Does anyone still believe in "Support Your LDS"?

[RVBldr]

With four good shops easily within reach of a quick trip at lunch time, I tend to spread the dollars across the multiple shops while also using some of the on-line shops depending on what I'm looking for. I did buy my Fusion Tech local as well as a couple tanks, but have also bought a number of items on-line. It just depends on what brands the shops are carrying and pricing for the most part. I'm finding that some shops can get pretty close to the on-line stores so if the difference isn't much, go local.

 

[Seefourdc]

I am becoming more and more frustrated with my LDS atm. It's been 3 weeks and he still hasn't ordered a particular ice vest I have attempted to get him to order about 4 times now. I know from experience ordering directly from Waterproof that it doesn't take a week to get something from them let alone three and at one point I was definitely lied to. I still haven't told them I even ordered something from somewhere else yet and I was told by my wife that this will give me a very negative reputation there. I still have certs left to do and there is a nice stack of gear I will need to buy for my wife after she has our baby, and I'm really wondering if I need to take my business elsewhere at this point. Scubatoys is only 2 hours away...

I used to own a business that was successful. It's the business job to make the customer happy, not the other way around. The attitude that some LDS have that they can/will mistreat people who are not loyal is sad to me, and people will eventually find other solutions to this type of behavior in my experience.

 

[ams511]

I also wouldn't say that people that shop online "prefer an impersonal experience" but rather that they are willing to accept an impersonal experience due to other benefits....then again some might actually prefer it.

If you know what you want then why do you need a personal experience? If you don't know what you want then you may want the personal experience. I live in South Florida now so the local dive shops stock almost every brand imaginable. However, for divers that live in non-coastal areas you are lucky to have a semi-local dive shop and that dive shop may not carry the brands you want. So if you really want an Mk25/S600 but the local dive shop only carries Dive Rite or Sherwood what do you do? Buy what you don't want locally or buy what you do want over the internet?

 

[Lee Viathan]

My diving dollars are spread amongst 3 LDS' and LP and Scuba.com. As it's been said already, I support the LDS as best as I can, but, when selection is lacking and highly inflated prices are present, gear is a mouse click away.

I have my "first" LDS that got me cerified, but in the time between confined water and OW checkout, I found another LDS that I bought gear from. LDS 1 didn't have anything even remotely technical, and I wanted a Dive Rite Transpac. Voila, LDS #2. I like the folks at LDS #1, and have gone on dive trips with them. LDS #2, however, allowed me to upgrade & pay the difference on a MK 25 s600 after having problems with my 6 month old reg set. They could have stuck me but didn't. Instant Goodwill!

I can also go get in their LDS #2's pool to keep skills from corrosion ( and most importantly breathe compressed air) as long as no training sessions are booked. LDS #1 said that you can come and get in their pool to keep up your skills, but it is a great big hassle as they have swim lessions, etc. LDS #2 has gotten a lot of my equipment business since I'm in their shop on a regular basis. I've used that facility to get more comfortable with the whole diving process. On a trip to Rainbow river/ Crystal River, Florida, my dedication to boring pool work paid off in the water. Buoyancy dialed in, position in the water by breath control, zoomin' over river grass like Superman ( or would it be Aquaman in this case )

One thing I know, I can't do pool work online!

 

[rhwestfall]

I'd be curious to see the relationship beteen supporting the shop and dive count.... I think as we get comfortable in our skin, we tend to explore the opportunities.....

Wish I could justify a compressor.......

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'd be curious to see the relationship beteen supporting the shop and dive count.... I think as we get comfortable in our skin, we tend to explore the opportunities.....

Wish I could justify a compressor.......

I've done over 3100 dives in 12 years ... probably about 85% of them local. I could easily justify a compressor ... what I can't justify is the time and maintenance required to use it. My fills cost me $100 per month for all the nitrox I can use ... averages out to about $5 per fill over the course of a year. I consider it money well spent.

Last year I spent about $8000 at my LDS ... which was about 65% of all my scuba purchases for the year.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[rhwestfall]

there is always an anomaly..... maybe it is me. Then again, you said that the shops tend to carry what you want.... I don't reside in such an area, and it seems many others don't either.....

 

[300bar]

Not a problem at all!

EtherFill 5000™ Cylinder Fill System - Dive Gear Express

Ahh the good old Etherfill

But do scroll down that page for their latest invention.

Chimera Valve™ is a major new advancement in technology for mixed gas divers. By adjusting the green and black knobs you can control the gas mixture delivered from the cylinder valve outlet. Turning the black knob adjusts the amount of total gas flow, turning the green oxygen clean knob adjusts the amount of oxygen in the gas mixture. Never again will you be caught with the wrong mix in your tank! The 225-Bar DIN valve outlet includes a removable insert for use with both DIN and conventional yoke regulators. The Chimera Valve is fully compatible with our Etherfill 5000. Coming Soon: the AjnaChakra Valve for Trimix will allow you to adjust both the helium and oxygen. Caution: Opening the green knob such that the mixture exceeds 40% oxygen content requires your regulator first stage be suitable for oxygen service.

Priceless

 

[billt4sf]

I've done over 3100 dives in 12 years ... Last year I spent about $8000 at my LDS ... which was about 65% of all my scuba purchases for the year.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

EGAD! I hope after 3,100 dives (if I make it that far) I won't be still spending over $12,000 annually on dive equipment!

 

[tracydr]

I like the people at the LDS's local to me. Unfortunately they just don't have anything I would want other than a d-ring and a tri-glide. We have had the conversation about Hogarthian gear, and they refuse to stock anything.

Same here. I like my local shop and enjoy going to get fills. I buy a couple of odds and ends occasionally. We send students for rentals ( but we don't have many classes now with hubby working on his dissertation research) but for the most part my purchases are online, since my LDS'S simply won't stock any technical stuff. I'm starting to purchase all DIR gear and hope to take Fundies and some tech classes soon.