What one brand for the rest of your life?

[Nemrod]

I had all "AMF Voit" when I started out in early 70's. Had a Nemrod speargun and then Mares guns and equipment. Details are hazy for me now, but didn't AMF Voit morph into Mares at some point in the 70's?

The Abyss and other Mares models along the way are essentially a Voit MR12.



Most manufactueres well into the 80s did supply tanks, valves, spearguns, full kit. Including Scubapro (Healthways), Voit, Nemrod, U.S. Divers, White Stag and on and on. And they largely made their own stuff, it was not rebranded from another source and sold by multiple companies with just a decal change and maybe some exterior styling changes. Today even the major brand outsource.

This has been a larger change than most realize affecting all aspects of life. When companies manufactured their own products in their own factories with their own employees then there were multiple supply lines. Well, now compare that to today when most companies outsource, be it vacuum cleaners or scuba gear, often to the same out sourced entity and multiple supply lines become one. Then you are standing in line for toilet paper or waiting months for a part!

James

 

[Johnoly]

Because Nitrox needs the worlds's largest O2 supplier.........

 

[waterone]

Wow you guys! It's funny and sad at the same time.

I'd have to say dive rite but I do like the Hollis part of the Huish company.

Though i would not want to settle for less than either Shearwater (and while some might find it odd) or Garmin as a computer.

 

[WOB0.01J]

I would pick ScubaPro. Their customer service is awesome, and they make very good products too.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Sub Gravity for BCDs
Mares for regs, masks and fins
Abyss for drysuits
Bare for wersuits
Ratio for computers

 

[rhwestfall]

TLDR - One "Brand"? It may have been said.... VISA

 

[CT-Rich]

Been using the same Scubapro regulator & BCD for about 10 years and they predate my usage by a similar number. I am not sure I don’t already have my terminal gear.

I had an Aeris 300ai that bought the farm a few years ago (I really liked it, but it was getting really dated anyway). The replacements I bought did not hold up and when the peregrine came out, it check pretty much all the boxes. I like it a lot and if this isn’t my final computer, it‘s up to Shearwater to lose my business.

Fins and masks can last decades and I am about ready to replace the fins. The only gear I expect to upgrade/replace are my wetsuit and drysuits. I plan on diving my steel 120s until my back says “no” (that day will come). My daughter’s 80s will likely be around.

Everyone that say diving is expensive are wrong, I spend a few hundred on service and air every year. It’s the travel that adds. I spend $10 on air for a weekend of diving and $50+ on gas and food just for the back and forth and $4k on a trip.