Opinions on $399 packages from Divers-Supply

[rakkis]

As long as they are authorized retailers, this is a better deal.

You're going to have a MUCH easier time finding a place to service this gear. It's also Simple Reliable Stuff. Not top of the line, so you won't get super nice performance, but it'll do the job just fine for shallow, recreational dives.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Glad to hear continuing good things about the Sea Elite Tek-X. That's the reg I've been using for the past two, going on three, years. Very solid and dependable. I've never had a problem with mine. They are also upgradable. I think, for $100, you can send your reg to them annually, and they will send you back a NEW one, with all of the latest upgrades.

 

[Noviz]

As long as they are authorized retailers, this is a better deal.

You're going to have a MUCH easier time finding a place to service this gear. It's also Simple Reliable Stuff. Not top of the line, so you won't get super nice performance, but it'll do the job just fine for shallow, recreational dives.

Agreed. Especially good idea to buy a brand with international support rather than a local house brand. [Nothing against house brands... just that the LDS in Tokyo, Italy, Africa, Bahamas, etc. won't touch the stuff]

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I went to 134' with mine. It performed like a champ. Good reg, and yeah: Simple, no frills.

 

[mike_s]

There is nothing wrong with the Divers Supply brand of Sea Elite gear.
Sea Elite is just the 'store brand' of their store. All of their gear is just OEM manufacturered by some other big name brand or by the same company that makes the other 'big name brand'. For example, many of their regulators are the same as some of the Salvo and Dive Rite brands. There are other threads on the boards that tell more details. Their BC's I've been told are made in the same place that Zeagle makes theirs (I've just been told this...not been verified).

I bought a Sea Elite regulator many years ago. My LDS had never serviced one and was actually a little surprised on how well made it was (compared to the trash talk he'd been hearing).

If you see a LDS trash talking the brand, it's typically because they are trashing any brand they don't sell and they just want your $$$ on the sale.


As for their $399 deal, nothing wrong with it, but you get what you pay for. For $399 you won't get many features in the gear and will just want to upgrade later to better gear (regardless of brand).

 

[magnetic]

I went with scubatoys myself, picked out everything I wanted including:

Aeris Pro reg, Mares brigade viper octo, Mares Morphos Metal Tech LE, Aeris 3 gauge console w/ xr1 computer, and a 3mm full wetsuit.

They through in a nice padded reg bag, and dropped the price from 900+, to 700 or so after the package deal and the scubaboard 10% discount.

Not only that but shipping was something like $8.00 for everything, and the had it in the mail within a day. Also they spent quite a bit of time on the phone discussing gear, and value. Also they put my package together and tested it, prior to shipping.
Thanks scubatoys. My GF will be buying a package from them as well. My good friend who is a scuba instructor, thought all of the pieces were excellent, and felt very confident in the purchase.

 

[plwtwo]

I wouldn't recommend the Mares/DACOR VIPER to anyone, unless they have extreme dry mouth problems....can you say WET. Its like sipping from a water fountain, But it does work...