Reliability of Magazine Equipment reviews?

[budgy]

If you write to any commercial diving magazine with a genuine complain about a diving product that is being sold by a major distributor or manufacturer that advertises in their magazine; do you think they will print or examine your complaint? Try it! Thats when you know you are not their customer, just their sheep. Despite any hypocritical claims that, " We tell it like it is."
A good diving product review is based on many hours of reliable performance. Don't expect a real review from a glossy magazine, just advertising disguised as editorial copy.
IMO there is plenty of diving equipment on the market today that is neither suitable or durable for the job for which it is sold. The manufacturer is confident that the average amateur diver dives so rarely that the overpriced useless product with a working life of 40 hours or less may last you several years of non use. The dive magazine's and the LDS's continue to work hand in hand with these manufacturers taking our money.

 

[Welshman]

I think RSD gets an unfair press. I've seen many many comments that their reviews are biased because they take advertising from the gear manufacturers. However, the facts do not support this conclusion. the number of gear manufacturers who advertise with RSD is small. Oceanic, Sea Quest/Aqua Lung, Mares and many other reputable manufacturers do not advertise with RSD and yet their equipment is reviewed and generally favourably. The only ones who consistently advertise (or at least over the last 6 months issues which I have to hand) are ScubaPro and Atomic. I've never heard anyone suggest that ScubaPro make bad equipment.

If we going to criticise someone/something then let's do so on the basis of the facts - there seems a lot of unjustified prejudice against RSD - if it's justified then let's hear about it and I'll stand corrected.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

WreckWriter once bubbled...
We're unbiased
Tom

Can you help me select a good jacket style bc?

(running and ducking with tongue planted firmly in cheek)



Marc

 

[MikeFerrara]

RSD endorses solo diving with obsurd equipment configurations for novices who can't figure out the buddy system. I wouldn't believe them if they told me what day it was. Maybe split fins are the greatest thing sense sliced bread but it sure is hard to teach finning technique to someone who is wearing them. They also never mentioned the fact that they're all but banned from the one place where real finning finess, antisilting technique and efficient power is an absolute requirement. There may be one somewhere, but I have not yet seen a cave instructor who will allow a student to wear them. Someone sure made a fortune though.

 

[WreckWriter]

FLL Diver once bubbled...


Can you help me select a good jacket style bc?

(running and ducking with tongue planted firmly in cheek)



Marc

Absolutely Marc! While I do dive a plate and wing myself I dived many years in recreational equipment. The best jacket BC, without doubt, is a Scubapro classic.

Tom

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I think they all have some kindof bias fews but read the articles then findone you like and starte some research from there most ofton theres more than one review on same product if not post hear some wear someone has tried and tested it some wear more than likly

 

[Kat]

I can totally see the problem with a magazine that has advertisers. Which is why I've heard that Consumer Reports was a great non-biased source for information. Does Consumer Reports ever review dive equipment? If they do, they could be another good resource for information.

 

[Scuba446]

This was quite the discussion before on this board, about Rodale's being impartial.

For better reports, see: http://www.divernet.com/equipment/equipment1.htm

Many feel that Rodale's is biased because many of their manufacturers they do reports on are paid advertisers, although, I have NOT seen any Mares ads in the last 6 issues or so - which is pretty rare for Rodale's.

Courts still out on the Rodale's impartiality issue!

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