Exactly Who/What Is "Scuba Lab"?

[drbill]

I don't care what anybody says about split fins, I love my Bio Fins

Me, too... although I use my "ancient" Blades when traveling (due to weight) and in strong current.

I don't know much about the current crop of Scuba Lab testers, and stopped my subscription to the magazine (mostly due to the ads). Can't say anything about how it is being handled now. Jon Hardy passed away nearly a decade ago.

 

[johnmckenzie]

I have learned more. The ScubaLab review articles in the magazine and that are reposted online are unbiased reviews. BUT the 60:Second ScubaLab videos on the website and in e-newsletters from both Scuba Diving and Sport Diver are paid for by sponsors (as are the e-newsletters themselves).

This stands to create confusion among divers and could diminish trust in the ScubaLab name, because the sponsored videos are not clearly marked as PAID ADVERTISING. Additionally, a December FTC ruling also requires that web reviews for which any compensation was paid or free product given must clearly state that fact in the article.

I spoke with today with Scuba Diving magazine editor David Espinosa about this issue. I was impressed with his response. He agreed with the point above and told me that he will work on displaying a clear distinction between the editorial ScubaLab reviews and the paid/sponsored 60:Second ScubaLab videos.

Apollo had bio-fins tested by the Scuba-Lab. We never spent even one cent in advertising. We were ranked very high test after test without advertising.

Test teams were made up of divers from around the country and the test protocols seemed to be well thought out.

 

[Bob Evans]

Johnmckenzie, I would like to know who owns them. Can any one help me, can not find on Net.

 

[johnmckenzie]

Johnmckenzie, I would like to know who owns them. Can any one help me, can not find on Net.

I checked and ScbubaLab is own by Bonnier Corp, parent corp of Scuba Diving and Sport diver.

 

[Bob Evans]

Johnmckenzie, Thank you. Very interesting.

 

[gcarter]

Just did a search for ScubaLab, looked at the review section. Pretty non-informative reviews, IMHO.

 

[Acanthurus]

I like this version of Scubalab...well actually Freedivelab...but whatever:

 

[gessoscuba]

Even Consumer Reports is subject to bias. Remember that they actually rated the iPhone 4 as a "no buy".

 

[covediver]

Amazing how names continue to stick, Scuba Diving has not been owned by Rodales for a couple of years, having gone through at least two publishers since leaving the Rodale's corral.

It is scuba diving's in house review column. I find the reviews to be pretty objective, especially when compared to the old Skin Diver, whose reviews were nothing more than an infomercial for the accompanying advertising, but everyone knew that was the case, right?

They do publish technical information on their protocol and have had some pretty unique ways of presenting data graphically that let you easily understand the tradeoffs between quality, performance, and price. All in all, i think it is about as objective an assessment as one can get in a situation where the best gear is the stuff I use, otherwise I wouldn't be seen dead in it.

 

[TracysaCADiver]

Also, they do have a range of divers in the mix - if you check out their D2D board, some of the divers there are also testers for some of the equipment that they test, some of which are also members of SB.

I checked out some of their reviews for Fins after I got my Oceanic Vipers. Turns out they got a best buy - it wasn't until after I read the review that I knew that what I got was a great deal.