Aeris Brand Longevity

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Farra

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Messages
9
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Location
Alabama
# of dives
50 - 99
Main Question: I know Aeris has been around since '98, but is there any concern for the brand going away? If they go away will I have problems getting my Aeris regulator serviced? (i.e. do they use unique parts?)


I am an advanced certified diver, and I have rented equipment for the 4+ years I have been diving. I am finally deciding to make the jump and buy all my own gear. For the price and reviews I have read, the
Aeris ION LT AT600 Regulator or the Aeris ION/AT400 Regulator, Swivel, Non DVT, Yoke look to be great regulators. However, I am not sure if it is considered an established company (like atomic, scuba pro etc) and I am wary of buying it for servicing. I know my local dive shop services them now, but I'm worried if the company is fairly new if they will go away, but more importantly IF (and it seems like they won't due to the good reviews) they go away, are their parts generic enough to be able to get servicing done on them well beyond the company?
 
Aeris is an Oceanic Brand, I hear that Oceanic is phasing the brand out and just marketing everything under Oceanic for Rec and Hollis for Tec. That AT-400 looks identical to my Oceanic CDX-5 which has served me well for the last 2 years. No problems getting it serviced.
 
Aeris is going the way of the dinosaurs and is being absorbed by its parent company Oceanic. Having said that I'd imagine servicing will still be fully supported by Oceanic. Much of the equipment sold by both is the same save branding. Personally I wouldn't buy an Aeris, Oceanic or Hollis reg. Oceanic, the parent company, is a large and established company with a pretty good reputation for customer service and is likely not going anywhere anytime soon. If you're worried about parts availability or servicing you'd be better to stick with one of the more widely distributed brands such as ScubaPro or Aqualung, particularly if you travel dive as both have very wide networks. Atomic make very nice regs too but service networks are nowhere near the size of SP or AL. Apeks is also worth consideration as now being owned by AL servicing should be no problem. I'm sure the regs you mention are good regs, most are and work fine, but like I said personally I wouldn't buy them. Good luck with your search.
 
Established company like Atomic...... Est 1996......
ATOMIC AQUATICS: Born of Passion

Being an alternate brand name it will be a lot like finding Pontiac or Buick parts... many are common to surviving brands and there is money in parts sales. As you noted the computer is a sister model.

I would only buy new at fire sale prices but I wouldn't give a second thought to keeping existing gear in service.

Pete
 
Established company like Atomic...... Est 1996......
ATOMIC AQUATICS: Born of Passion

Being an alternate brand name it will be a lot like finding Pontiac or Buick parts... many are common to surviving brands and there is money in parts sales. As you noted the computer is a sister model.

I would only buy new at fire sale prices but I wouldn't give a second thought to keeping existing gear in service.

Pete

Sorry, I don't follow?

---------- Post added April 18th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ----------

Do you mean Atomic is an alternate brand?
 
An Aeris shop I deal with had been promised that they could have Oceanic or Hollis once they decided to move forward. A year later they wanted to add Hollis and were told that wouldn't happen after a competitive shop, over 20 miles away, complained about it. One more year later, they were told Aeris is going away, oh well. Now remember, Aeris was the second product and accounted for over $30K in retail dollars annually.

At that stage, the shop in question asked the rep to leave the store an never return. While I have heard this happen at other shops, this one I know personally. As such, I find AUP's business practices reprehensible and would never consider owning one of their products. It should be said that, a year after the rep was asked to leave, AUP came back and tried to make nice by offering Hollis, and, while the shop may elect to do that at some point in time, for now they are moving forward without them.

As a technician I find there regulators functional, but basic (not a bad thing) a solid entry level or rental regulator, but not something I would choose for my kid. I would personally stay away from the Ion. It has an interesting quirk that, with a little wear and tear, could allow the adjustment tube to pop out in your hands while working on it. While I haven't seen any reports of one doing that underwater, I believe it could happen.
 
No worries------they'll be here longer than SB will be around..:)
 
Sorry, I don't follow?

---------- Post added April 18th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ----------

Do you mean Atomic is an alternate brand?

When I posted I had them flipped in my head thinking Atomic was the newer brand. It's not but it is only 2 years more established than Aeris so it's still not a stellar example of longevity.
 
That products look identical does not mean they are. I have an Aeris BCD. Forgot my weight pockets on a Keys trip once. So I bought a pair of oceanic pockets. Looked identical. Clips were same. But on my first giant stride I watched the pockets sink to the bottom. Water was only 20 ft so I swam down and picked them up and put back in. Turned out the strap on the clip was one inch longer with Oceanic than with Aeris and that gave the weights freedom to move.
 
When I posted I had them flipped in my head thinking Atomic was the newer brand. It's not but it is only 2 years more established than Aeris so it's still not a stellar example of longevity.

Thanks for the reply. Agree, my recommendation about Atomic was based of quality as opposed to longevity.
 

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