Only one type of gear? Why limit yourself?

[JohnnyC]

I like it myself. Most people who see my van also make the comment that it's a rolling dive shop. I love mixing up side mount with back mount and OC with CCR. Why always dive the very same way? I also agree that a few side mounters are way too aggressive with their choice of gear. Hey, it's their choice, but it often makes me chuckle to myself. Dive and let dive. He who dies with the moist toys, wins! (Thanks ScubaToys!)

When a phillips screwdriver is what you need, you don't go buy a new phillips screwdriver for the second screw. He wants people to believe that sidemount is only a solution to low passages, and that to use it for anything else is wrong and tantamount to being a detriment to the diver and taking money away from dive shops. That's just flat out wrong. To then go and give incorrect arguments to support his incorrect position is equally as wrong.

By his logic I should buy a stab jacket to go do a shallow reef dive despite the fact that I have a BP/W that works equally well for diving twins, 2 different rebreathers, and single AL80's with just a wing change....because I should support my local dive shop. And if I don't, I'm wrong and stunting the growth of scuba diving.

"By giving them good training and good advice we help make it easier and more fun." Buying more **** for the hell of it is not good advice.

 

[Richard FDC]

Alright JohhnyC I'll play the game a little more. My, my, my, there certainly are some aggression and anger management issues here. I wonder if I was standing in front of you would you talk to me that way? The keyboard and computer screen sure make a good shield. IMHO that type of behavior hurts the forums. If you can't have a civil discussion what sane person would want to participate. Before you type it ask yourself, "Would I say that to someone's face?" I don't believe I know you and I really like the last line saying I've never dove sidemount. As a matter of fact, if you look carefully at the picture in the article you can see my sidemount rig hanging on my equipment rack. It's true, I only recently started diving sidemount and I'm getting used to it. My last dive with it was at Ginnie Springs and was fairly anemic. I was pressed for time but was able to get in a quick solo dive. I just went in Devil's ear up the gold line past the Hill 400 Jump until I hit deco. I turned it and swam around through the Catacombs for a little while and exited the Eye because that's easier for deco. Now that was my arrogant and obnoxious response I do a lot of diving and yes, I have a lot of gear. I have gear in several different configurations and I use them for different types of dives depending on the situation. I don't have any agenda besides encouraging people to dive and enjoy it. Happy Diving!

 

[Richard FDC]

Do you really believe that the loss of LDSs would be the end of scuba?

It would be the end of SCUBA as we know it. I didn't think this was a point that could be argued. Local dive shops provide a tremendous amount of service to the industry. It's a long list but I'll try to cover a few points.
1. Fills- Can your online dive store fill your tanks?
2. Equipment service- Do you really want to mail your regs to who knows where for service. And how about shipping out them tanks for a viz or a hydro?
3. Training- Good luck with those online courses
4. Advice- Try asking that online sales rep their opinion on deep stops
5. Dive trips, friendships, and camaraderie- no explanation needed here.

So, yes! For many years I've been an advocate of supporting the local business person who sweats to make a dive shop work. They do it for the love of the sport. God knows they're not in it for the money. Trust me, you don't wan to see them go away.

 

[redacted]

All of those things could be provided morecefficiently by clubs that are not focused on profits.

 

[Richard FDC]

" I have a BP/W that works equally well for diving twins, 2 different rebreathers, and single AL80's with just a wing change"

Thanks for agreeing with me
Technical BCD is Best Choice for Divers | Florida Dive Connection - Florida SCUBA Diving News and Information

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It would be the end of SCUBA as we know it. I didn't think this was a point that could be argued. Local dive shops provide a tremendous amount of service to the industry. It's a long list but I'll try to cover a few points.
1. Fills- Can your online dive store fill your tanks?
2. Equipment service- Do you really want to mail your regs to who knows where for service. And how about shipping out them tanks for a viz or a hydro?
3. Training- Good luck with those online courses
4. Advice- Try asking that online sales rep their opinion on deep stops
5. Dive trips, friendships, and camaraderie- no explanation needed here.

So, yes! For many years I've been an advocate of supporting the local business person who sweats to make a dive shop work. They do it for the love of the sport. God knows they're not in it for the money. Trust me, you don't wan to see them go away.

OK, I'll play ...

1. Fills - where there is a demand for a service there will always be someone to offer it. The price might go up, but if there were no dive shops there would still be folks with compressors offering fills. I could even envision a "coach" arrangement where someone parks a van or truck at a dive site and provides that service. In fact, I know a couple places where that already happens.

2. Equipment service - many dive shops will happily take your regs and mail them out to a service provider. We have a guy in our area that services regs for over 80 shops in four states. I don't think that's uncommon. And frankly, I don't take my regs to a shop ... knowing that guy, I mail them to him directly and cut out the middleman (and their profit).

3. Training - independent instructors. I was one for the better part of the 12 years I was training scuba divers.

4. Advice - seriously? Dude, where are we?

5. Dive trips, friendships and camaraderie - I'm heading off to the Philippines in three weeks with ... ScubaBoard. I've met and dived with dozens of people through this board, both locally and abroad. In fact, I've arranged trips specifically BECAUSE of someone I met on here. Thanks to this place, I have friends all over the world. In addition to that, I am a member of two independent dive clubs ... one of which is intensely active (as in, club dives multiple times weekly). I'd say about 95% of my diving friends became friends outside of a dive shop.

That said, I'm a big fan of scuba gear. Got a variety of the stuff ... in fact, I just got my second sidemount rig from Edd Sorenson a couple days ago. Got a Katana ... looks like a nice rig that will travel much better than my Nomad, which I use here at home. Oh, I mostly still backmount ... but when I solo dive I will either sling a 40 or use the sidemount rig and take along a couple 100's, depending on where I'm diving and the anticipated dive profile. I like variety ... I like options ... and there's no such thing as too much gear ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Richard FDC]

All of those things could be provided morecefficiently by clubs that are not focused on profits.

That's a good idea but honestly, do you think it would really work? Look at the wide spectrum of success (or lack thereof) we see with dive clubs. Also, there would be little oversight and quality control. Would a reg tech stay current and give his time for free? There are many pitfalls to having only dive clubs. There's just something magical about capitalism and the free market that seems to make things work. Dive shops are under pressure from the internet now and we are seeing the results. They have to start getting paid appropriately for training and they have to increase the level of service. It's a tough business and change is in the wind these days.

 

[Richard FDC]

OK, I'll play ...

1. Fills - where there is a demand for a service there will always be someone to offer it. The price might go up, but if there were no dive shops there would still be folks with compressors offering fills. I could even envision a "coach" arrangement where someone parks a van or truck at a dive site and provides that service. In fact, I know a couple places where that already happens.

2. Equipment service - many dive shops will happily take your regs and mail them out to a service provider. We have a guy in our area that services regs for over 80 shops in four states. I don't think that's uncommon. And frankly, I don't take my regs to a shop ... knowing that guy, I mail them to him directly and cut out the middleman (and their profit).

3. Training - independent instructors. I was one for the better part of the 12 years I was training scuba divers.

4. Advice - seriously? Dude, where are we?

5. Dive trips, friendships and camaraderie - I'm heading off to the Philippines in three weeks with ... ScubaBoard. I've met and dived with dozens of people through this board, both locally and abroad. In fact, I've arranged trips specifically BECAUSE of someone I met on here. Thanks to this place, I have friends all over the world. In addition to that, I am a member of two independent dive clubs ... one of which is intensely active (as in, club dives multiple times weekly). I'd say about 95% of my diving friends became friends outside of a dive shop.

That said, I'm a big fan of scuba gear. Got a variety of the stuff ... in fact, I just got my second sidemount rig from Edd Sorenson a couple days ago. Got a Katana ... looks like a nice rig that will travel much better than my Nomad, which I use here at home. Oh, I mostly still backmount ... but when I solo dive I will either sling a 40 or use the sidemount rig and take along a couple 100's, depending on where I'm diving and the anticipated dive profile. I like variety ... I like options ... and there's no such thing as too much gear ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

No such thing as too much gear! Luv it! All very good points and worth consideration. I've been known to say, "All things in moderation." There has to be a balance. Take away all independent dive shops? Not likely. Make them do a better job and be more responsive? Now we're talking!

 

[redacted]

All of those things could be provided more efficiently by clubs.

Sorry, scubAboard performance on my tablet is a bit erratic.

 

[Richard FDC]

OK, I'll play ...

4. Advice - seriously? Dude, where are we?
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I'm sorry, had to do this. Edd is a friend and I'm pretty sure we've both taken some advice there?