scubadobadoo
Contributor
I agree with mo2vation. I rented tanks from a sc in LA while visiting for a week. No drama and great hours. Didn't try to sell me crap. In and out, no hassle or expected loyalty from me in the future.
Sport Chalet...Good or Bad
- Thread starter Jorbar1551
- Start date
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Tripod:
It's the Chandler, AZ store. The dept. head told me they're going for 5 star IDC facility and need at least 12 course directors given their size, so they're staffing up. It's a great store for no hassles/no drama. I appreciate the "culture" of scuba stores, but it sometimes is nice to just go in and buy what you want without feeling you have to have a lifetime relationship. Plus they do really well on service prices. You can't beat $4 for a visual inspection on a tank ($7 with eddy current).
I liken it to a wal-mart. If you want the atmosphere of a small shop, SC isn't it. If you know what you want and want great prices, SC will fit your needs. Personally, I frequent SC and El Mar and a couple other dive stores as well. I make it a point to spend money at multiple stores (as long as the prices are fairly close) to help them all stay in business. After all, I'd hate for my source of air to be put out of business.
It could be that there are some good 'stores' (I can tell you that the Torrance store suffers from complacency). My family purchased me some gift certs to get myself some fins, but the store can seem to get my size, can't get them from another store (although the samples keep hanging there week after week). I finally just paid to get the fins elsewhere. Anyone want some discount gift cards?? 
There's a really cute blonde in the Temecula SC. She's only been diving for a bit under 12 months. She's got OW and AOW and about 75 or 80 dives in!
She's a really good diver and BOY, HOWDY, she's HOT!
Oh...she's my wife!
Ian
She's a really good diver and BOY, HOWDY, she's HOT!
Oh...she's my wife!
Ian
Tease.ianw2:There's a really cute blonde in the Temecula SC. She's only been diving for a bit under 12 months. She's got OW and AOW and about 75 or 80 dives in!
She's a really good diver and BOY, HOWDY, she's HOT!
Oh...she's my wife!
Ian
Dutch552
Contributor
Sometimes they have decent sales but for the majority of my encounters, the associate has been a real knucklehead who knew the bare minimum about diving.
Like agencies, the value of SC's dive department depends on the employees and instructors who work at the particular store. One of my instructors worked at a SoCal SC store and she is top notch, as are other dive pros I know who work at a few other stores. However, some are staffed by employees who may not even have dipped their pinkies in the water. It's hit or miss.
Given SC's recent one-sided cancellation of charters on a number of SoCal dive boats early in the season, leaving some operators with a lot of unexpected seats to re-sell, I think their corporate policy is a bit despicable and have not shopped at SC since.
Given SC's recent one-sided cancellation of charters on a number of SoCal dive boats early in the season, leaving some operators with a lot of unexpected seats to re-sell, I think their corporate policy is a bit despicable and have not shopped at SC since.
Mo2vation pretty much covered the good points. I would add that their return policy is pretty nice, i.e. "If it's broke, bring it in and here is a new one".
And I like their "free" pony refill policy.
The bad I have experienced are that:
1. If you take your rig in for service, it goes somewhere else for two to four weeks and does not come back tuned correctely.
2. Their prices help keep the "new and shinny" look of the store supported, so you pay more for the gear.
3. Dry suit, what's that?
4. If the class is not currently scheduled, leave you name and number and we will ignore you.
And I like their "free" pony refill policy.
The bad I have experienced are that:
1. If you take your rig in for service, it goes somewhere else for two to four weeks and does not come back tuned correctely.
2. Their prices help keep the "new and shinny" look of the store supported, so you pay more for the gear.
3. Dry suit, what's that?
4. If the class is not currently scheduled, leave you name and number and we will ignore you.
I only disagree with #3... The SC near me has a couple of DUI suits in stock, and also rents DUI drysuits. In fact, they probably have the largest rental fleet of drysuits (TLS350s) of any shop in SoCal... no other store has as many as SC does.muddiver:
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