Who is the Apple of the scuba world?

[Cinemaniac]

I'm newly certified and am looking to start buying my own gear. The are so many manufacturers I don't know where to begin. Is there a manufacturer or two that would be considered the Apple of the scuba world? I.e makes amazing products, easy to use, solid, reliable, they really think through how the user will interact with the product, stands by their products and continually innovates?

My limited experience with five or six companies so far makes me think the people who work at the companies never use their own products, and just crank out stuff with no thought about the design or purpose.

 

[DevonDiver]

In respect of expense, design focus, performance and customer brand loyalty (very much an Apple thing!).... then I would suggest Halcyon

 

[OldNSalty]

I don't think there is an 'Apple' of scuba gear but DevonDiver could be right-I don't know, because I don't keep up with Halcyon's stuff.

There are some 'cool' things out there-myflex hoses, oxycheq wings, freedom plates but I am not sure one company is standing so far out in every catagory from anyone else.

The things you listed; solid, reliable, easy to use, etc...those describe most of the main line vendors in my opinion.

Getting the blue screen of death on your windows machine is a bother but is not nearly as stressful as an equipement failure at depth thus most scuba stuff is 'Apple like' IMO

 

[DevonDiver]

Add 'Force Fins' and 'Jet Fins' to the list.

 

[diversteve]

makes amazing products

Atomic Regulators for their performance and exotic materials. And their new OLED-based Cobalt computer.

 

[rongoodman]

Halcyon was the first name to come to mind for me too.

 

[drrich2]

The user interface on the new Atomic Aquatics Cobalt dive computer, already mentioned, will hopefully be a big step forward. I hope to get one for that reason. That's about as 'Applely' as I can think of.

Richard.

 

[fnfalman]

For myself, I only insist on the following:

Dive Rite and Halcyon for BCDs.

Atomic Aquatics for regulators and split fins.

Spyderco for knives.

The rest is up for grab.

 

[Michael Kazma]

For regulators it is Apeks without a doubt.

For other items it depends on what you want out of them (what type of diving you will use them fore) and which items you want to buy.

 

[RJP]

I don't think there is an 'Apple' of scuba gear

As a marketer I would agree. Apple's brand essence is "design that will change the world" spawning game changers like the i-Pod. Show me the analog to the i-pod in the scuba world? There hasn't been an innovative product since JYC first jumped in the water with a tank on his back. Sure there have been cool products and some interesting/innovative features on standard issue "tried and true" product types. Lots of incremental feature bloat, but no game changers that I can think of...