Good online shops for dive kit

[Sparky750]

I will give my LDS the chance to come close to the price up to 50 quid or so i'll buy from them i intend to shop around and go in with an honest price of what i can find from a reputable shop. They where great explaining some kit to me knowing full well i was just mooching so i don't mind paying a little over for that kind of service.

OK what about the xtx100 as i said before i just don't want them getting mixed up with club kit etc they use 50's and 40's. Also can you choose the first stage or is that set with what reg you buy. Here was me thinking spend as much as you can and you get the best. I can see this is a more difficult decision than i thought so wide open for any advice cheers guys

[parahandy]

Not wishing to get into the who's dive shop is best/ cheapest debate.
Agree as suggested try your local dive shop, I would however check out the prices with some of the ones that specialise in mail order as a gauge to see if your getting a good local deal, i'd start with some of the YD advertisers

[Ding Dang Doo]

I'd second Brett at DiveLife... he's pretty clued up on the pricing thing... if you've say 'I've seen it for £xx on suchandsuch website' he'll do his best to match it; and he's reasonably close to you... and he's an advertiser on here... and he bought a load of pizza for the guys and girls at the MND thing at 8 Acre last week...

Pete

[Sparky750]

OK i went to a couple of dive shops today one has already been slated in a diving mag and it's easy to see why about as helpful as a hole in a condom, one was ok but wanted to push a certain brand and that was it. ( i wont name them but i also wont be going back to the first one) Wirral sports and leisure where fantastic, the guy explained to me about the different 1st stages and took a couple of second stages apart to show the difference (non besides finish colour) and got his price to only £30 more than interweb(he spent almost 2 hours with no pressure to buy) Result i bought an ATX50 with ATX40 octo and Sunnto modular gauges. Reasons where i like the swivel turret idea on the first stage seems more logical to me, i prefer the purge button on the ATX to the XTX it just felt right to me. I did like the scubapro regs but decided to go for apex again liked the swivel idea of the first stage.
Thankyou for all your help guys it is greatly appreciated. The only problem i have is how to mark them up so they don't get mixed up with club kit any suggestions? I am in the process of hiding reciepts from girlfriend and figuring a way of putting them through my books as safety equipment

[gordon]

Cable ties round the hoses to make yours stand out from the clubs?

[Lou]

Electrical insulation tape works well on hoses if you just want to ID it to stop them getting mixed in. A coupleof wraps and you have something immediately obvious.

I am not sure how you can permanently mark them against theft, other than UV pens or etching.

[Sparky750]

It's really worrying that i own an electrical company and didn't think of that

[Woz]

If you have some metal stamps knocking around you can stamp on the A clamp bit of the reg (if A clamp) otherwise you could attach a small stainless tag to a hose with some wire.

[Steve S]

I would recommend Go-Dive for on-line shopping and I take prodive point on board but luckily GD are my LDS.

Safe diving,
Steve

[Sparky750]

Another question what grease do you use on the threads i was about to fit my BCD hose to the first stage when i remembered this bit will vaseline do? or is it a specific grease?