It hardly seems fair...

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Saipanman

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Scuba Instructor
Messages
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Location
Saipan, CNMI
Last night, a rep from an equipment manufacturer flew to Saipan to peddle his wares. Invited shop owners, instructors and a few DM's to come to the pool to try out a few models from their lines of BCDs, masks, fins, regs, and computers. Gave us a SWEET Deal (non-pros would CRINGE at the thought of what they want you to pay vs. what they are willing to give us their stuff for) if we wanted to order anything.

Now, I know WHY they do this (I'll be getting a new computer and a new BCD (or two) that I wouldn't have ordinarily bought, and I'm switching brands of regs and BCDs, and I'm sure my students will notice what I'm wearing...), and I'm certianly not complaining about getting a deal (anyone at the pro level has spent MAJOR BUCKS on equipment and education), but I couldn't help but think to myself:

"Wouldn't it be nice if noobs were given this treatment?"

I don't know how its done in other parts of the world, but I'm sure that, around here, students are kinda stuck with what the shop rents, and newly certified divers don't get a carte-blanche opportunity to play in the pool for as long as they want with whatever equipment they want for free.

Pie-in-the-sky, yes. Economically impossible, yes. But wouldn't that be nice?
 
Just enjoy where you are in the world of diving. If we are serious and willing, many of us will be there too some day. It makes more sense this way, earn your perks.
 
Being able to rent the the same gear you want to buy would make me happy. There are some dive shop pool oportunities but that's not a dive and that doesn't cover everything. New diver discounts are not uncommon around here, that helps.

Pete
 
I agree with you Saipanman. As you obviously feel very guilty I am prepared to help you out and take the new stuff off your hands (Japan is very close so shipping shouldn't be a problem!) :wink:
 
Don't get me wrong. I certainly enjoy it. And I don't feel the least bit guilty (heck, if anyone deserves to be treated well, I guess it should be me, right?)

I guess I was just having one of those "Jerry McGuire" moments where you question why things are one way, and not some other, possibly better way.

I know the newly certified would love to get their own gear, and I know there's a lot of anxiety about what brand to purchase. I know students often feel slammed into buying whatever their LDS stocks. I know there's anxiety (quite rightly) about most Internet purchases.

I'm just saying that it would be nice if others got to do what I did, and could make their purchases accordingly. I know it could never happen. I just figure it would be nice.
 
And Pete, Good Luck and Have FUN on your dive tomorrow! Welcome to the club!
 
Seriously....it's the same with all sports and equipment suppliers that I know. How much do you think golf pro's pay for clubs, or to play on courses? How much do tennis players pay for rackets? etc, etc.
The equipment companies live mostly from the new divers who buy gear. The pro's get them those customers. For them it's just advertising costs.
 
I'm not so much talking about the discount (although it is GREATLY appreciated).

More so the access to the new and unfamiliar (which, to the newly certified, is just about everything). It was great! A huge pile of gear which we configured however we wanted, hopped in the pool, and tried out. Switched around everything (now try that with this reg.....check out these computers...try this back inflate....) They even pulled out stuff they weren't really going to sell; just neat toys.

Imagine being a new diver and haviing that opportunity! I think it would be great for them and great for the sport. But, alas...

Renting all that gear at once, or even over multiple days (if you consider all the different permutations of configurations we tried) would be cost prohibitive. And just grabbing gear from a pile and hopping in the pool without signing equipment waivers, FORGET IT.

All in all, a very cool night. Wish you all were there.
 
At our shop we allow the newly certified to purchase a complete top of the line scuba system. They aren't stuck with our crappy old rental gear at all. No descrimination for newbies.

After all that's how I started. If someone gave me my first system I may not have appreciated it any more than the car my parents gave me.
 
spectrum:
Being able to rent the the same gear you want to buy would make me happy. There are some dive shop pool oportunities but that's not a dive and that doesn't cover everything. New diver discounts are not uncommon around here, that helps.

Pete
:11:
Rent?? What do you mean I have to rent.. ( place your number choice here)

1..I'm just gonna be using it a couple of hours. It's just gonna be hanging on the rack tonight anyway.

2..I'll have it back to you first thing tomorrow, Saturday at the latest, so you can rent it to someone for the weekend.

3..I've been thinking about possibly maybe buying one of these things. Let me borrow it for a few days and I'll think about buying it from you.

4..I'll bet you don't make your instructors rent their gear.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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