Triple-L BC

[RV6Pilot]

Hi all,

I am considering purchasing a BC from Triple-L and was wondering if anyone here had purchased one. I would love to find someone who owns a large or xtra large that I can try on. I live in the Chaska area but would drive to your location. Triple-L is an internet sales only company and if I get the wrong size the return and re-stocking fees can add up quick.

If any one wants to look at their stuff its:

Thanks

[nomads]

Why do you want to buy a Triple-L BC?  I would say the odds of finding someone here who owns one is remote.

[RV6Pilot]

I have been looking at many BC's and have found the ones from Triple-L to be a very good value. They have received many good reviews and comments from owners on other boards.

Do you have a reason why I should not buy one from Triple-L?

[nomads]

You can buy whatever you want but when it comes to life support equipment I do not buy from the internet.  I do extensive research and buy the best equipment for the type of diving I am doing from a local dive shop who will service and stand behind their products.  There are many good BCs available from long standing reputable manufacturers. The BC's may be good or they may not, why take the chance? I do not want to seem condensending, so I hope you take this in the spirit it is given, but you are fairly new at this game and my suggestion is to be cautious and safe with your equipment purchases.

[RV6Pilot]

You can buy whatever you want but when it comes to life support equipment I do not buy from the internet. I do extensive research and buy the best equipment for the type of diving I am doing from a local dive shop who will service and stand behind their products.

So are you saying I or anyone should not buy any of their primary scuba gear from the internet?  This will be a big disappointment to ScubaToys, LeisurePro, DiversDiscount, etc. These companies have been in business for as long as many LDS’s and have good reputations for service and support of the equipment they sell. I have found the advice given to me from Larry at ScubaPro to more helpful and honest then I could get at my local LDS.

There are many good BCs available from long standing reputable manufacturers. The BC's may be good or they may not, why take the chance? I do not want to seem condescending, so I hope you take this in the spirit it is given, but you are fairly new at this game and my suggestion is to be cautious and safe with your equipment purchases.

You are implying that any BC on the market that you do not know about personally may or may not be bad and is taking a chance. I understand the intent in your reply but it does sound condescending. Without any justification you have challenged my ability to make a good buying decision and my experience in doing so. I too want to purchase the best equipment I can afford but I am not going to automatically hand my wallet to the local LDS and have them sell me the only BC brand they carry. As far as standing by their products, in my original posting I said that Triple-L had many good reviews and comments from magazines and current owners. They also are OEM’rs to other brands of BC’s that are well known to most divers.

My posting the request to try on someone’s BC made by Triple-L is a continuation of my research into this BC. I would still appreciate any feedback from someone who has purchased a BC from Triple-L.

If you would like to look at their products they can be found at:


Comments from owners on Scubaboard:


Reviews from magazines:
Orion BC Review -
Libra BC Review -
Stratos BC Review -
Laguna Bag Review -
Scuba Board Forum Triple-L Wetsuit Thread -
Scuba Board Forum Triple-L BCD Thread -
Rodale's Scuba Lab review, Taurus BC

[Mr.Pitbull]

Rv6Pilot,
  Just remember how you prefaced this thread "Return fees and restocking charges add up quick" Some of us have already been down that road and are weary for that reason. The products might be wonderfully priced and quality made but if you can't get it serviced locally and have to pay shipping and insurance each time, is it still a wise choice? Not to mention your down time for getting it there and back again.

[RV6Pilot]

Point taken... thank you

[nomads]

RV, Sorry to have hit such a sensitve nerve.  You said "This will be a big disappointment to ScubaToys, LeisurePro, DiversDiscount, etc. These companies have been in business for as long as many LDS’s and have good reputations for service and support of the equipment they sell. I have found the advice given to me from Larry at ScubaPro to more helpful and honest then I could get at my local LDS."  To see what others have said you can go to  .  Like I said before, it is your choice and risk. 
You said "that Triple-L had many good reviews and comments from magazines and current owners. They also are OEM’rs to other brands of BC’s that are well known to most divers."  Whose BCs does Triple-L make?

[MNLakeDiver]

It seems you main concern is fit. have you concidered emailing them your measurments waist, chest.tourso lenth ect. and ask them to recomend a size for you? If they are an internet only co. they should be used to these questions. It would also give you a chance to gage their customerservice for your self.

[AandA]

The internet is a GREAT place to shop around for the best price ;D.  This goes for diving gear as well as just about everything else.  The problem I have with the internet is about the same as I used to have with mail order… In order to buy with confidence you have to know several more things than you do when buying retail :;

The EXACT product you want.  Buying an item before you have actually handled it is generally not a great idea.  Although others might like it and have rated it highly or recommended it, once you handle it yourself you might or might not like it.

Warranty.  These items you almost take for granted buying retail but should never assume when buying from the internet.  A warranty is very important for expensive items, make certain it is a USA warranty.  Some items are simply NOT under warranty if not sold through a seller authorized by the manufacturer.  Aqua Lung would be one example of a manufacturer that does not authorize sales thought the net.

Service Everything mechanical will one day have a problem.  Most items used for diving SHOULD be inspected regularly by a technician trained specifically to that brand.  Sending this item through the mail is an option, but only for the long term.  Assuming that you need it done NOW (as you might not have a spare and want to still dive) getting it done locally is the only real solution.  So ya really need to find someone who can work on what you buy right where you are… This means when you dive locally as well as on a trip.  The brand you buy SHOULD be common enough so that you can be assured of obtaining parts and service when on a dive trip.     

Who are you buying it from. There are some very very disreputable outfits on the net, just like there are very reputable ones.  Personally I think there are quite a few more fly by night outfits in mail order and the web than have an actual store (especially if you do low price shopping).  With that in mind I try to buy expensive purchases from outfits I’ve bought from and had good experience from before.

I have bought both regulators and BCs from the internet that are/were simply not available locally.  I did do EXTENSIVE research, and have a fair amount of diving experience (got certified in 1973).  I very much liked how they were rated (Rodales), what the specific features were (very applicable for MY kind of coldwater diving) and the price I could obtain them for.  I found a local dive shop that would service the equipment.  What I ended up doing was contacting the manufacturer explaining my situation and they ended up sending a variety of sizes to a retailer for me to examine.  YES I know this was NOT very fair to the retailer, > who offered to sell me the items at twice the price I paid, and then went on to say he would not sell me anything in the future if I did not buy through him (needless to say the feeling of not buying through him was mutual and I would not have bought flashlight battery from him). 

I buy from both local dive shops and the internet.  I’ve been fortunate to have primarily very good experiences with both. Whenever possible I try to buy from the local dive shops who treat me VERY well.  Lets be real I WANT to do business with them.  The problem is sometimes I simply can not afford to…I do however make sure I KNOW what I’m getting, where I can take it for service and who I’m buying it from.