I have been following this thread since it starte and really have mixed feelings about this. Should someone go into a dive shop to try something on then turn around and buy online? I say no, at least not intentionally. I have bought a good majority of my gear online mainly because I like very specific gear and no one carries what I want so I have little choice but I also do not go try soemthing on and then go buy online.
Now if you go into the LDS and try something on and just don't have the funds at that point, go home and look online and see you can afford it online, thats a grey area. I can buy it now online or save for while and get it at the LDS?
One other point and this applies especially to newly certified divers. Some LDS's are very good at putting on the pressure to buy from them and a new diver is excited about the sport and seeing all the gear can sometimes get caught up right then and there. In my opinion some LDS's take advantage of that. To only find out they way over paid and for gear they really did not want. Is that acceptable? We can sit here and pass judgement but many if not all us have gone through this.
As for Rainer; Read his posts, do some research here and on thedecostop and then just ignor he will argue for sake of arguement and he is ALWAYS right. Most of his posts end in him calling someone a moron, tool, idiot etc etc.