Is mixing different brands okay to do?

[Scuba Nat]

I have been planning on purchasing my full setup for 2 years now and am ready to buy. Many people are saying that i am overpaying though.
this is what I want to buy: All scuba pro gear= mk25/a700 , The new hydros pro bcd that came out with air2, and the galileo luna. The total is almost 3000$
Th reason I was going to stick to scuba pro is because they have lots of platinum dealers and are well established. Their gear is also all handmade and assembled in italy. Sport Diver magazine and scuba lab mention scuba pro always. SO they sound like they have excellent quality.
I am also very interested in the free parts for life program (you have to buy the full setup to get it).

Some people are tellling me I could save money by mixing gear or going to websites. To be honest I don't trust leisure pro because they aren't a certified dealer for any of the stuff they sell.

I think that if I mix scuba pro with other brands I could run into issues that scuba pro won't be willing to solve.

Do you guys think that it's better to stick with one brand for a unison performance, or would it be best for me to save money and mix different brands to make the cost cheaper?

BTW I am a vacation diver, but I would like to explore NJ waters. Also, I don't like deep diving or technical diving, and I'm not interested in a wing setup because it doesn't seem comfortable and it is meant for tech divers. I'm PADI advanced certified and nitrox certified in case you guys needed to know.

 

[frndrfoe]

I think Leisurepro is an authorized scubapro dealer. Is Leisure Pro now an authorized ScubaPro dealer??
You might want to deal with a local shop however to develop a relationship. If you are familiar they will let you know when they have closeouts or promotions.

I have been diving the Mk17/g260 in PA and NY with great results. That might save you a good bit to get less costly models.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'll address just one small point in all this.

To be honest I don't trust leisure pro because they aren't a certified dealer for any of the stuff they sell. . . .

If you search for the many threads in which Leisure Pro is discussed, you'll see that they have a great reputation for customer service and speed of order fulfillment, not to mention cutthroat pricing against their competitors (which is easy when you're not an authorized dealer). Being an authorized dealer generally doesn't mean much in terms of benefits to the customer, except perhaps if the customer has to return an item for warranty service. But if there is a brand for which they are not an authorized dealer, they give you their own Leisure Pro warranty, which is as good or better than the manufacturer's warranty. In many cases, they have been known to simply exchange the customer's defective item for a brand new one. In contrast, an authorized dealer might send the item off to an authorized service center to get it repaired, while you wait for weeks. And Leisure Pro is FAST.

 

[SOFDiver]

While there is no doubt that ScubaPro retails some very good gear they are not the only game in town. Several other manufacturers make and sell gear that is as good as ScubaPro and some with a better warranty regime. I own a MK25 reg as well as regs from Aqualung, Oceanic, and Hog. The MK 25 in its many configurations it is a very good reg, but as you describe your diving, it may be bit of overkill. I suggest you do a bit of research, and evaluate other brands and price points. I would always suggest you deal with a local dive shop rather than an on line seller, and you will likely find when all is said and done the price you pay will likely be the same. Survice after the sale imay be more important that the few $ you might save.

 

[KeithG]

mixing brands? My dive buddy is worried about mixing colors...but she is mostly over this.

Take a big breath, stop drinking the marketing koolaid, do a little research, ask a lot of questions (you are already doing this! AWESOME! welcome to SB, it is a great place to learn and expand your knowledge) and buy the gear that you feel best fits your needs.Make your own decisions.

A quick mental inventory of my gear reveals that almost every bit of my gear comes from a different manufacturer.

no name fins
no name snorkel
genesis mask
no name weight belt
custom fit wetsuit
i forget booties
mako dive knife
hog dive light
scubalamp dive light
ikelite dive light
cressi travel bcd (it was the lightest available then and i have cut a lot of crap off of it since)
sherwood regulator
uwatec dive computers (before they were bought by Mr Johnson)
canon camera
meikon customized camera housing
ReefNet subsee diopters
sea and sea strobes (and others)
sea and sea tray & arms
i forget safety mirror
Fox safety whistle
i forget safety sausage

 

[KeithG]

P.S. I am also a vacation diver. I have always used a BCD. Do not rule out a BP/W because you are not "technical". Learn a little more about them and then make your personal decision.

I stick with my BCD since it is less than 3 lbs. This is significant when thinking about travel weight for planes. If I dove locally, then I think I would also own a BP/W.

 

[Scuba Nat]

While there is no doubt that ScubaPro retails some very good gear they are not the only game in town. Several other manufacturers make and sell gear that is as good as ScubaPro and some with a better warranty regime. I own a MK25 reg as well as regs from Aqualung, Oceanic, and Hog. The MK 25 in its many configurations it is a very good reg, but as you describe your diving, it may be bit of overkill. I suggest you do a bit of research, and evaluate other brands and price points. I would always suggest you deal with a local dive shop rather than an on line seller, and you will likely find when all is said and done the price you pay will likely be the same. Survice after the sale imay be more important that the few $ you might save.

Why would it be overkill?
One time I rented an aqualung to dive with and as I tried to breath ( on the surface AND in the water) It started making honking noises as I breathed and it was difficult to suck air in. I wanted that to never happen to me so I was thinking of getting top notch gear that's why I picked the mk25 and a700.
Is that really overkill?

 

[KeithG]

Why would it be overkill?
One time I rented an aqualung to dive with and as I tried to breath ( on the surface AND in the water) It started making honking noises as I breathed and it was difficult to suck air in. I wanted that to never happen to me so I was thinking of getting top notch gear that's why I picked the mk25 and a700.
Is that really overkill?

Poorly maintained rental gear is poorly maintained rental gear. Read more threads. I claim you will find that the common consensus is that all of the major manufacturers provide excellent quality gear (you can buy crap if you try hard enough).

Every now and then you will run into rental gear than is not performing as it should. This is generally an issue with that specific piece, not the manufacturer.

Read, absorb, ask questions.

P.S. If it breathed hard and honked on the surface, you are free to not dive it and spank the LDS for giving you crap gear.

 

[JohnN]

Why would it be overkill?
One time I rented an aqualung to dive with and as I tried to breath ( on the surface AND in the water) It started making honking noises as I breathed and it was difficult to suck air in. I wanted that to never happen to me so I was thinking of getting top notch gear that's why I picked the mk25 and a700.
Is that really overkill?

$ubapro makes good but expensive gear and are the Jedi-masters of dispensing FUD (Fear Uncertainty and Doubt). I wouldn't suggest a MK25 (piston) first stage over a sealed diaphragm. You should easily be able to outfit yourself for half of that $3K budget and then get to spend the balance traveling to someplace warm and diving yourself silly.

 

[The Chairman]

I dive several different brands... Hollis Fins, Scuba Force Mask, Atomic or Deep 6 Regs, Dive RIte BC and so on. If it matches ME, it matches my gear,