Huish Outdoors acquires LIQUIVISION

[Jim Lapenta]

Jim, I think that was purely a coincident. Somehow I just do not see Huish coming in and saying to kill a product. I would bet the decision was made within Zeagle. What folks should be looking at in terms of Huish buying these various companies is customer service, new products (as Ron said they now have working capital), etc.. For instance, when I call Atomic customer service I want to speak to someone at Atomics - I do not want a message to taken by someone at central call center and to have someone call me back.

Actually it was not. It has already been admitted that the decision to axe it was part of huish taking over and evaluating the lines. It was a profit based decision. As such I can't in good faith recommend the BC any longer unless someone can find an old leftover or used model. And I am going to sell mine as soon as my new sidemount rigs come in.

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[cb5150]

My only experience with this is that when Huish took over Zeagle they killed the best BC for new divers and independent instructors to obtain at a reasonable price. You can still get the Express Tech but not the basic one. You have to buy the deluxe and strip half of it off to make it a good BC. That was a colossally stupid move. I used to recommend that BC over anything but a BPW. Not any more.

...they killed the best BC for new divers...
That was a colossally stupid move.

Jim, you seem very passionate about this and I wonder if affected your choice of such strong words for what is a very subjective issue. Product lines get killed off every day and there always a few people who feel like "their" favorite product was the best on the market. As we all know, dive equipment in general is a small market and perhaps the Express Tech wasn't as universally popular as you thought it was. Just because an instructor, even someone of your experience and skill, recommends a product doesn't always mean it will be a money maker. I'm a Zeagle Ranger & Stiletto fan, but its a rare day when I see another diver wearing one. At the end of the day, its all about the $$$.

Peace and safe diving.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Perhaps, but I know what worked for a number of my students from a gear and a financial standpoint. I also made sure to teach them about it. Since I was not selling gear at the time and even after I started to, the basic ET made a lot of sense for my students. To the point where I would not only refer them, but personally take them to another shop to get one. Or refer them to Zeagle Express and Capt. Gene here on the board if they were not local.

 

[mdb]

It is always about the $. "Nothing will change" Then everything changes.

 

[drrich2]

Jim:

The way you stripped down the Deluxe, or would, it sounds like you took a standard BCD and stripped it down to the basics, to achieve something more similar to a 'no-frills' BP/W.

I've not used a BP/W, so my grasp is limited, but was there any advantage for the students you referred to in using the old basic version of the Zeagle Express Tech BCD as opposed to a BP/W setup?

Richard.

 

[Diver0001]

was there any advantage for the students you referred to in using the old basic version of the Zeagle Express Tech BCD as opposed to a BP/W setup?

oops...

I sense this thread taking a turn for the worse... Making a "Huish takes on the world" thread into yet another "BP/W will make you a better diver" thread is lose/lose scenario.

R..

 

[buddhasummer]

oops...

I sense this thread taking a turn for the worse... :d making a "huish takes on the world" thread into yet another "bp/w will make you a better diver" thread is lose/lose scenario.

R..

In for a penny in for a pound, HOG...:d

 

[jd950]

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Jim:

The way you stripped down the Deluxe, or would, it sounds like you took a standard BCD and stripped it down to the basics, to achieve something more similar to a 'no-frills' BP/W.

I've not used a BP/W, so my grasp is limited, but was there any advantage for the students you referred to in using the old basic version of the Zeagle Express Tech BCD as opposed to a BP/W setup?

Richard.

Less expensive, lighter for travel, less intimidating for two female divers who did not like the idea of a metal plate but also saw no need for excess padding. They all liked how easy it was to size just by pulling the waist straps through the lower slides. So yeah some advantages they saw that a BPW I would have been able to sell them did not have. So I sent or took them to my "competition" to meet their needs. And no I did not get a commission but have gotten referrals from them. And my students know I have their best interests first and foremost.

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[drrich2]

Without getting into it too much, It's been several years since Huish Outdoors purchased Atomic (including the Cobalt computer), and it continues to be a positive experience for all concerned.

Without overgeneralizing too much, what's the general trend in developments when a 'Big Daddy' company acquires 2 competitor smaller companies?

Atomic Aquatics and LiquiVision both make dive computers. Atomic had intent to develop & market a wrist unit Cobalt. I wonder what the odds are that if, oh, say, someone at one company wanted some info., tech., research info./notes, or to 'borrow' a developer from the other and complained to Huish, that 'Big Daddy' would get on the phone to the other and demand they provide whatever?

Richard.