PADI Sport Diver gear review

[RAWalker]

When I see a magazine with reviews of equipment that isn't available to the general public yet getting editors choice awards. I have to consider the those reviews as highly biased by advertizing dollars. This becomes even more evident when I know that the download software for that product is still in developement. This simply means the product is being reviewed without the ability to get the complete experience of the product. This becomes even more a problem when I know the manufacturer hasn't cleared issues with earlier software for similar products. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying the product I have in mind is bad but at this point it isn't complete or released so how was it reviewed and how did it get an editors choice?

 

[Straegen]

I wouldn't have such a poor opinion of these kind of articles and magazines if they went out of their way to point out this is just an overview. Many magazines simply call these sections a "First Look". Implying that a magazine has selected the best or giving something an award implies it is better than its competition. At best it is misleading at worst it is fraudulent advertising. I think it falls somewhere in between, but I really think anyone reading these magazines should realize they are pimping their advertisers products and largely ignoring the industry outside of that.

Again that is my opinion. Everyone else is obviously free to believe those are unbiased completely acceptable reviews.

 

[Pearldiver07]

You know, the magazine editors don't seem to realize that if they'd give a full range of reviews that they would get more followership and respectability.

I used to like Rodale's reader surveys. I noticed that immediately after they sold the magazine that this died off quickly. Resort names and boat names disappeared from the lists immediately. Guess they didn't want to risk losing a single advertising dollar.

I think our best shot is still Undercurrent magazine/web site. Since they don't take ads, this is a great step. I guess it is still up the individual to decide whether the input they receive is valid.

 

[Walt Stearns]

Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing the word Best used in the title of a round-up or review, especially when there is little to nothing to validate that statement. Having worked as a contributing editor for a number of publications over the years, falling on that word to describe something rather than give the reader useful information of what it has to offer, do or not do is what was once consider an authorÃÔ lazy way out of doing any actual hands on research or testing.

But even magazines that donÃÕ have paid advertisers are not immune.

In the hands of a reviewer, the outcome of that review will be slanted a little or a lot by that individualÃÔ subjective attitude/feelings toward that product or place. Actual purely objective reviews are very difficult in that they require a lot of time for testing and not with one or two, or three, but several units, in addition to them needing to be in the hands of experienced testers.

For a magazine to do its readers and even its advertisers the most justice is to call it what it is, either a First Look which can be a regurgitated press release, or as a partial hands on. Or get little more serious and do a full Hands On Review, where the reviewer actually got their hands on it, and tells the reader what they found after using for a period of time what it was able to do, or in some cases not do. Basically, covering the bases of who or what is it, what is itÃÔ intended mission, does it meet that mission, and if so, how.

Walt Stearns
Underwater Journal

 

[AzAtty]

Sport Diver is simply trying to be honest and accurate in its advertising. It uses the term "air cell" so that divers will not confuse the BCD in question with a BCD appropriate for use with nitrox (e.g. "nitrox cell") or trimix in technical diving (e.g. "trimix cell" or "TMx cell"). Therefore, we should all thank Sport Diver for alerting us to the need to purchase an additional, more expensive, nitrox-specific product for our nitrox diving, or trimix-specific product for use in technical diving when we wish to take the DSAT technical courses (not to mention oxygen clean cells for nitrox mixes above 40%). I'm confident that Sport Diver will also keep us updated with information concerning which mixes will be appropriate for use with "trimix cells," since I'm sure that there must be different issues when using hypoxic mixes as opposed to normoxic mixes in the "trimix cell."

And using the term "wing" might possibly lead a potential purchaser into that dreaded black hole of "don't ever need to buy another gimmicky BCD," and that would be a *bad* thing.

 

[rakkis]

These reviews generally only include just released gear. Rankings are not preserved historically.

That is the reason why gear considered great by so many people often isn't listed in those reviews.

 

[Nemrod]

Do you think PadI will have a "wing diver" specialty course to go along with their "drift diver" specialty course to go along with their "gear color coordination diver" specialty course to go along with their "scooter diver" specialty course to go along with their "wetsuit diver" specialty course to go along with their "dry suit diver" specialty course to go along with their "bikini diver" specialty course to go along with their "underwater naturalist fish ID diver" specialty course to go along with their "buoyancy diver" specialty course to go along with their "no mask on forehead diver" specialty course?

These Dive Training magazines are generally given away free at the area retail dive equipment outlet store, some people use them in lieu of--well----.

N

 

[scjoe]

To answer the question about magazines that don't have advertising and review gear, one already mentioned is Undercurrent although it does not regularly review gear. Another magazine that sort of falls into this category is DiverNet, the British publication. It has travel ads, but I don't recall that it has product ads.

 

[Abidon]

Do you think PadI will have a "wing diver" specialty course to go along with their "drift diver" specialty course to go along with their "gear color coordination diver" specialty course to go along with their "scooter diver" specialty course to go along with their "wetsuit diver" specialty course to go along with their "dry suit diver" specialty course to go along with their "bikini diver" specialty course to go along with their "underwater naturalist fish ID diver" specialty course to go along with their "buoyancy diver" specialty course to go along with their "no mask on forehead diver" specialty course?

These Dive Training magazines are generally given away free at the area retail dive equipment outlet store, some people use them in lieu of--well----.

N

Did you say "bikini diver" specialty course? I think it's time to upgrade my cert. level. Thank you PADI!!!

 

[Nemrod]

Did you say "bikini diver" specialty course? I think it's time to upgrade my cert. level. Thank you PADI!!!

I just threw that one in there, not sure if they have that--yet.

N