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Whether you decide to buy online or not, make sure there is a dive shop in your area that services that brand. It will make your life much easier when it comes to repairs and replacement parts.
That said...actually buying some stuff from your local dive shop will help keep them open and available to serve you. I get things from the shops as well as online. Wetsuits are good to get at the shop so you can try them out and get the best fit. ScubaPro also has lifetime parts and service on their gear. I’ve got some of their regs and it’s nice to know I can take my stuff into the shop whenever I want.
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Yeah =/ as much as I’d like to simply support the dive shop I just got trained in, It’d cost about double compared to some of the sites I’m looking at. I’m in Philadelphia right now, about 100 miles from where I got my confined water dives in. I don’t have a car, so I’m going to check out the local dive shop in the city, not too sure about it.
I don’t have a huge pile of disposable income, nor the means to generate it, so I’d like to save money where I can and where it wouldn’t ruin my dive experience.
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I bot my aqualung regs from www ecosivecenter.com and something from leisurepro.com sometimes you MIT find things on criglist i’n your area but for your reg check out your local shops prices and online to
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Sorry that was www.ecodivecenter.com
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I totally understand about the cost - I learned to dive when I was in college. Assuming that you already have mask/fins/snorkel, the next thing you should shop for is a good wetsuit. You’ll get a better fit that you will with a rental, always know how much weight to use and (best of all) you’ll be the only one who’s peed in it. Since you live up north, think about getting a core warmer and a beanie/hood when you need added warmth. If you want gloves for protection (not insulation), you can get fabric work gloves at the hardware store for about $5.
I waited to buy my octo/BC and computer until I began to dive more often and renting began to cost too much.
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Yep, that’s more or less the way I was planning on buying things. I’m out of college and working, but not making oodles of cash. Wetsuit makes the most sense to buy in person. And I need to finish my open water diver course before I can buy life support equipment, (at least that’s what my instructor said).
I’ve got fins, mask, snorkel and weight belt already.
In short I’d be looking to get my own BC, Regulator, Octo, and instruments. Probably a dive computer as well. I think that’s everything =)
I’ll talk to the dive shop in the city and see what they service, this is a few months off for me, but I just want to start shopping around and getting a feel for the prices.
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Another good thing about local shops is that they usually have a big sale once a year. You can save up and then get things at a good discount, even sometimes the same gear you have been renting. That’s what my bf and I did, saved over 50% and we knew the gear since we had rented it for a while. I LOVE my Aqua Lung i3 Pearl BCD, I was able to rent it and a regular one and will never go back.
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"And I need to finish my open water diver course before I can buy life support equipment, (at least that’s what my instructor said)."
From a dive shop standpoint, that’s a true statement. If they sell gear to an unqualified diver who then has a mishap while using that gear, they can be held liable. Understandably, they just choose not to take the risk.
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Oh yeah, I’m not saying that’s a bad thing that they don’t sell life support to people without the training. I just wasn’t 100% sure of the veracity of the statement. Didn’t want to sound like some punk just rattling off things I heard as fact =P
The practice is sound, and I wouldn’t dare use anything until I had training with it to properly use it.
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One thing that I feel strongly about is.. You can buy alot on line and save . Your regs and BCD should be bought threw your local shop. They are factory trained to properly maintain them and as for warranty and regular service, that as well is usually less expensive and fast turn around time if you bought it from them. I am not against buying items on line by no means. REMEMBER ONE THING>>>> buying from and suporting your local shop means it will be around when you need it...Makes sense dosent it.... good luck in you course. Enjoy the sport as much as alot of others do... Stay safe
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I’ll purchase the non-life supporting items on line (masks, fins, accessories, etc.). Regs, bc’s, tanks, and computers I buy at the LDS for several reasons. I want to support my LDS. They’ve always been straight with me and I know they will always provide top service when needed. If I’m going to spend hundreds of dollars on an item, I like being able to actually see it first and often try it out before purchasing. (I know, it’s an old fashioned thing).
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You have several good dive shops in your area. Blue Horizons in Glenn Mills and The Dive Shop in Cheery Hill. I’d talk to Beth at Blue Horizons and Arin at The Dive Shop.
The main reason you want to buy at your local shop as a new diver is that they are the ones who will actually answer your questions. You will probably pay a little more for your equipment, (ask for competitive price quotes) ; but as a new diver you may not even be aware of all the right questions to ask. A good shop will act as your guide and not just try to sell you.
I’ve been diving for a long time @ 30 years and try to deal with my local shop whenever possible. Neither of the shops listed above are local to me but I know the owners and staff and can recommend them highly. It’s best to use your local shops for your information gathering, they actually have a vested interest in you.
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MDW - 1/05/2012 9:18 AM 
Since you are near Philly, might I suggest you try NorthEast Scuba Supply in Norristown. They have really good pricing, numerous bulk-buy and closeout deals, a large supply of used gear, and a good service shop. They also have an online store (northeastscubasupply.com), so you can have the best of both worlds (order online for convenience or go to the shop for custom service and advice or to try things on before buying. They also have a pool outside the shop where you can test dive stuff.
Another good source not too far away is SCUBA Connection in Hillsborough, NJ. They also have an excellent selection, an indoor test pool, and an online store (diveseekers.com). Their pricing is a little higher and they don’t have much used gear, but everyone there is extremely knowledgeable and the service dept is top notch.
I’ve used both of these numerous times both online and in person (both about 60 miles from my home). I prefer either of these over the overpriced and understocked shop that’s 5 miles from my house. I definitely prefer either online to LeisurePro with its poor selection and horrendous return policies (and try going to their physical location in Manhattan and getting any kind of service).
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I use OnlineScuba.com and LeisurePro.com. I try to support my local dive shops but only willing to pay 1.5 time more than the online prices. Some of these online places have a return it for free if it does not fit for their wetsuits/drysuits. I returned a pair of gloves 3 times before keeping them.
OnlineScuba is in Las Vegas, so when the family visits the casinos, I go to OnlineScuba.com’s wharehouse not far from the strip. Last time I bought my 5mm Bare Jumpsuit $120, Oceanic Neo Classic boots $20, Mares Avanti Quatro fins $50 and saved about 150 bucks.
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