Dishonest LDS ??

[offthewall1]

As a LDS Owner myself, I can attest to the fact that- that is total BS... and makes it blatantly obvious that he/she is either a desperate or greedy owner.

As a LDS Owner, I do want to have a look at what gear people are using to ensure that it is actually SCUBA quality. If someone brings in the $2.99 generic mask they bought at Walmart, I won't let them in my pool... but if it is a reputably named piece of scuba equipment in functional condition, regardless of manufacturer, it can be used.

Of course I'd like everyone to buy gear from me, that's how I make money... but I have learned over the past 10 years that treating people right and selling at fair prices is what brings success. Even if I were to tell a person their gear is inadequate, I'd be fine if they came back with something adequate they bought somewhere else.

The thing about this is that most anyone who walks into my shop will buy from me. I have a modern forwardthinking dive shop unlike any other I've seen. You can actually shop with us online (at our site) or you can use our showroom floor computer to find your best internet deal and ask us to match it. Generally speaking, we'll price match any authorized dive retailer then add their cost to ship it to you... this is the truest form of price matching in existence. We even provide a list of websites for you to check right in our store.

So do me a favor... never go back into that LDS... find yourself one like ours... and if you can't, feel free to get in touch with us...

Happy Diving!

 

[redacted]

As a LDS Owner, I do want to have a look at what gear people are using to ensure that it is actually SCUBA quality. If someone brings in the $2.99 generic mask they bought at Walmart, I won't let them in my pool... but if it is a reputably named piece of scuba equipment in functional condition, regardless of manufacturer, it can be used.

Why??? It seems to me that an el cheapo mask that fits well would be preferable to a $100 "scuba" mask that leaks. What is it that you think is going to go wrong in a pool that would cause such a major problem that you "won't let them in my pool"?

 

[SDSCUBA27]

Don't worry this LDS will not be in business much longer.

 

[bleeb]

I agree that fit is important, but how much of a concern is it that a el-cheapo mask may (probably) doesn't have a high-strength shatterproof lens?

 

[Couv]

I do not normally come to the defense of a DS, but as a former instructor, I know what is like to see a student turn up with a mask with a plastic lens or plastic fins that I know will only be a bother. Plastic lenses are almost impossible to keep clear and scratch easily. It is best to have a student's equipment sorted out prior to going into open water and if at all possible prior to the first pool session.

I like the idea of a dive shop openly allowing a customer to shop online at the store and price match.

True story: One day a potential student and customer came into the first DS I worked in. A lady was giving her son a present that consisted of diving lessons and the scuba equipment. She wanted to meet with me, the instructor and the DS owner to ask questions about equipment and scuba classes as she was unfamiliar with either. During the meeting she asked the owner "What if we bought our equipment at another location, could he still take his lessons here?" The owner replied, "Yes, but what if your son were to have trouble during his open water session, you would not want it in the back of his instructor's mind to think for one moment....'let him call the people who sold him that equipment to help him now!'....not that he would on purpose, but you still do not want it in the back of his mind."

I finished teaching the class I was currently involved in and found another shop to work in.

couv

 

[redacted]

I agree that fit is important, but how much of a concern is it that a el-cheapo mask may (probably) doesn't have a high-strength shatterproof lens?

Pressure imbalance on that lense should be very close to zero so that should not be the issue.

The disallowing of some class of masks and/or fins is only a problem, IMHO, if the rational behind it is bogus and self-serving. I may not agree with MikeFerrara on what he sees as a deficience of all split fins but at least his rational makes some sense. My home- modified splits are fairly stiff and frog kick as well as my jets. They also do OK turning and backing up.

 

[ReefHound]

Generally speaking, we'll price match any authorized dive retailer then add their cost to ship it to you... this is the truest form of price matching in existence.

If you add the shipping do you subtract the taxes? I'm impressed that you make the effort to be price competitive but the "truest form of price matching" is the drive-out total that gets billed to the customer's credit card.

I agree with the others, even a $2.99 Wally mask is not going to implode at pool depths else it would be a product safety hazard for *anyone*.

 

[redacted]

I do not normally come to the defense of a DS, but as a former instructor, I know what is like to see a student turn up with a mask with a plastic lens or plastic fins that I know will only be a bother. Plastic lenses are almost impossible to keep clear and scratch easily. It is best to have a student's equipment sorted out prior to going into open water and if at all possible prior to the first pool session.

I am not a fan of plastic lenses because of the scratching issue. But not all el cheapos have plastic lenses and some rather expensive masks (Scubapro Focus with anti-fog lenses) have plastic lenses.

The issue with a mask should not be price or source. It should be fit/seal and reliability (strap, adjustor, lense retainer, etc.)

 

[cdreamer]

Why??? It seems to me that an el cheapo mask that fits well would be preferable to a $100 "scuba" mask that leaks. What is it that you think is going to go wrong in a pool that would cause such a major problem that you "won't let them in my pool"?

Don't you know he knows everything?

 

[PinkPADIgal]

Blackrock...

As many of the posters have stated, it sounds like your LDS owner is trying to encourage you to buy from him. Understandable, but still he should not have lied to you.

I am both a LDS owner and instructor. We encourage our students to purchase from us, but if they choose to go elsewhere, we like to see the equipment before the class. We like to not only make sure it is appropriate for the student, but also double-check fit and durability for diving in Puget Sound.

For an instructor, it takes more time away from a class if he/she is having to fix ill-fitting, or broken equipment. If an instructor or divemaster is not familiar with the piece of equipment, it can take even longer.

I am not sure who may be instructing your GF class, but I would give him/her a call and tell them the situation with fins. He may have a different solution for you. Get your girlfriend through the class and have fun on your trip.