my litmus test: show up with a double hose....
Have You Outgrown Your Dive Shop?
- Thread starter Trace Malinowski
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Where I live there rely are no LDS.
The closest shop is about 70km away, have open 2-3 hours every week, no classes only equipment. I sometimes drop in when i have time over and is close, the owner is great, give me a cup of coffee and talk away an hour, when I (as a new diver without any experience of cold water diving) asked about buying a dry suite he recommended me to try to find a good used one and try before i put 1000€ + in a suite, we had discussions about pros and cons with different regulator models he don't sell, and he lent me some of his personal stuff to try out before deciding to buy. He is also rely understanding that i going to buy some stuff from him, where his price is not much higher than i can get online, but that stuff where his price is to high i going to get from other sources.
The next shop is 130km away, I only visited a couple of times and took nitrox class there, they have good stock but prices on equipment are through the roof. They have both equipment and training.
The shops i have most experience of is in SEA and most of them are good but focused on recreational vacation diving. I feel that in most places i been there are a difference between dive centers and equipment stores. Most of the dive centers i dove with do not sell equipment.
Gear shops: Most of the staff have no experience or knowledge about other stuff than what they stock, but can be good to help to find the right mask or other more basic stuff, I think their customers mostly are DMT's and instructors, while the average divers just buy mask and fins. When i needed to change the spool-orings on my backup computer in one shop they was questioning my regulator setup (for being weird, old stuff), and in the shop on the other side of the street they not only had knowledge about my weird old regulators, they appreciate them but said that most people around don't understand why they should buy anything more expensive than Aqualung Calypso. (I use old Poseidon Jetstream 2nds and an Aqualung Cousteau SAE yoke 1st for travel.)
Dive centers: Those I have experience of have been great, just focus on making me having a good time, even if i find that some try to sell an extra cert for making a buck I feel that most of all they like me to have a nice time and do more diving, I took most of my certs with the same dive center, but I felt that they are happy with the certs i got in other places.
I have recently become a DM in one of the dive centers, and i have been working a little as DM there, i feel in that they focus on diving and don't do much sales, even if they follow customers to the equipment store and get a kickback on the sales, customers mostly buy mask and fins.
So, to the question, have I outgrown my shops? Both yes and no. Most dive shops have no idea of the equipment I use, but some are interested and others just like me to buy some new and shiny.
The closest shop is about 70km away, have open 2-3 hours every week, no classes only equipment. I sometimes drop in when i have time over and is close, the owner is great, give me a cup of coffee and talk away an hour, when I (as a new diver without any experience of cold water diving) asked about buying a dry suite he recommended me to try to find a good used one and try before i put 1000€ + in a suite, we had discussions about pros and cons with different regulator models he don't sell, and he lent me some of his personal stuff to try out before deciding to buy. He is also rely understanding that i going to buy some stuff from him, where his price is not much higher than i can get online, but that stuff where his price is to high i going to get from other sources.
The next shop is 130km away, I only visited a couple of times and took nitrox class there, they have good stock but prices on equipment are through the roof. They have both equipment and training.
The shops i have most experience of is in SEA and most of them are good but focused on recreational vacation diving. I feel that in most places i been there are a difference between dive centers and equipment stores. Most of the dive centers i dove with do not sell equipment.
Gear shops: Most of the staff have no experience or knowledge about other stuff than what they stock, but can be good to help to find the right mask or other more basic stuff, I think their customers mostly are DMT's and instructors, while the average divers just buy mask and fins. When i needed to change the spool-orings on my backup computer in one shop they was questioning my regulator setup (for being weird, old stuff), and in the shop on the other side of the street they not only had knowledge about my weird old regulators, they appreciate them but said that most people around don't understand why they should buy anything more expensive than Aqualung Calypso. (I use old Poseidon Jetstream 2nds and an Aqualung Cousteau SAE yoke 1st for travel.)
Dive centers: Those I have experience of have been great, just focus on making me having a good time, even if i find that some try to sell an extra cert for making a buck I feel that most of all they like me to have a nice time and do more diving, I took most of my certs with the same dive center, but I felt that they are happy with the certs i got in other places.
I have recently become a DM in one of the dive centers, and i have been working a little as DM there, i feel in that they focus on diving and don't do much sales, even if they follow customers to the equipment store and get a kickback on the sales, customers mostly buy mask and fins.
So, to the question, have I outgrown my shops? Both yes and no. Most dive shops have no idea of the equipment I use, but some are interested and others just like me to buy some new and shiny.
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@TMHeimer we all know Buffet's are overrated these days and if you want a real clarinet you get a Backun.... Though I do love my Jazz Festival, have a weird attachment to that one. My personal favorite is an old Leblanc that was owned by my mentor and he got it when he was a Leblanc artist in the 50's but I'm slightly biased....
anyway to @Trace Malinowski 's question.
I outgrew all of the local dive shops before I was actually certified. Coming out of one of the few "old school" university courses where we are taught and encouraged to be fully self sufficient, buy gear that is what you need vs. what the industry says you need *if divers show up with purge valve snorkels they are immediately duct taped closed so they learn how to displacement clear*, and actually teach them how to perform all of the basic service on their gear, we aren't really welcomed with open arms into any of the dive shops. Sure they get rentals when students go and rent gear for open water since we want them to get the experience of renting gear from a dive shop which allows us the teaching opportunity for them to dive in the bp/w's and primary donate apeks regs at school then switch over to whatever rental gear they get, but also gets the experience of learning how to interact with them.
That said, I had my own gear, did my own service, etc etc. prior to being certified *thanks @herman*. The owner of one shop was a tech diver, the other was old enough to remember the old school ways and had a good relationship with our program so I never had any issues but it was always well understood that we would never mesh into their teaching style.
I'm in Greenville now and we have one local shop. Thankfully I hit it off with the owner who is also a cave diver but their shop is not technically oriented at all. He's a TDI IT, but focuses mainly recreational diving since that's where the money is. I have outgrown his shop, though he's asked me to teach an/dp and itt classes. Thankfully he's a good resource when I need little parts that I can get locally so it works out. I have my own fill station, now have my own booster, still do all of my own service, etc. but I don't feel like a total outcast there like I did in the shops in Raleigh which is nice and he certainly doesn't ostracize anyone for seeking training outside of his shop. He's been around long enough and has been exposed to enough that he doesn't feel threatened by it like most of the industry.
anyway to @Trace Malinowski 's question.
I outgrew all of the local dive shops before I was actually certified. Coming out of one of the few "old school" university courses where we are taught and encouraged to be fully self sufficient, buy gear that is what you need vs. what the industry says you need *if divers show up with purge valve snorkels they are immediately duct taped closed so they learn how to displacement clear*, and actually teach them how to perform all of the basic service on their gear, we aren't really welcomed with open arms into any of the dive shops. Sure they get rentals when students go and rent gear for open water since we want them to get the experience of renting gear from a dive shop which allows us the teaching opportunity for them to dive in the bp/w's and primary donate apeks regs at school then switch over to whatever rental gear they get, but also gets the experience of learning how to interact with them.
That said, I had my own gear, did my own service, etc etc. prior to being certified *thanks @herman*. The owner of one shop was a tech diver, the other was old enough to remember the old school ways and had a good relationship with our program so I never had any issues but it was always well understood that we would never mesh into their teaching style.
I'm in Greenville now and we have one local shop. Thankfully I hit it off with the owner who is also a cave diver but their shop is not technically oriented at all. He's a TDI IT, but focuses mainly recreational diving since that's where the money is. I have outgrown his shop, though he's asked me to teach an/dp and itt classes. Thankfully he's a good resource when I need little parts that I can get locally so it works out. I have my own fill station, now have my own booster, still do all of my own service, etc. but I don't feel like a total outcast there like I did in the shops in Raleigh which is nice and he certainly doesn't ostracize anyone for seeking training outside of his shop. He's been around long enough and has been exposed to enough that he doesn't feel threatened by it like most of the industry.
Skill/training-wise? Absolutely not. I'm still new and I've started with PADI. The shop can to SDI and UTD and probably a few others as well. There is always more training and the people are good, so I learn from them constantly outside of formal training.
Gear-wise? Maybe not outgrow, but grow differently. They only have ScubaPro and UTD gear. I don't really know why. I'm not interested in these companies' gear for the most part. ScubaPro masks, exposure protection, and fins don't fit me well; their BP/W setups and regs seem incredibly overpriced, even with the Mil discount I get from the shop. UTD gear is super basic, but priced like it's gold. I buy most of my main stuff from elsewhere, but I pick up small things from them and support them as much as I can.
Gear-wise? Maybe not outgrow, but grow differently. They only have ScubaPro and UTD gear. I don't really know why. I'm not interested in these companies' gear for the most part. ScubaPro masks, exposure protection, and fins don't fit me well; their BP/W setups and regs seem incredibly overpriced, even with the Mil discount I get from the shop. UTD gear is super basic, but priced like it's gold. I buy most of my main stuff from elsewhere, but I pick up small things from them and support them as much as I can.
broncobowsher
Contributor
My story doesn't fit the mold, so bare with it...
Typical diver. Got certified, dived from time to time. School, student loans, transportation issues, even a new house would pull me away but when I got settled again I would be back. Moved to another state, found a shop simply because they were local. Ran with them for years. Mainly because they were fun and fit my cheap lifestyle. The shop closed (I am still in touch with the former owner). After the economy downturn I was looking for a new shop. By this time I knew more of what I was looking for. I wanted a shop that would advance further then the basic shop offered. I spent a couple weekends driving around town shopping for a new shop. I had not been in the water in a few years, and the last time I was in the water I had a few issues (wetsuit was way too tight, forgot to turn the computer on). I would say 3/4 shops saw me as an existing diver, sell him a dive trip. Found one that asked the right questions, What problems did I have? Let's work on those problems and get you into the water locally before we go any further. OK, I like these people, and they did some tech diving.
So I have been with this shop for a few years now. They have been good to me. I have done my best to be good to them. When I started getting into Deco procedures and Advanced nitrox they brought in the instructor that taught them. He happens to work at another shop but freelances a lot. Come to find out a lot of shops use the same tech instructor. All was good. Then I got an itch to switch to a rebreather. Now the shop that I have been using for the past several years isn't equipped to handle this. Yes, I have outgrown the shop. I still dive with them, still come by and hang out. But I have to travel to a different shop for O2 fills (not many places will pump O2).
I am hoping to be a bit of an instigator. Instead of abandoning the shop, help the shop step up a level.
Of course the shop will offer (push?) products they sell. I bought a set of fins off the owner's feet one day. He did the "try these" when done I loaded them in my bag and told him to write an invoice. He was a little miffed, but I pointed out that he was in the business of selling gear. It's not like I left him without anything, and I didn't even ask for a deal since they were used fins. Last regs I bought, was a line they carried even though it was a special order. Right now I have a standing order for another AL40. He doesn't stock them and I don't need it now (I was offered his personal one if I need it sooner). But it will help him get the number up so he can get a deal on shipping on the next order he places.
Typical diver. Got certified, dived from time to time. School, student loans, transportation issues, even a new house would pull me away but when I got settled again I would be back. Moved to another state, found a shop simply because they were local. Ran with them for years. Mainly because they were fun and fit my cheap lifestyle. The shop closed (I am still in touch with the former owner). After the economy downturn I was looking for a new shop. By this time I knew more of what I was looking for. I wanted a shop that would advance further then the basic shop offered. I spent a couple weekends driving around town shopping for a new shop. I had not been in the water in a few years, and the last time I was in the water I had a few issues (wetsuit was way too tight, forgot to turn the computer on). I would say 3/4 shops saw me as an existing diver, sell him a dive trip. Found one that asked the right questions, What problems did I have? Let's work on those problems and get you into the water locally before we go any further. OK, I like these people, and they did some tech diving.
So I have been with this shop for a few years now. They have been good to me. I have done my best to be good to them. When I started getting into Deco procedures and Advanced nitrox they brought in the instructor that taught them. He happens to work at another shop but freelances a lot. Come to find out a lot of shops use the same tech instructor. All was good. Then I got an itch to switch to a rebreather. Now the shop that I have been using for the past several years isn't equipped to handle this. Yes, I have outgrown the shop. I still dive with them, still come by and hang out. But I have to travel to a different shop for O2 fills (not many places will pump O2).
I am hoping to be a bit of an instigator. Instead of abandoning the shop, help the shop step up a level.
Of course the shop will offer (push?) products they sell. I bought a set of fins off the owner's feet one day. He did the "try these" when done I loaded them in my bag and told him to write an invoice. He was a little miffed, but I pointed out that he was in the business of selling gear. It's not like I left him without anything, and I didn't even ask for a deal since they were used fins. Last regs I bought, was a line they carried even though it was a special order. Right now I have a standing order for another AL40. He doesn't stock them and I don't need it now (I was offered his personal one if I need it sooner). But it will help him get the number up so he can get a deal on shipping on the next order he places.
DogDiver
Contributor
Never a problem at Amigos.
211ratsbud
Contributor
I try to be the un-shop shop. Control isnt needed. Most of my customers shop around. Most of the other shops guys dont. I see everyone and can talk diving all day. There is more than one way to do something and if you need any proof go no further than a picture of my grandfather on the wall.
I literally work with a hundred dive shops I see the variations of the two extremes all summer. I can easily spot a good shop by the way they help their clients who travel with them.. or dont!
Let's dive..
I literally work with a hundred dive shops I see the variations of the two extremes all summer. I can easily spot a good shop by the way they help their clients who travel with them.. or dont!
Let's dive..
OP
Yeah, Dana. Yours is one of only three dive shops in the entire world that makes my day brighter after having visited.
211ratsbud
Contributor
Lol I was gonna invite another guy from another shop out yesterday but they were busy ( nothing bad about that either)
Or
I give you my business and you make snarky comments that you patiently know are false. Amazing.
Edit: patently false, not patiently false. Dang autocorrect.
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