacturers have set prices online for all distributers and shops. Bottom line is some dive shops have to sell high to stay in business, while others sell high to increase profits. I don't blame them. It's just the business. I will leave you with this: Not every dive shop is looking out for you, nor is every dive shop trying to rip you off. If you go to your local dive sites, the divers and the site operators will tell who's what. And don't just take one person's opinion. Don't even take mine! Do your homework. Don't allow anyone to pressure you to buy anything. If you go to scuba.com, you will see some gear with a "scubalab's choice" logo. They are an independent testing group who has tried the stuff out. THEN FIND A DEALER TO SEE IF IT FITS! The rest is now the price...
StinkStarFish
New member
k3v1n,
Noticed you were in Dallas. Take a drive over to Scubatoys off I35 in Carrollton. They have a web store as well. They have a huge inventory of anything from rec to tec. Larry is the owner and a great guy. I've probably spent a couple grand with him and service is top notch. They have a lot of stuff in the store that might not be on line. They also do lessons and have a full service department.
Ron
Noticed you were in Dallas. Take a drive over to Scubatoys off I35 in Carrollton. They have a web store as well. They have a huge inventory of anything from rec to tec. Larry is the owner and a great guy. I've probably spent a couple grand with him and service is top notch. They have a lot of stuff in the store that might not be on line. They also do lessons and have a full service department.
Ron
Ron,
Thanks. I've been shopping around. I've been to Crazy Scuba aka Aqua Adventures and Emerald Sea. I like Emerald Sea, but will look into Scubatoys. I work near international scuba in Addison, and they are pretty pricey. I only gotta couple of months left before I go to Bonaire and will probably got out to the scuba park sometime hopefully in March or April. Will probably freeze my butt, even w/ a 4/3 long wetsuit. What sucks is I have to pay for two scuba gears, one for me the other for my wife. I was thinking about just renting the BCD and get my own reg for now. It's just kind of hard thinking about forking out almost 2K for both packages and go on vacation. =(
Thanks. I've been shopping around. I've been to Crazy Scuba aka Aqua Adventures and Emerald Sea. I like Emerald Sea, but will look into Scubatoys. I work near international scuba in Addison, and they are pretty pricey. I only gotta couple of months left before I go to Bonaire and will probably got out to the scuba park sometime hopefully in March or April. Will probably freeze my butt, even w/ a 4/3 long wetsuit. What sucks is I have to pay for two scuba gears, one for me the other for my wife. I was thinking about just renting the BCD and get my own reg for now. It's just kind of hard thinking about forking out almost 2K for both packages and go on vacation. =(
StinkStarFish
New member
I here that. My wife got certified this past summer and I put her in a new backplate and wing with an Apex DS4/ATX50 reg. Top that off with the computer, it gets pricey quick.
You won't be dispointed if you go to Scubatoys, it is really a treat, even if you don't buy anything. They probably have 100 times the inventory of any local dive shop. Volume discount is their game.
Also, relevent to this board, they have a large indoor salt water pond. It is fish only, but very cool.
Have fun on your trip.
You won't be dispointed if you go to Scubatoys, it is really a treat, even if you don't buy anything. They probably have 100 times the inventory of any local dive shop. Volume discount is their game.
Also, relevent to this board, they have a large indoor salt water pond. It is fish only, but very cool.
Have fun on your trip.
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