Rickk
Contributor
I am OK with buying the stuff that involves life support or is integral to the dive manufactured by the name brand scuba dive manufacturers, reg, mask, fins BD etc but I do not see the reasons for buying scuba manufacturer branded stuff for other equipment.
For example there is a thread on tech shorts, I just dive with board shorts that have similar sized cargo pockets, cost less than 1/20 the cost of the tech shorts.
Wet suits, you can get these at Costco for a quarter of the price of ones through a dive shop.
I bought several pairs of neoprene gloves from Loews for $2.50 each. Branded gloves were $25 to $50 a pair.
Yes the branded stuff might be more durable, but gloves will get cut on rocks or get lost just as quick at ten times the price.
Even non branded stuff from a dive shop is much more expensive. Barrel clips, in good grade stainless are less than half the price at a hardware store as a a dive shop.
I am willing to support the local dive shops because there can be value added in their services, but buying stuff costing multiples of the price of what be just as serviceable simply does not make sense to me.
For example there is a thread on tech shorts, I just dive with board shorts that have similar sized cargo pockets, cost less than 1/20 the cost of the tech shorts.
Wet suits, you can get these at Costco for a quarter of the price of ones through a dive shop.
I bought several pairs of neoprene gloves from Loews for $2.50 each. Branded gloves were $25 to $50 a pair.
Yes the branded stuff might be more durable, but gloves will get cut on rocks or get lost just as quick at ten times the price.
Even non branded stuff from a dive shop is much more expensive. Barrel clips, in good grade stainless are less than half the price at a hardware store as a a dive shop.
I am willing to support the local dive shops because there can be value added in their services, but buying stuff costing multiples of the price of what be just as serviceable simply does not make sense to me.