PADI Scuba Diving Magazine Really Insults Its Readers' Intelligence

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It makes perfect sense once you realize PADI is owned by a private equity group. These articles are meant to help the centi-millionaire investors come up with suitable gifts for occasions like a disfavored nephew's graduation.
Can I be your nephew?
 
There was an issue recently that featured diving in Komodo and when you went to read it, it was basically an article selling a luxury/expensive liveaboard (read: extremely overpriced for Komodo given distance to LBJ, not remote, and supply). I can’t remember which boat it was - maybe Arenui? I know people that have been on it and rave about it but the context and poor disguise was laughable. There was hardly any discussion about the actual dive sites or diving, and mostly on the accommodations, service, food, staff, comfort, etc.
 
Sure, but my wife appears to have decided to invest all of our spare cash in hand sanitizer.

Hand sanitizer was the wrong thing to buy. You should have bought cask strength single malt whisky, preferably from one the distillerys on the island of Islay, it kills the germs too, and tastes soooo good!
Michael
 
On the other hand, in the computer section are the Shearwater Nerd 2, Perdix AI and Teric. Shearwater must send ScubaLabs their computers. The Perdix AI was a Testers Choice in 2017. The Teric was a Testers Choice in 2018. There you go. In general, the 2020 Gear Guide is junk. If you don't like the mag, don't buy it, don't read it. I still find many of the issues entertaining, for a variety of reasons. It's inexpensive entertainment.
 
On the other hand, in the computer section are the Shearwater Nerd 2, Perdix AI and Teric. Shearwater must send ScubaLabs their computers. The Perdix AI was a Testers Choice in 2017. The Teric was a Testers Choice in 2018. There you go. In general, the 2020 Gear Guide is junk. If you don't like the mag, don't buy it, don't read it. I still find many of the issues entertaining, for a variety of reasons. It's inexpensive entertainment.

I’m sure what they published before was affected by advertising and who would send them what. However, I feel like since PADI took over it is even more obviously and ridiculously so. The article about Komodo diving that I referenced stood out painfully so in my mind. Does anyone remember when PADI took it over?
 
I’m sure what they published before was affected by advertising and who would send them what. However, I feel like since PADI took over it is even more obviously and ridiculously so. The article about Komodo diving that I referenced stood out painfully so in my mind. Does anyone remember when PADI took it over?
Rodale sold it to (now defunct) F+W Publications in 2006 which in turn sold it to Bonnier in 2008. Bonnier was already the publisher of Sport Diver which was affiliated with PADI and the contract publisher of PADI's Undersea Journal. Bonnier sold Scuba Diving to PADI in July 2019 along with Skin Diver and Sport Diver.

But there were questions about bias in Scuba Diving's reviews even when they were under Rodale. However, perhaps because of Bob Evans of Force Fins lawsuit - Rodale and Force Fins Agree to Disagree: Undercurrent 02/2004 -, I remember at least the ScubaLabs reviews of the early to mid 2000s looked reliable as they published their testing methodology and actual results. Unfortunately, in the late 2000s these turned into subjective scores with no hard numbers. I think this happened after the sale to Bonnier.
 
Sure, but my wife appears to have decided to invest all of our spare cash in hand sanitizer.
Dang it! Seiko was a bit more enticing...
However added to a product that sanitize your hands (I hope it wasn’t too expensive) she also bought a bit of peace of mind... that can be valuable too :)

Stay safe everybody! Go underwater! No covid-19 transmission there!
 
Regarding the 2020 Gear Guide. I believe that Scuba Diving/ScubaLabs has always tested equipment sent to them by the manufacturer. For a manufacturer to participate in reviews, they would have to supply the equipment. Many of the manufacturers who supply equipment also appear to be advertisers. In many ways, that is not a surprise. I have always wondered what the influence of advertising had on the content of the reviews, I have no personal information.

Though it has always been apparent that Scuba Diving contained a lot of advertising, I never paid much attention. There is a dazzling amount of advertising in the 2020 Gear issue. The following all have 2 page ads: Seiko, Aqua Lung, SeaLife (plus an additional smaller ad), Sherwood/Akona/Genesis, and Gull Diving. The following have 1 page ads: Garmin, Oceanic, Scubapro (2 one pagers), Cressi (2 one pagers, including back cover), Mares, Tusa, Seac, Mares (2 one pagers, one for rEvo), Salt Life, Bare and Bare. Many more have partial page ads including Shearwater, Big Blue, Spyderco, Fourth Element, Ist Diving, Dive Rite, Pinnacle, Venture Heat, Truli Wetsuits, Gpacers, OTS, and Spare Air. Wow, that's a lot of advertisers!

Most of the products in the reviews come from the advertisers, but not all. There are products from Suunto, Apeks, Stahlsac, Underwater Kinetics, Atomic, Hollis, Zeagle, Head, Waterproof, and LavaCore included. For some categories a certain manufacturer seems to be significantly overrepresented. Spyderco has 6 of the 8 knives listed. Gull Diving (a company I had never personally heard of) has 8 masks listed and also has 2 fins and the only 2 snorkels. The examples of Seiko watches and SeaLife lights and cameras have already been mentioned by others.

So, everyone can make their own decision whether to subscribe and/or read Scuba Diving. I have never paid much attention to the advertisements and the reviews have not played any role in my equipment choices.

For me, there are two exceptions with regard to the value of the ScubaLab equipment reviews. I have found the hyperbaric chamber testing of dive computers and the ANSTI testing of regulators to be objective and of potential utility. Both of these topics have been relatively extensively discussed on SB over the years.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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